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A common question that I am frequently asked is what is Gold Fill and what is Vermeil? We strive to use the highest quality metals in every piece of jewelry and would love to fill in the gaps of what each metal is.   Gold Fill Gold filled jewelry is not plated jewelry. When Gold Fill (GF) is created, it requires the treatment of heat and solid sheets of gold. It starts out as a base metal (often brass) and a layer of pure gold is added by heat and pressed against the brass to fuse together as one. This process is repeated about 20 times to have an even and solid gold thickness. It is usually 9ct, 14ct or 18 ct. I like to use the 14ct in most of my pieces. Gold filled wears, looks and lasts like solid gold because its outer surface IS solid gold.  Gold filled jewelry is often more affordable because it offers all the same characteristics as solid gold such as strength, durability and beauty….but at a fraction of the cost! Since the actual piece of jewelry is a layer of solid gold, the material can stay beautiful for years if worn daily. The care for this is simple, warm soapy wash cloth, a jewelry polishing cloth or in some cases if you are feeling crafty, ammonia  will help to make it shine brilliantly. Never use abrasive solutions or clothes to clean your beautiful pieces. I wear my bar necklace everywhere, the gym, sleep, shower etc, I just love wearing it and so will you. This Evelyn bar necklace consists of all gold fill components and will wear nicely for years to come.   Gold Vermeil Vermeil (Pronouced Ver-MAY) is a little different then GF. Its core consists of sterling silver, rather then a base metal of brass. You will often see a stamp of .925 on the piece to indicate vermeil. Gold Vermeil (GV), is coated/plated around the sterling with at least 2.5 microns of gold. This is considered a "plated" metal but it is considered much more durable and thicker plated vs. gold plated or gold dipped. These last 2 options offer on average 75% less gold in terms of coating. Vermeil is a little more sensitive to the wear and tear of everyday use. Don't wear it in the pool, shower, hot springs etc.  To care for vermeil, I like to use warm mild soapy water as to not ruin the integrity of the brilliance. The Vermeil that I use in each of my pieces are selected for the highest quality and standards, from a highly reputable company in Canada. I hope that this helps in determining the two "golds" and make your buying decisions effortless. Shop our Classic Collection for all Gold Fill and Sterling silver pieces. Any questions please feel free to contact me directly or leave a comment below. With Love, Angela xo