....And yes it looked just as divine as solid gold.
Gold Plated jewellery can be seen as the inferior wannabe to its Solid Gold sibling. I totally get it! But you know, this baby sister has some pretty cool qualities of her own!
I’m going to break down a few misconceptions, because actually, gold plating at a high standard is rather beautiful, very durable and extremely affordable.
Why did my gold ring from **inserts name of fast fashion high st store** turn a different color after a week of wearing it?
The process of gold plating metal varies. From fast and not so furious which wears away in a flash, hence it's called ‘Flash Plating’, to a lengthier process, with various steps which secure a thicker layer of gold, aka Gold Vermeil.
The measure of gold thickness and therefore its durability and quality is taken via Microns. A piece of jewellery which is Gold Vermeil will require a minimum of 2.5 microns. If you compare this to the less than 0.25 Microns of flash plating, you will see why it doesn’t last the test of time.
Depending on care and amount of wear, Gold Vermeil can last a good few years. At which point, as with solid gold jewels it would be ready for a trip to the ’jewellery spa’. During this clean and polish you can request a re-plate (even change of colour) at a relatively low cost.
So, your Gold plated jewellery which changed color in a week was most likely fast fashion and flash plated. As they say, you get what you pay for. We think Demi-Fine jewelry is definitely an affordable way to invest in long lasting, modern pieces.
....OK but its not precious like GOLD
Bringing me nicely on to ‘Demi-Fine jewelry'. This category has grown rather rapidly in the last few years. It refers to jewellery which is created with precious metals and semi-precious gemstones. For example, all of our jewellery is either recycled 925 Sterling Silver with Gold Vermeil plating or Solid 14k Gold, and we use semi-precious stones such as Tourmaline, Topaz and Garnet. Pretty precious we you think.
Although your Vermeil jewels are not ‘solid gold’ they are still very precious. The process of vermeil plating actually does require a high level of REAL GOLD in the compound (but not high enough to add the value of solid gold). So you have the benefits of wearing Silver (thought to improve to energy levels and mood) with Gold (relaxing and protection from negative energy) in one go.
Well...My mom always says REAL GOLD is best
And we would never argue with moms! As a commodity, mom is most definitely right. Gold is a great financial investment, it always has been. Solid gold is also perfect for timeless pieces and meaningful wedding jewellery which might be passed down one day. Personally i love solid gold pieces too and would always have a few faves in my own collection.
In terms of everyday modern pieces that you would change regularly with your outfit, I think Demi-fine fills that gap perfectly. It also layers extremely well with any solid gold pieces you have. Win, win.
Ok, How do I know what I am buying
The most obvious way to know if you are buying high quality Vermeil jewellery is probably the price, especially if they are handcrafted pieces like Kismet Lola jewellery is.
Fast fashion and factory manufactured accessories may be cheap but they are also just as they say - ‘fast’. Made fast and in large quantities, worn down quickly and abandoned after a few wears.
Always read item descriptions and look out for key information on the crafting and creating process of the jewellery you are buying.
Finally, always ask questions whether it be about the gold plating, the origin of the gemstones or the quality of the metal. Invest in pieces you know have been made with love and care for the environment and for you.
