What is vermeil?

Vermeil or vermeille (pronounced either ver-meel' or ver-MAY') is gold-plating process developed in France in the mid-1700s. Early-day vermeil involved the use of mercury. Modern-day vermeil is produced by a safe electrolytic process. The inside core is sterling silver and the outside is a coating of gold. Gold plate adheres OK, but not perfectly to silver. Where the plating has not bonded, the silver will tarnish underneath the plating. On the gold-plated surface, this will appear as dark, blotchy spots. The gold-plate will darken over time, and will eventually wear off. On highly decorated surfaces such as Bali beads, the irregular darkening adds an antique effect to the piece. If you are mixing vermeil and gold-filled pieces together, remember that the vermeil will darken, but the gold-filled will not.