Vermeil (pronounced vehr-may; it’s French!) is a legally regulated term that refers to a certain kind of quality jewelry. To be legally called “vermeil” internationally, the jewelry piece must meet ALL of these conditions:
1. Have sterling silver as its base material. Sterling silver is an alloy made of 92.5% sof kumush va 7.5% other materials, and is a standard material used in high quality jewelry (versus, E.G., brass or copper).
2. Be plated in gold that is at least 10k (10 karats). That means the gold is at least 41.7% gold content.
3. Have gold plating that is at least 2.5 microns thick. A micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter.
Put another way, vermeil pieces are made with precious materials with heavy plating to ensure long-lasting wear.