If you read our last post about the new work by Talley & Roberta Starbird (an awesome mother-daughter team from Austin!), you may be wondering about gold vermeil. This method of gold-plating originated in France in 1750 during the reign of Louis XV. This means we say ‘gold vehr-may’ (not to be confused with ‘gold lamé’). To give you some context of the time period that gave rise to gold vermeil, at left is a reproduction of a painting of Louis XV as a kid. Kings started young in those days (he was 5 when he succeeded the throne), when curly, gray wigs were very stylish for the elite and powerful. We’re glad that’s no longer a fashion trend.
So, gold vermeil. If a piece of jewelry is gold-plated, we think it ought to be gold vermeil (sometimes it’s also called ‘gold filled’). It’s the optimal plating technique for its use of only precious metals: 925 sterling silver and a very thin layer of gold (usually 14k and up). This sets gold vermeil apart from other plated metals that may involve covering the silver with nickel or another base metal before the gold goes on. Furthermore, the gold is fused to the sterling silver in such a way that prevents any flaking or chipping of the gold layer. This means that people with sterling silver sensitivities can wear gold vermeil as if it were solid gold, and not worry about skin irritation. So gold vermeil indicates a high-quality, affordable option that will not irritate your skin. That’s what we like.
Jewelers in the 18th century used a process called fire-gilding to create gold vermeil. They would apply a mixture of gold and mercury to the surface of the silver, and then expose it all to extreme heat (hence the fire). This caused the mercury to essentially vaporize, leaving the thin film of gold in place. At that time folks didn’t know how toxic mercury was, so it was used in all kinds of professional trades, from metal-smithing to hat making. Breathing in the vaporized mercury resulted in a person going “as mad as a hatter.” (Interesting side-note: Lewis Carroll, the creator of such winsome characters as Alice and the Mad Hatter, grew up in a town where hat making was the main trade in the 1800′s.) Fortunately for everyone, we now know all about mercury’s toxic properties.
Today, gold vermeil is produced using an electrolytic process, which means an electric current is used to create a chemical reaction. We’re not sure how that works, but it sounds cool, and it’s safe for the jeweler. Now that you know all about gold vermeil, you’re probably curious to see it in action. Starbird uses it to great effect in their lovely jewelry, don’t you think?