How to Care for Gold Vermeil

Vermeil asks less than people expect. The whole routine fits in a few habits, and none of them take longer than taking the piece off.

Daily

Perfume and lotion first, jewelry last. Both leave films that dull the gold over time. Beyond that, wear it; vermeil is made for days, not drawers.

Off for

Pools, hot tubs, the gym and the shower. Chlorine is the one real enemy of the gold layer, and sweat and soap are slow ones. Ten seconds by the sink saves years of surface.

At night

Each piece in its own pouch, dry and closed. Pieces stored loose together scratch each other, and gold shows scratches sooner than you would think.

Cleaning

A soft, dry cloth. Wipe gently and stop. Skip silver dips and polishing machines entirely; they are made to strip a surface layer, and on vermeil the surface layer is the gold.

The long run

Worn daily and treated this way, vermeil keeps its color for years. If the gold ever thins where a ring meets the world, a jeweler can renew it, because underneath there is sterling silver worth renewing.

This page extends Jewelry Care, which covers every metal we use. The standard itself is on Our Materials.