Going for Gold: Gold Vermeil Jewellery

No matter what trends come and go, people will never tire of gold. Beautiful, timeless, but expensive.

Whilst gold plate can be cheap, it is not always of good quality and the thin layer of plate can wear off quickly. Gold vermeil is different and provides the durability that is not available from standard gold-plated pieces.

So how does it work?

Ordinary gold plate is simply a thin layer of gold over any base metal. To qualify as 'gold vermeil' on the other hand a piece of jewellery must meet certain criteria. The base metal must be pure sterling silver, the gold layer with which the silver is plated must be at least 10 carat gold, and the layer of gold must be heavy - at least two and a half microns in thickness (gold plate can be as little as half a micron or less).

All my gold vermeil jewellery bears the hallmark for Sterling Silver and is heavy plated to a minimum of 2.5 microns with 18 carat gold. Nothing less.

Using gold vermeil for some of my jewellery means each piece is comparable to pure gold in appearance and craftsmanship, but offers a more affordable alternative to the pure gold pieces without compromising the quality.

Care of gold vermeil jewellery...

Whilst gold vermeil is heavily plated with gold, if you’ve owned your gold vermeil jewellery for some time and worn & loved it lots, you may find that over time it will need to be re-plated in gold. To minimise the wear of gold vermeil be careful to not shower or swim while wearing it, and be careful with hairspray, perfume, cosmetics, and lotions on your jewellery, or anything that may cause abrasion.  If you must clean your gold vermeil jewellery, use a very soft cloth or gentle hand soap and water. Don't use tarnish remover or jewellery polish as the abrasives & chemicals will strip the gold layer more quickly.

Catherine Budd Jewellery offers one complimentary re-plating to customers who have bought a gold vermeil piece. If you would like to have your piece re-plated, please contact me.  

One of a kind engagement ring - aquamarine treasure

Lisa and Rich are avid Scuba Divers  and spend most of their spare time running 'Dive South' a scuba diving club in Dorset. Lisa particularly loves nothing more than being under the water so there was no surprise that the brief was to create an engagement ring that was inspired by the sea, whilst at the same time ensuring the design  was elegant and delicate, but not too fussy or overly embellished with diamonds.

After some initial discussions, designs and a couple of adjustments we had it narrowed down to this. A striking asymmetric platinum ring set with a faceted sea-blue aquamarine and delicate accents of white diamonds.

This ring is special to me, not only because it is a beautiful and interesting design,   but because I met some wonderful people who have since become my friends.  And true to form, the proposal was not only wonderful, it was underwater, and I was lucky enough to be there to share it!

For further details, to arrange a design consultation or to purchase a piece of jewellery please visit my website or contact me on 07701 080 615.

Cat x 

A jewellery box essential...

Diamond stud earrings are a jewellery box essential. They are a timeless classic.  An elegant yet simple style of earring that hold a special place in the heart of most women. 

The brief from my client was to design the earrings to hold a half carat diamond in a bezel setting. To allow lots of light to enter the diamond and maximise its sparkle, the design featured 'light spaces' at the sides of the collet and underneath the earring base.

As with any diamond purchase, we discussed the 4 C’s of a diamond - the cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight, and selected a pair of the most suitable, and best quality diamonds at an affordable price.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing and making diamond earrings is the match. Both diamonds should be as close as possible in terms of size, cut, clarity, and colour so they appear to be identical. No two diamonds are ever completely alike so it is important to source matching pairs which were most similar.

These earrings are made in 18ct yellow gold, and the total diamond weight is just over 1 carat.

Diamond stud earrings can be made to any specification. Prices start from £400.

For further details see www.catherinebuddjewellery.co.uk

Much love

Cat  ©