What does VERMEIL mean on jewellery?
VERMEIL means Sterling base, gold layer (Sterling silver + gold). Partial — low value
Worth the silver underneath. The gold layer adds little to scrap value but a lot to appearance.
What the mark tells you
Vermeil is sterling silver with a gold layer of at least 2.5 microns. Legally it must have a real silver base — that is what separates it from plating.
Is it worth anything?
Worth the silver underneath. The gold layer adds little to scrap value but a lot to appearance.
Where to find it
On a ring the mark is almost always inside the band. On a chain or bracelet look at the clasp or the tag beside it; on earrings check the post or the back. Marks are tiny and often worn — a phone camera zoomed all the way in usually reads one better than your eye does.
A stamp is evidence, not proof
Marks wear down, are struck only partially, and are occasionally forged outright. If a piece is valuable enough to matter, have the metal tested rather than relying on the stamp alone. Equally, an absent stamp does not always mean an absent metal: older and handmade jewellery is frequently unmarked.
Found something real? Value it
If the piece is solid metal or holds a stone, see what it is actually worth — both at retail and what you would genuinely be offered for it.
Value my jewellery