So you’ve decided to stop buying endless pairs of fashion jewelry and instead want to start investing in semi-fine jewelry. But where do you start?
It’s tricky because semi-fine jewelry varies widely in quality so you might find items in this category that range from $20 to $200, which is a big range. So how do we know something is worth the price they are marketed as and why do they differ so much? Here are a few terminologies to know if you’re just starting out.
Semi-fine / Demi-fine Jewelry
Demi-fine and semi-fine basically mean the same thing so it really just depends on which term you prefer. Brands selling exclusively semi-fine/demi-fine jewelry are popping up left and right so it’s also important to look at the materials of the jewelry rather than just the type of jewelry.
Material 1: Gold-painted jewelry
AKA fashion jewelry; there’s absolutely no gold involved in making this type of jewelry, the “gold” is merely gold-colored paint over a metal, usually some sort of mixed alloy or brass. You typically won’t find jewelry with the material listed as being gold-painted, as they’ll just be sold as fashion jewelry which don’t typically advertise the material it’s made up of.
Material 2: Gold-plated Jewelry
This is the most affordable semi-fine jewelry can be. There is a thin layer of gold, at least 0.5 microns or 0.0005 millimeters thick, wrapped over a metal. Since the plating is so thin, the gold will wear quicker compared to other high-quality semi-fine jewelry. It will still prevent the jewelry from tarnishing as quickly or causing allergies like fashion jewelry would.
However, since the metal filling is not regulated, it is usually a cheaper mixed alloy or brass which allows the price to remain pretty comparable to fashion jewelry. We would say this is a great material to start off with as the jump in quality is way above and beyond in comparison to the slight jump in prices.
Material 3: Gold Vermeil Jewelry
Vermeil (pronounced vehr-may) is similar to gold-plated jewelry, except that there are regulations to its definition. To be marketed as “vermeil jewelry”, the jewelry must have sterling silver as its base material, be plated in gold that is at least 10 karats / 10k, and have a gold plating that is at least 2.5 microns or 0.0025 millimeters thick. Since there are such regulations that ensure its quality, it’s important to find brands that actually sell authentic vermeil pieces and don’t just wrongly label their jewelry vermeil because it’s gold-plated.
Additionally, the minimum requirements to use the term ‘vermeil’ can vary between countries so to clarify on the quality, you should always contact brands/look at their website to find out exactly how they define their jewelry as vermeil and if they have any proof of quality, like you would when buying diamonds or solid-gold jewelry.
Material 4: Gold-filled Jewelry
Gold-filled jewelry is higher quality than gold-plated or gold vermeil jewelry as the gold is “melted on” in a thicker layer, at least 3 microns or 0.003 millimeters thick, as compared to the former two types which are achieved by being “dipped in gold” or electroplated on. As such, gold-filled jewelry is so much higher quality that it can be difficult to tell them apart from solid-gold jewelry, are water-resistant and can be worn as everyday pieces for years.
Gold-filled jewelry should come with a ‘GF’ material stamp, so take note of that or ask for proof from the brand. But it should also be noted that while gold-filled jewelry is typically more expensive than gold vermeil pieces, pricing for gold vermeil can sometimes be more expensive depending on the base layer used. Typically for gold-filled pieces, rings make the most sense to invest in, since they suffer the most wear and tear and make meaningful gifts.
Material 5: Solid-gold Jewelry
When purchasing any gold-plated/vermeil/-filled jewelry, you might notice ‘10k’ or ‘14k, which refers to the karat (k) system used to measure the purity of gold (p.s. it’s different from the carat (c) unit of mass that's used to weigh diamonds). The most common gold purity levels are 10k (karat), 14k, 18k, and 24k. The lower the karat, the less expensive it is because it uses less gold.
24k (pure gold) is too soft and malleable to wear in jewelry, so the gold must be alloyed with other metals to give it strength and durability. 10k is the most durable for everyday wear and cheapest, though 18k gold is the purest form of gold that’s typically used for engagement rings and other jewelry.