# Vermeil - what's the point? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912 "2014-10-20T13:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/1 "2014-10-20T13:35:37Z")
> **[Silver-gilt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermeil)** > > Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver (either pure or sterling) which has been gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually silver-gilt; for example most sporting trophies (including medals such as the gold medals awarded in all Olympic Games after 1912) and many crown jewels are silver-gilt objects. > Apart from the raw materials being much less expensive to acquire than solid... > **[Vermeil Room](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermeil_Room_(White_House))** > > The Vermeil Room (/ˈvɜːrməl/ VUR-məl; French: \[vɛʁˈmɛj\]) is located on the ground floor of the White House, the official residence of the president of the United States. The room houses a collection of silver-gilt or vermeil tableware, a 1956 bequest to the White House by Margaret Thompson Biddle. Portraits of American First Ladies hang in the room. > The Vermeil Room was originally a staff work room used for storage and later for polishing silver. Theodore Roosevelt's 1902 renovation of the White... It’s silver covered with gold. But you can only see the gold; who cares what’s underneath it? Is it just an example of conspicuous consumption? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/2 "2014-10-20T13:48:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > It’s silver covered with gold. But you can only see the gold; The gold is really thin - so if it wears off in spots, and the underneath was something else, it would be more noticeable. Of course, the underneath could be something else shiny, like brass or something. But that would be tacky. One must have standards. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/3 "2014-10-20T17:34:59Z")
It’s much cheaper than gold, so if you want to buy a trendy piece of jewelry in a gold tone, you don’t blow the bank. I’ve yet to have a piece of vermeil show the silver underneath. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/4 "2014-10-20T17:38:49Z")
I think the point was to have a piece of silver that wouldn’t tarnish rather than to have a piece of “gold.” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/5 "2014-10-20T18:12:30Z")
I believe vermeil is stronger than gold–at last, I’ve never had a vermeil necklace chain break, whereas a couple of gold chains have, which meant I lost them an their pendants. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/6 "2014-10-21T03:45:50Z")
Ah, thanks, everyone. Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![HyacinthBucket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hyacinthbucket/32/3063_2.png) [@HyacinthBucket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HyacinthBucket)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vermeil-whats-the-point/701912/7 "2014-10-21T11:32:36Z")
Gold bonded to silver also seems much more durable than gold bonded to brass or other non-precious metals. And if the gold starts wearing off a piece of gold-over-silver jewelry it probably won’t turn your skin green like some “mystery metals” would. Unfortunately because the prices of both gold and silver are still so high, the latest ploy by the low and mid-range jewelry makers especially the ones supplying the home shopping channels is bonding gold to brass or, worse yet, to resin. Not only is the piece much less durable, but from a practical point of view it no longer has any cash value as scrap. At least with gold over silver the silver itself still has some value.