Metal Guide

All of our jewellery is made with either sterling silver (925), 14-24k Gold-filled, Gold vermeil / Electroplating over Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver

All our silver pieces are sterling silver, consisting of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, which harden the silver and make it suitable for jewellery-making. 925 is the stamp of certified sterling silver, meaning that it has a fineness of 925 and is usually marked with ‘925’ for authentication purposes. 

Gold Filled

Gold filled is a substantial layer of gold, bonded to a basic metal (usually brass) under heat and high pressure. The gold layer is permanent and does not tarnish, which makes it a more affordable alternative to solid gold. It has 100+ more gold than gold-plated. The gold is so solid, it can be treated similarly to real 14k gold. 

Our gold filled pieces are lead and nickel free.  Anyone who can wear gold can also wear gold filled without allergic reactions. 

Gold Vermeil

Gold vermeil is a term used for a type of gold plating.  Vermeil is achieved through applying a layer of gold on to another metal. To be considered gold vermeil the base metal must be sterling silver and the gold must be at least 10k and 1.5+ microns thick. Camarillo uses 18-24k Vermeil over Sterling Silver, with a layer of 2-3 microns. Vermeil jewellery does not tarnish like silver, but as a surface finish and should therefore be treated with care. Please see our Jewellery Care section.

Gold vermeil is safe to wear for people that have nickel allergies or sensitivity to other metals.

925 Gold Plated / electroplated

The majority of our jewellery is Gold filled or Vermeil. However a few pieces are gold plated/ electroplated, which means they have a standard plating of 1 micron thick (a thin layer of 24k gold which is deposited on to Sterling silver by electrochemical means). Gold plating is susceptible to wear and tear so it requires extra care.