Vermeil
3851059
220859175
2008-06-21T23:20:32Z
Julesd
9086
{{Disputed|date=March 2008}}
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2008}}
[[Image:StorrVermeil1810.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A vermeil wine cooler manufactured in 1810 by [[Paul Storr]] is located in the [[Vermeil Room]] of the [[White House]].]]
: ''Vermeil may also be a name, for instance [[Dick Vermeil]].''
'''Vermeil''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] vɛʁ'mɛj, and also vûr'məy), sometimes called silver [[gilding|gilt]], is a combination of [[sterling silver]], [[gold]], and other precious metals. It is commonly used as a component in jewelry. A typical example is sterling silver coated with 14 [[Carat (purity)|carat]] (58%) gold. To be considered vermeil, the gold must also be at least 10 carat (42%) and be at least 1.5 [[micrometre]]s thick. Sterling silver covered with another metal cannot be called vermeil.
Vermeil can be produced by either fire gilding or [[electrolysis]]. The original fire-gilding process was developed in France in the mid-1700s; however, France later banned the production of vermeil because over time artisans developed blindness due to [[mercury (element)|mercury]] involved in the process. Today, vermeil is safely produced by [[electrolysis]].
The [[White House]] has a collection of vermeil [[tableware]] kept on display (when not in use) in the [[Vermeil Room (White House)|Vermeil Room]].
==See also==
* [[Gilding]]
* [[Gilding metal]]
* [[Gold plating]]
* [[Ormolu]]
[[Category:Artistic techniques]]
[[Category:Gold]]
[[Category:Silver]]
[[Category:Metal plating]]
[[Category:metalworking]]
[[Category:electrolysis]]
[[fr:Vermeil]]