Craft

Three Microns: The Making of Our 18k Gold Vermeil

26 April 2024 · 2 min read

Gold you can live in. That is the promise behind every piece of UNTAMD 18k gold vermeil, and it begins with a number most people never think about: three microns.

What vermeil really means

Vermeil is a French word with a precise meaning. It describes a layer of real gold over a base of 925 sterling silver. To earn the name, that layer must be at least 2.5 microns thick: enough to give a rich, lasting colour and to protect the silver beneath from everyday wear.

From the beginning, UNTAMD has worked with specialist Italian ateliers held to exacting standards. Then we went further. Every piece of our 18k gold vermeil now carries 3 microns of gold, more than the industry standard.

Three microns of 18k gold. More than the standard, because we want your pieces to outlast the trends they were bought in.

Why three microns matters

Half a micron sounds like nothing. On something you wear every day, it is the difference between a piece that softens at the edges after a season and one that holds its colour for years.

The result is jewellery that is waterproof, tarnish resistant and hypoallergenic. Pieces you can shower in, swim in and forget you are wearing.

Three microns, every piece

From sculptural rings to the chains you never take off, every piece carries 3 microns of 18k gold over 925 sterling silver. Weight you can feel, colour that stays.

Geometric Artistry Ring

£53
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Chains

Figaro Chain thin 1mm

Wings of Harmony Rings

The Stud-drop Earrings

£60
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Necklaces

Butterfly Locket Pendant

£83
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Necklaces

Flowing Shells Necklace

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How a piece is made

The silver. It starts with 925 sterling silver, chosen and tested before any work begins. The quality of the base decides the quality of everything above it.

The preparation. Each piece is cleaned and treated until the surface is completely free of impurities, so the gold bonds evenly and completely.

The gold. The silver is immersed in a gold solution and a gentle electrical current draws the gold across its surface, layer by layer, until it reaches three microns.

The checks. Every batch is measured with X-ray fluorescence to confirm the thickness and purity of the gold. Anything that falls short does not leave the atelier.

Made to last

Behind the process sits research: our partners work with university departments specialising in the goldsmith's craft to keep refining materials and methods.

So if you have ever wondered whether your favourite UNTAMD necklace will still look the way it did on the first day, years from now, the answer is yes. That is what three microns are for.