Vermeil (IPA vɛʁ'mɛj, and also vûr'məy), sometimes called silver 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 (58%) gold. To be considered vermeil, the gold must also be at least 10 carat (42%) and be at least 1.5 micrometres 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 involved in the process. Today, vermeil is safely produced by electrolysis.
