Petit Wave Earrings Vermeil CHARLOTTE CHESNAIS

Petit Wave Earrings CHARLOTTE CHESNAIS made with 925 sterling silver in gold vermeil.

“With the new collection Iconic Curves, I wanted to reinterpret some key models of my work. These new variations are leaner and more delicate or more voluminous and more airy.” – Charlotte Chesnais

What is gold vermeil?
At the beginning, when Charlotte Chesnais started to design the jewellery line, she choosed to work with gold vermeil.
Gold vermeil is a high quality, traditional material made from 925 sterling silver covered with a 5 microns thick layer of 18 karat gold.
Often used by goldsmiths, gold vermeil has been used for centuries to create jewellery and notably crown jewels.
The layer of gold used on these jewellery is at least five times thicker than on a piece of gold plated bronze jewellery.
Each piece of jewellery made from vermeil is hallmarked to guarantee its authenticity. The silver used is rhodium plated. This involves applying a layer of rhodium in order to protect the piece of jewellery and reduce tarnishing.
The silver therefore has a grey tone and is less white than untreated silver.