Vermeil

Vermeil (/ˈvɜːrmɪl/ or /vərˈmeɪ/; French: [vɛʁˈmɛj]) is an alternative for the usual term silver-gilt, or silver plated or gilt with gold. Vermeil pieces appear to be gold but are much cheaper and lighter than solid gold. It is a traditional luxury material used for table plate, toilet services and grand decorative pieces. Vermeil is a French word which came into use in the English language, mostly in America, in the 19th century, and is rare in British English. is a combination of sterling silver, gold, and other precious metals, commonly used as a component in jewelry. A typical example is sterling silver coated with 14 carat (58%) gold. To be considered vermeil in the US, the gold must be at least 10 karat (42%) and have thickness equivalent to at least 2.5 micrometres of fine gold (a 12-karat [50%] plating would need to be 5 μm thick). In the US, sterling silver covered with a base metal (such as nickel) and plated with gold cannot be sold as vermeil without disclosing that it contains base metal.

Vermeil can be produced by either fire-gilding or electrolysis. The original fire-gilding process was developed in France in the mid-18th century; 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.

...
Wikipedia