Gold plated jewelry is a brass, copper, or low-end metal electroplated with a layer of gold. It doesn’t require any minimum karat weight or thickness. A 14k piece will have a lighter yellow, while an 18k piece will have a stronger, darker yellow color.Vermeil refers to high quality (pure or sterling) silver that is plated with a layer of gold that is at least 2.5 microns thick, as per the Federal Trade Comission's regulations.Unlike vermeil and gold plated jewelry, gold filled jewelry has a much thicker layer of gold over the base metal. This makes a big difference in terms of the jewelry’s ability to resist wear and tear long term. As vermeil jewelry is composed of two precious metals (gold and silver), it’s usually thought of as being closer to fine jewelry and tends to fall under the category “demi-fine.” The higher the karat weight and thickness of the gold layer, the more expensive and valuable the piece will usually be.