In-house gold plating and true vermeil on solid 925 sterling silver — 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5+ micron options in 14k, 18k, rose gold, and rhodium white tones, nickel-free and XRF-tested before every batch ships.
Bali Silver Export offers in-house gold plating and true vermeil on 925 sterling silver for custom and OEM wholesale orders — 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5+ micron thickness options in 14k, 18k, and rose gold tones, plus rhodium white. Plating adds to the base silver price, and every batch is thickness-tested before it ships.
Our gold plating service applies a real gold layer over solid 925 sterling silver — never over brass or zinc alloy — so the finished piece is always genuine precious-metal jewelry. It is a standard add-on for any design in our catalog or any custom piece developed through our OEM and private label program.
The service covers three scenarios wholesale buyers typically need:
Because the base is always hallmarked 925 sterling silver (92.5% pure), plated pieces can be described as “gold plated sterling silver” or — at 2.5 microns and above — as true vermeil in most markets.
We offer three standard plating thicknesses — 0.5 micron flash, 1.0 micron standard, and 2.5+ micron vermeil — and the right choice depends on price point and how the piece is worn. The US FTC standard for jewelry marketed as “vermeil” requires a sterling silver base with gold of at least 10 karat plated to a minimum thickness of 2.5 microns.
Wear life is indicative and varies with skin chemistry, cosmetics contact, and how often a piece is worn — rings and bangles wear faster than earrings. We recommend 2.5 microns as the default for wholesale vermeil programs: it is the minimum that legally supports the “vermeil” label in the US, and roughly 6 out of 10 plated orders we quote end up at this tier once buyers compare the modest cost difference against returns and review risk.
We plate in four standard tones — 14k yellow, 18k yellow, rose gold, and rhodium white — and can match a Pantone or physical sample for private-label runs. Tone is set by the karat alloy in the plating bath, not the thickness, so any tone can be combined with any micron option.
Rhodium plating runs at 0.1–0.3 microns over 925 silver and dramatically slows oxidation, which matters in coastal and tropical retail environments where untreated silver can visibly tarnish within 2–3 months on the shelf. All our plating baths are nickel-free — we use a palladium barrier layer instead of nickel, keeping pieces compliant with the EU REACH nickel-release rules that apply to jewelry sold in Europe.
Vermeil is a regulated, thicker grade of gold plating over sterling silver, while gold-filled is a different construction entirely — a thick gold sheet mechanically bonded to a brass core. Confusing the three terms can lead to mislabeling, which in markets like the US can trigger FTC enforcement or marketplace delisting.
Gold-filled construction is essentially incompatible with handmade Balinese techniques — granulation, filigree, and lost-wax casting all start from solid metal, not laminated sheet. That is why vermeil occupies the sweet spot: handmade artistry, a solid precious-metal core, and a real gold surface at roughly 10–20% of the cost of solid gold.
Gold plating on 925 silver lasts significantly longer than plating on brass, because even as the gold layer slowly thins, the metal underneath is still precious, hypoallergenic sterling silver rather than yellowing brass. This is the single most useful selling point to pass on to end customers — most successful buyers stock both plain and plated finishes from the same designs rather than choosing one over the other.
Care guidance we recommend printing on cards or product pages:
Every plated order can optionally receive an anti-tarnish e-coating (a clear nano-lacquer) at a small additional cost — Ask for Price per piece — though we do not recommend it on rings, where friction wears the lacquer quickly.
Every piece passes an 8-stage process: polishing, ultrasonic cleaning, electro-degreasing, acid activation, palladium barrier plating, gold electroplating to the specified micron target, rinsing and drying, and final inspection. The palladium barrier layer is the step most low-cost platers skip — it prevents silver atoms migrating into the gold layer, the main cause of early discoloration in cheap plated jewelry.
Thickness is verified by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) on sample pieces from each batch — the same non-destructive method used to verify silver purity — within roughly 10% of the ordered micron target. Our stone-setting and QC lead signs off every plated batch personally; the most common rejection reason is uneven coverage inside filigree openwork, exactly where cut-rate platers cut corners. Batch results are recorded and photos shared before shipment as part of our standard quality control service.
As a vermeil manufacturer, we apply the 2.5-micron FTC threshold as a hard internal minimum on anything sold as vermeil — if a batch tests below target, it goes back in the bath, not in the box.
The minimum order for a plated production run is per design per tone, and plating adds around 5–7 working days to the standard production schedule. Plating baths run most efficiently in batches, which is why per-design minimums exist — but they are kept low for a factory service.
Standard commercial terms apply: 50% deposit, balance before shipment, payment via Wise, PayPal, or bank/SWIFT transfer, and insured DHL/FedEx air freight of 5–10 days door-to-door under HS Code 7113.11.
Pricing is quoted per gram of finished silver weight and confirmed per design at quotation because pricing tracks the daily gold price. A plated piece costs more than plain silver but retails higher in the demi-fine segment — one reason around a third of the 45+ wholesale inquiries we received from 15+ countries in 2026 asked about gold-tone options.
Best for earrings, pendants, and fashion price points; typical wear life ~3–9 months.
Best for necklaces, bracelets, and mid-market lines; typical wear life ~6–18 months.
Our recommended default — the FTC minimum for the “vermeil” label; wear life 2+ years with care.
For high-contact pieces and luxury private label; typical wear life ~3–5 years with care.
Bright, tarnish-resistant white finish at 0.1–0.3 microns; popular in humid coastal markets.
Still unsure? Our Celuk Village team answers every question personally — usually within 1–2 hours on WhatsApp.
Ask a Question
Tell us the designs, gold tone, and micron thickness you need — flash, standard, or true vermeil. We confirm plating pricing and lead time within 24 hours.
Handled by BD Juara Holding Group
