I recieved this information from a fellow Etsy seller and felt that it was worth sharing....
*******************What is Gold Filled?****************
"14K gold filled will not tarnish, crack, chip, peel, or turn your skin
green. Under normal circumstances it will last an entire lifetime. Gold
filled is not plated. It is a tube of solid 14K gold that is then filled
with jeweler's brass. There is 100 times more gold in gold filled than
in gold plate. The cost of gold filled fluctuates with the daily gold
market on the stock exchange. 14K gold filled matches your solid 14K
gold jewelry perfectly because that is exactly what you are looking at -
14K gold".
****************************What is Vermeil?*************************
Vermeil sometimes called silver gilt, is a combination of sterling
silver, gold, and other precious metals. A typical example is sterling
silver coated with 22 carat (92%) gold or 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.
*************************CLEANING TIPS***************************
The best cleaning solution for Sterling Silver is 'Haggerty's' or
'Goddards' Silver Dip. It's a clear liquid. You dip your Sterling in it
for a few seconds and rinse off. Then Voila! It's sparkling clean. I
found that other liquid cleaners don't work as well, so if you can't
find it, order it on line, Amazon.com has it. It's safe on gems, but try
to avoid getting it on pearls, (use a Que-tip around the pearl area).
** I actually use Silver Dip for Sterling, Vermeil, Gold Filled, Brass,
and Copper. It is a great, and instant all-around cleaner.
