# 16 CFR § 23.4: Misuse of the word “vermeil.”

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.4

## Section

- **Citation:** 16 CFR § 23.4
- **Heading:** Misuse of the word “vermeil.”
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 16—Commercial Practices > CHAPTER I—FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION > SUBCHAPTER B—GUIDES AND TRADE PRACTICE RULES > PART 23—GUIDES FOR THE JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES

## Text

(a) It is unfair or deceptive to represent, directly or by implication, that an industry product is “vermeil” if such mark or description misrepresents the product's true composition.
(b) An industry product may be described or marked as “vermeil” if it consists of a base of sterling silver coated or plated on all significant surfaces with gold, or gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, that is of reasonable durability
33
and a minimum thickness throughout equivalent to two and one half (2
1/2) microns (or approximately 100/1,000,000ths of an inch) of fine gold.
33 See footnote 2.
Note 1 to § 23.4:
It is unfair or deceptive to use the term “vermeil” to describe a product in which the sterling silver has been covered with a base metal (such as nickel) plated with gold unless there is a disclosure that the sterling silver is covered with a base metal that is plated with gold.
Note 2 to § 23.4:
Exemptions recognized in the assay of gold filled, gold overlay, and rolled gold plate industry products are listed in the appendix.

## Nearby sections

- [16 CFR § 20.0 § 20.0 Scope and purpose of the guides.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-20.0.md)
- [16 CFR § 20.1 § 20.1 Deception generally.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-20.1.md)
- [16 CFR § 20.2 § 20.2 Deception as to the identity of a rebuilder, remanufacturer, reconditioner, reliner, or other reworker.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-20.2.md)
- [16 CFR § 20.3 § 20.3 Misrepresentation of the terms “rebuilt,” “factory rebuilt,” “remanufactured,” etc.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-20.3.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.0 § 23.0 Scope and application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.0.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.1 § 23.1 Deception (general).](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.1.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.2 § 23.2 Misuse of the terms “handmade,” “hand-polished,” etc.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.2.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.3 § 23.3 Misrepresentation as to gold content.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.3.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.4 § 23.4 Misuse of the word “vermeil.”](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.4.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.5 § 23.5 Misrepresentation as to silver content.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.5.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.6 § 23.6 Misuse of the words “platinum,” “iridium,” “palladium,” “ruthenium,” “rhodium,” and “osmium.”](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.6.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.7 § 23.7 Disclosure of surface-layer application of rhodium.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.7.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.8 § 23.8 Misrepresentation as to products containing more than one precious metal.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.8.md)
- [16 CFR § 23.9 § 23.9 Misrepresentation as to content of pewter.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.9.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-23.4. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.