It usually indicates electroplating. Vermeil – Means gold-plated on gold jewellery, sterling silver, fine silver, or brass. The gold plating on jewellery allows you to have an item with the beautiful look of gold without having the entire item made of solid gold. With gold being so precious, having a piece of jewellery made of solid gold is not an option for many people. The amazing thing about gold plating is you can impart all the qualities of gold into a piece without a huge cost.