Base metalMATERIAL

The metal a piece is actually made of, underneath any gold finish. Common base metals in jewelry are brass, stainless steel, and sterling silver. Because plating and gold coatings wear with use, the base metal is what you end up wearing over the long run, and it is the single most useful fact about any piece that is not solid gold.

Why it matters: two pieces can carry the same gold description and be built on completely different metals. Always ask what is underneath.

316L surgical steelMATERIAL

A specific grade of stainless steel with a defined alloy composition that includes chromium and molybdenum. The L stands for low carbon. 316L is highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation, which is why it is widely specified for surgical instruments and for jewelry that is meant to be worn every day. Caeli builds every piece on a 316L surgical steel base.

Why it matters: a generic "surgical steel" label can cover a range of grades. 316L is the specific designation. If a brand will not name the grade, that is worth noticing.

14K gold platingFINISH

A layer of 14 karat gold electroplated onto a base metal. Plating quality varies widely across the industry, and the base metal underneath matters just as much, because as the plating wears the base becomes the surface you are wearing. Caeli pieces use 14K gold plating over a 316L surgical steel base. We do not publish a plating specification, because we have not independently verified one.

What to ask before buying: what is the base metal underneath the plating. A brand that cannot answer is hiding something.

VermeilREGULATED TERM

A regulated FTC term (16 CFR Part 23, Subpart C, Section 23.5) reserved for gold over a sterling silver base. To be legally called vermeil in the United States, a piece must have a sterling silver base AND a gold layer meeting the minimum fineness and the minimum gold coating set out in the rule. Gold over brass, copper, or stainless steel cannot legally be called vermeil.

Vermeil over sterling silver is generally regarded in the trade as a more precious construction than gold plating over stainless steel, and a jeweler can re-plate sterling years later where steel cannot be re-plated. Caeli is gold plated over steel, so Caeli is not vermeil and we do not use the word for our own pieces.

Common misuse: some fast fashion and DTC brands label gold plated brass or steel as vermeil. This is not allowed under FTC rules. Read our full FTC vermeil breakdown.

Gold filledFINISH

A gold layer mechanically bonded (not electroplated) onto a base metal, typically brass. By US standard, gold filled must contain at least 5 percent gold by weight, marked as a fraction (for example 1/20 14K GF means 5 percent of the total weight is 14K gold). The base underneath is usually brass, so gold filled and gold plated can share the same base metal while the gold is applied by different methods.

Solid goldPRECIOUS METAL

Jewelry made entirely from a gold alloy throughout, not plated. Sold by karat: 24K is pure gold (too soft for most jewelry), 18K is 75 percent gold, 14K is 58.3 percent gold, 10K is 41.7 percent gold. Solid 14K and 18K gold are the standard for fine jewelry but priced far above gold plated alternatives.

Unregulated marketing termsCLAIM

Words that sound like standards but carry no legal definition in the United States. There is no FDA or FTC rule setting out what hypoallergenic must contain, and the same is true of phrases like skin safe, premium plated, and jewelry grade. Any brand can print them without testing or certification, which makes them descriptions rather than guarantees.

What to verify instead: the specific base metal and its grade, and how the gold is applied. Those are facts a brand can either state or not state.

TarnishWEAR PATTERN

The dark discoloration that forms on the surface of certain metals through oxidation when exposed to air and humidity. Sterling silver tarnishes, forming silver sulfide. Brass and copper tarnish. Stainless steel is highly resistant to tarnish. Plated jewelry can tarnish once the plating wears and the base metal underneath is exposed, which is why the base metal matters as much as the finish.

Closed collectionPRODUCTION MODEL

A production model where a design is made once, in a defined number of pieces, and never reproduced after that run sells out. Distinct from limited edition, which often just means a brand label rather than a true production cap. Caeli operates as a closed collection: every design is produced in an edition of around 100 pieces, then permanently retired.

FTC jewelry guidesREGULATION

The US Federal Trade Commission rules governing how jewelry can be marketed and labeled. Found in 16 CFR Part 23. The rules define what terms like gold, vermeil, gold filled, gold plated, sterling, and platinum can legally mean on product labels and marketing. Full text on eCFR.