If you spend any time with the Tank Must, sooner or later you run into the word vermeil. Many customers ask us whether it is gold or not. The short answer: it is both. The long answer is right here.
What vermeil actually is
Vermeil is silver with a layer of gold. To be precise, it is 925 sterling silver that has been gold plated. The word comes from French and is much older than any wristwatch. Goldsmiths were finishing silverware and goblets this way centuries ago.
In the seventies Cartier introduced the line Les Must de Cartier. The idea was to make the design of the great classics like the Tank available to more people. Instead of a solid gold case, these watches got a sterling silver case with gold plating. Visually you can hardly tell the difference, but in price it is enormous. That is exactly why the Tank Must is still so popular today.
On the caseback of a genuine Must Vermeil you will find the silver hallmark. It is one of the things our watchmaker looks at when she checks a watch for authenticity.
Why old vermeil watches often look worn
Most Must Tanks on the market today were made in the eighties and nineties. Even good gold plating does not last forever. After thirty or forty years on the wrist, you can see it.
Typical spots are the edges of the side lugs of the case, which on the Tank are called brancards, and the caseback, which constantly rests on the skin. That is where the gold rubs off and the silver shows through. Silver tarnishes over time, so these spots often look blotchy or grey.
This is not a sign of a fake. It is simply wear. For some collectors it is part of the character of an old watch. Most people who want to wear a Tank Must, however, want it to look beautiful.
What we do with the case
On our vermeil models the case is not only polished but completely gold plated again, with a layer of 10 micron 18K yellow gold.
Here is how it goes. First, our certified watchmaker takes the watch apart. Movement, dial, hands, crystal and crown come out so that none of it touches the plating bath. The empty case is prepared and polished until the surface is smooth again. Only then is it gold plated. After that everything is put back together, the movement is serviced and set, and the watch gets one last check.
What 10 microns mean
A micron is a thousandth of a millimeter. That sounds like very little, and on its own it is. With gold plating, though, the thickness makes all the difference.
Many basic platings are only a few microns thick or even less. They look good at first but wear off quickly at the edges. With 10 microns the case carries a much thicker layer. It lasts for many years of normal wear.
Then there is the alloy. We use 18K yellow gold, which means gold with a fineness of 750. It gives the warm, rich tone you know from Cartier and matches the color of the original buckle.
Is a watch with new plating still original?
Yes. The case, movement, dial and hands are original Cartier, and we do not change any of that. The only new thing is the layer of gold on the case. Think of old silver cutlery that gets re-gilded: the piece stays the same, it just gets its surface back. This is how the watch looked when it sat new in the jeweller's window.
The re-plating is stated in every one of our descriptions, and you also get our certificate of authenticity.
How to care for your vermeil watch
It does not take much. A few things help keep the gold plating beautiful for a long time:
- Put on perfume and creams first, wait until they have soaked in, and then put the watch on.
- Wipe the watch from time to time with a soft, dry cloth. No polishing paste, no silver polishing cloths.
- Take it off for sports, gardening or housework.
- Do not store it in the same tray as jewelry or other watches, because that causes scratches.
And do not forget: vintage watches are not water resistant in today’s sense. Washing your hands is no problem, but please take it off for showering or swimming.
In short
Vermeil is sterling silver with a layer of gold. On old Tanks that layer is often worn away. That is why we gold plate the case again with 10 micron 18K yellow gold, after the watch has been completely taken apart and prepared. The result is a Tank Must that looks the way it used to and stays that way for a long time.
If you have questions about a specific watch, write to me. I am happy to send additional photos as well.
Related: Cartier Tank Must: SM or LM? Which size fits?
Simon