Hailing from the beautiful Byron Bay, Temple of the Sun never disappoints us as a stockist of their brand.  With a deep appreciation for Egyptian symbolism, their designs are contemporary; a little bit bohemian and a little bit coastal.

Our first favourite pieces by Temple of the Sun were their gorgeous seed bead necklaces. Each piece featured their signature 18k gold vermeil or sterling silver moons, discs or stars surrounded by colourful seed beads, making lovely layering pieces to wear for day or night.

The Temple of the Sun Seed Bead necklaces were a customer fave in store when we first began to stock them. 

 Our most popular styles in store.

What is Gold Vermeil?

So you may find that when looking at Temple's gold jewels that they are crafted from 18k Gold Vermeil.  So let's check this out further...

So essentially, gold vermeil is gold plating over a sterling silver base. To compare, gold plated jewellery is usually gold plating over a brass, nickel or alloy base. So when you see gold vermeil, you are getting a superior product compared to gold plating. Another plus is that gold vermeil is more hypoallergenic thanks to the sterling silver base. So if you find that the gold plating is thin and wears off your jewellery, your skin will be in touch with the brass, zinc or alloy base.

Temple of the Sun craft their jewellery using 18k gold vermeil tested to 2.5micron thick over their 925 sterling silver. Gold Vermeil thickness can vary from .1 to 3+ thickness, so Temple of the Sun's quality is quite durable.  Keeping that in mind, the thickness of your jewellery depends on how you want to wear it. For example, you could have a gold vermeil jewellery piece and gold filled jewellery piece with the same thickness of gold over the base, however, the manufacturing process is different making gold filled jewellery more durable than gold vermeil.

Gold-filled jewellery (fine jewellery; ie wedding rings) is heated and pressure bonded over the base over some time which means the gold is more durable compared to the gold vermeil where the gold is electroplated on top of the base using electricity. So it's important to be aware of your jewellery wearing habits before you buy, as gold vermeil will not last as long as gold filled jewellery for everyday wear and tear.

How do I care for my Temple of The Sun Pieces?

So if you tend to leave your jewellery on in the shower or at the beach, you need to keep in mind that although the gold vermeil is more durable than gold plated, there will be faster wear of the jewellery if daily care is not taken. In saying that, due to the base metal being sterling silver, the wearing out of your piece may be less obvious than when plated over brass or alloy.

How long do you want your jewellery piece to last? If you tend to change your jewellery up once or twice a year, then gold vermeil is a great option for you. However, if you like your jewellery pieces to last over a longer period, then consider taking your jewellery off for beach or shower and avoid chlorine completely.

To clean your Temple of the Sun jewellery, buff gently using a 100% cotton cloth or microfibre cloth and never use chemical cleaners as it can strip the gold finish completely.

Be sure to take your rings off for the beach or shower if you want them to wear well.

Temple of the Sun is releasing their latest collection 'Lexi' on the 3rd March 2020 which is inspired by the spirit of women… the presence, elegance and the fierce power of the feminine that lay beneath. It's a celebration of women and powerful symbolism. We cannot wait!

Get more jewellery inspiration ''Golden Age - Royal Jewellery"

Shop Temple of The Sun Here