‘Cheap flash plating’: Woman buys $300 ‘gold vermeil’ necklace from Kendra Scott. Then she notices this 1 month later

Humans are creatures of habit, including when it comes to purchasing decisions. We tend to go back to brands that we know and trust.

That's why one TikTok creator is particularly incensed about what she says was essentially a bait-and-switch.

Lauren (@scentertainment_) dedicates her account to reviewing fragrances and sharing information about them. A recent purchase inspired her to deviate from her usual content.

Lauren recently bought a "gold vermeil" necklace from upscale brand Kendra Scott. What she got, she says, was not what she paid for.

Let down by a favorite company

In a TikTok that has over 60,000 views, Lauren says that she's "been a loyal customer of Kendra Scott for a long time."

According to Lauren, she bought a gold vermeil necklace with a malachite pendant on sale for $239.97. The listing she displays says the necklace originally cost $400.

She explains that gold vermeil refers to gold plated over silver. You should be able to wear this material without turning your skin green.

So Lauren says she was surprised and disappointed when the necklace "immediately" turned her neck green and the gold plating started wearing off within weeks.

"This is copper. This entire thing is not gold vermeil. It is copper that is gold plated," Lauren claims.

"How do I know this? The plating wore off in less than a month. Vermeil would not do that. Cheap flash plating does that."

She says that she took it one step further and used a silver testing solution on it.

The test, she says, "confirmed for me that this is not silver."

Via email, Lauren told the Daily Dot that the brand never responded to her.

"Kendra Scott will not allow a return as the product was final sale and did not comment on the product being fake and not matching the description," she added.

Now, Lauren may reconsider purchasing from Kendra Scott again.

"Do not buy the semi-fine jewelry from Kendra Scott. I’m warning you," she said on TikTok.

What is gold vermeil?

According to the product page for Lauren's necklace, "Vermeil (that’s pronounced ver-may) is a gold plating technique that dates back to the 19th century. While other jewelers plate over less durable metals, our vermeil starts with a Sterling Silver base and is plated with just over 2.5 microns of 18k Gold to create a more timeless piece, worthy of the Demi-Fine name."

Jewelry retailer Helzberg states, "To be legally considered vermeil in the United States, a piece of jewelry must meet certain standards:

• It must have sterling silver as its base material.
• It must be plated in a gold layer that is at least 10K, which means it contains at least 41.7% gold content.
• The gold plating must be at least 2.5 microns (or 1/100th of a millimeter) thick."

How long does gold vermeil last?

According to Helzberg, "Because gold vermeil is a plating, it can wear over time with heavy use. However, with the right care and maintenance, the durable, thick plating can hold its own for quite some time. With proper care, gold vermeil jewelry lasts for many years or even decades, thanks to its generous thickness and superior quality gold plating."

Should you buy from Kendra Scott?

Many of the hundreds of comments on Lauren's TikTok are from people who say they've had similar experiences.

Influencer Clara Berghaus, who often reviews beauty products, wrote that she bought a piece of jewelry from Kendra Scott years ago. "It tarnished in less than 6 months," Berghaus said. "Never bought another piece from them."

Another person claiming to have worked for the company said this was a "common issue."

"Kendra Scott is a billionaire. That is all the info you need to know she is not ethical," a third viewer opined.

Complaints about Kendra Scott can be found throughout the internet. Seven years ago, a Redditor described the brand as "very cheaply made." It has 1.7 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot. Its Yelp rating is higher at 3.5 out of 5 stars.

@scentertainment_ @Kendra Scott EXPLAIN THIS MESS. Confess to your customers that your “semi-fine” jewelry is flash plated brass or copper. Apologize, own this mistake, fix it and do better. “Final sale?” Come on. You know this is a problem. My best friend gave me a Kendra Scott bracelet at her wedding and I want to wear it proudly. We expect better from you. #kendrascott #kendrascottjewerly #jewelrytiktok #jewelry #finejewelry #jewelrytok ♬ original sound - Lauren Loves Fragrance

Kendra Scott did not respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via email.

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The post ‘Cheap flash plating’: Woman buys $300 ‘gold vermeil’ necklace from Kendra Scott. Then she notices this 1 month later appeared first on The Daily Dot.