jewelry care
How to care for your favourite jewelry to keep it looking like new!
When you are not wearing your jewelry, store it in a dry place as moisture can lead to tarnish. It's best to keep pieces separate from one another to avoid tangling and damage. The cotton cloth bag it comes in is perfect for this!
I also recommend taking off your jewelry to bathe, swim or sleep to keep it looking like new.
ABOUT THE METALS I USE
Gold fill
14K gold fill is a professional jewelers grade metal. It is a favourite to use because it has the look and feel of solid gold, but comes at a lower cost. Your gold filled jewelry will not tarnish, chip, or peel. It is just like wearing solid gold and is safe for sensitive ears.
Gold filled is NOT plated. It is solid 14K gold mechanically bonded to a brass or sterling silver base.
There is 100 times more gold in gold filled than in something that has been gold plated. This layer of gold must be a minimum of 1/20th of the total metal weight to be called gold filled.
Brass
I choose to use brass for almost all of my chains, because it is a beautiful rich gold colour and there is no plating on it - so that golden colour will never wear off.
Since brass is a yellow alloy of copper and zinc, its colour can deepen and patina over time, aging to a dark brownish tone. This look is lovely and can be just as beautiful as the shiny new brass, which is why I love using it so much.
If you prefer your brass to shine a bright gold, you can use a product called "Brasso" to polish it back up again. Alternatively, for a more natural approach - use a combination of vinegar, salt and baking powder. Mix the ingredients together to make a paste and rub on with a soft cloth. Let it sit for a minute or two and then thoroughly rinse it off. If you use this method, make sure to dry it really well.
Sterling silver
Sterling is an alloy consisting of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. The wire I use is a professional jewelry grade and is not plated so it will never chip or peel.
Because sterling silver contains copper, it can tarnish over time and deepen in colour to a dark patina. To shine it back up again, use a soft cloth and some jewelry polish like "Silvo".