Materials and Care
All our jewellery is made with love, thoughtfullery, and our favorite precious metals. Here’s more about our high-quality materials and how to keep them lookin’ happy + fiiine
Sterling Silver
What it is:
- The world’s most used, and loved, silver alloy. Aka .925 Sterling Silver. Made from 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals like copper that add strength and hardness
- Pure silver is too soft—it gets all banged up, which is why we steer clear
Why we love it:
- It’s the whitest, brightest metal and goes with, like, everything
- So sensitive skin won’t break out in boils
- A precious metal that the masses can afford. Thank you, Mother Earth
- Durable and lasts like your best friendships, i.e. forevah
- Easy to keep nice
How to care for it:
- Store somewhere airtight when not wearing-—sterling silver naturally reacts to oxygen and air pollutants, which causes it to tarnish L
- To keep your sterling silver looking its beautifullest, wear it often—that makes it so happy!
- Apply lotions, perfumes and sprays before putting on jewellery so you don’t get it all mucked up
- Don’t wear when swimming or hot-tubbing (but horseback riding is totally ok)
- To remove tarnish & restore shine, clean with a polishing cloth or cream or gently polish with toothpaste—weird, yes, but we swear it works
14Kt Solid Gold
What it is:
- 14 Karat Solid Gold is an alloy of pure gold and other metals (e.g. copper and zinc) in the ratio of 14 parts Gold and 10 parts other metals. No, there’s not going to be a quiz on this
- Pure gold is too soft, as Goldilocks would say, so its rarely used to make jewellery
- Other common gold alloys: 10-Karat gold, 12-Karat Gold, and 18-Karat Gold. A lower karat means less gold content but also results in a metal that’s more durable and less “yellowy” in color, thankyouverymuch
Why we love it:
- Lasts forever and ever and won’t tarnish, unlike some relationships
- Strong, durable and very low maintenance (i.e. marriage material)
- More affordable than pure gold so you don’t have to be a queen to wear it
- Looks ah-may-zing on all skin tones because of the softer yellow (vs 24kt gold with deep yellow, duh. Have you been paying attention?)
How to care for it:
- Use a mix of lemon juice and baking soda to restore your 14k gold piece to its sparkly self
- When not wearing, store your jewellery in a pouch or airtight ziploc bag to prevent scratches because that would be a bummer
Gold-Plating over Sterling silver (Gold Vermeil)
What it is:
- A layer of gold that has been electroplated over a base metal
- For our jewellery, we always electroplate a thick layer of gold onto a base metal of sterling silver, which is often called Gold Vermeil (in case that ever comes up on Jeopardy)
- Plating comes in various thicknesses from anorexically thin (e.g., 0.175 microns) known as gold-flash up to thicker layers (e.g., 1 – 2.5 microns) which we are the kind we use to make our pieces last (up to 5-10 years with tender lovin’ care)
Why we love it:
- Still the same look as solid gold with a warm gold color that is oh-so-flattering
- The gold does not flake off like most costume jewellery—don’t you hate flakes?
- Durable and tarnish-resistant thanks to its heavy exoskeleton of solid gold
- Can last for years with proper care, but the gold plating on the outside will eventually fade, leaving you with sterling silver
- Significantly more affordable than solid gold. So you can still pay off your student loans
- Hypoallergenic (nickel free) and awesome for sensitive skin because of its solid gold exterior
How to care for it:
- Apply lotions, perfumes and sprays before putting on jewellery so you don’t get it all mucked up
- Swimming and hot-tubbing? No. Dancing and bar-hopping? Yes!
- Clean your jewellery with a dry cloth to wipe off makeup, skin oils, dirt and bad energy
- When not wearing, store in a pouch or airtight ziploc bag to prevent chemicals from reacting with the piece and to keep it scratch-free and deliriously happy
If you have any further questions, just Contact Us
Rellery. Meaningful Jewelry Made to Carry Your Story.
