WHAT ARE THE METALS IN YOUR JEWELLERY?

OK, I get asked this question ALL the time and I am happy to say, our metals are SAFE to wear! ALL DAY, EVERYDAY.

Alright, let me elaborate. All of our pieces are nickel free and lead free and almost everything is water waterproof and can be worn in the shower. And for those of you who are wondering, almost everything means 90%. Because we only use the best of the best, which includes sterling silver, gold-filled and vermeil materials. This means, with proper care, your pieces will last a lifetime.

Real talk for a second! For some of you readers, you may have experienced itchy skin, rashes, or an allergic reaction to jewellery. These reactions are due to the materials being used within the jewellery and yes they can also be found in even the most expensive jewellery brands! If you pay attention to what the other companies use in their materials, you may see that your favourite jewellery retailers are selling “gold plated” items and for some people this can cause skin allergies. So you are basically paying top dollar for a brand that sources the cheaper materials for their items rather than paying for quality. So when shopping, look closely at the ingredients!

I myself have serious metal allergies and when I say serious, I mean serious! If I wear anything that is made with plated metal, within a half hour my skin will cause the chain to change colour and I will have an allergic skin reaction which almost looks like a burn. I personally prefer gold-filled pieces for my skin type which is why 70% of our collections use this metal for our chains.

Gold plated and gold filled? Aren’t they the same thing? Not at all! So lets take a closer look into all of these terms shall we?

WHAT IS GOLD-FILLED?

Gold-filled is a mixture of solid gold which is bonded (melted) with a base metal such as sterling silver or nickel free/lead free brass. This mixture is then transformed into our chains and pendants. This means the Gold ratio is greater and thicker and why they last years and years with wear.

This is also what makes a piece more affordable and stronger than solid gold.

WHAT IS GOLD-PLATED?

Gold-plated is a top coat that can cover any metal. 90% of Costume jewellery pieces are gold-plated and usually only last you a few months of wear and even quicker when you have sensitive skin. Remember when I mentioned to read the ingredients or materials in the piece(s) you are buying? Well, the issues with plating, is that a lot of brands will says its “gold-plated” but unless it is specifically states, ( ex. 14k gold plated) it may not actually contain any real gold in it as its just dipped in a gold coloured metal. Kinda like saying that chicken salad is vegetarian if you know what I mean.

WHAT IS VERMEIL?

Vermeil is solid 10k or more gold-plating on top of sterling silver. Just to reiterate, real sterling silver is dipped into 10k + real gold. This method is the safest plated option to ensure no one has an allergic reaction. However, vermeil pieces over time will eventually loose their gold dipping and expose the sterling silver. With this said we always aim to have our pieces dipped a minimum of 4 times or more, and we test run our creations to ensure a longer life span. So, if you are a fan of both metals this option gives you the best of both worlds. Gold that eventually fades to silver!

Solid gold options can also be made available if your heart so desires the luxury! All you have to do is reach out for Premium quotes and we can whip up something nice for you.  

As a designer with serious metal allergies, I wanted to offer affordable yet durable pieces for everyone. Which is why I take in account that you may love to wear your pieces on vacation, while dancing, while playing sports etc, basically, it needs to withstand life, so I continue to design and create pieces that fit into your everyday lifestyle, no matter who you are and what you do, we have something for you