Jewelry Terms & Care
Jewelry Terms
Gold Plating - Gold plating is the term used to describe jewelry that is made of a non-precious base metal such as copper or nickel that is plated with a thin layer of gold. Because plating can wear with time to reveal the metal below, it is reccommended that plated jewelry not be worn every day.
Gold Vermeil - Vermeil jewelry is made of a sterling silver base that is coated or plated with gold using an electrolytic process. Vermeil jewelry will not wear as quickly as plated jewelry and therefore has a longer lifespan. Because it is made with only sterling silver and gold, those who have allergies to other metals such as nickel can safely wear vermeil jewelry without the risk of reaction.
Gold Fill - Gold filled jewelry is the highest quality gold you can buy that is not pure gold and is regulated by the government in the same way that solid gold is. Gold fill consists of a non-precious base that has layers of gold mechanically bonded to it. Gold filled jewelry will not wear off and therefore will last the longest.
Karats - The purity of gold is measured in karats. The highest and most expensive karat gold is 24 karat, which refers to solid gold that has not been alloyed with other metals. The karat of gold decreases as the amount of other metal it has been alloyed with increases.
- 22 karat gold consists of 22 parts gold with 2 parts another metal, or 91.7% gold.
- 18 karat gold consists of 18 parts gold with 6 parts another metal, or 75% gold.
- 14 karat gold consistes of 14 parts gold with 10 parts another metal, or 58.3% gold.
Sterling silver - Pure silver is soft and maleable, therefore it is mixed with an alloy metal when used in making jewelry so that it is more durable. Sterling silver refers to jewelry that is 92.5% silver with 7.5% alloy metal, usually copper.
Old Silver - a unique French process of layering silver over gold or copper to bring out the details of the piece.
Cameos - A practice that originated in Italy, a cameo is a small motif, such as a face or flowers, that is carved into materials such as glass, shell, or stone. The term cameo refers to a piece in which the image is raised.
Intaglio - Intaglios are very similar to cameos in that they are images carved into stone, shell, and glass. However, an intaglio occurs when the image is recessed on the surface of the jewelry.
Jewelry Care
Sterling silver - Sterling silver naturally tarnished over time and can easily be cleaned by rubbing or buffing with a soft cotton cloth. Though you may have heard that you can clean sterling with toothpaste, it is not recommended as toothpaste can be abrasive and scratch the metal surface. For heavily tarnished pieces, you may need to use a polishing cream or dip but you will want to be careful with these as they can affect some gemstones. Sterling silver can be stored in plastic zip-lock bags to help prevent the jewelry from tarnishing.
Gold - Use a chamois cloth to clean gold jewelry as it is gentle and will return the luster to your gold pieces. Gold jewelry that does not contain gemstones can be dipped into rubbing alcohol to remove grease. Tarnish can be removed from gold that does not have gemstones by mixing soap and water with a few drops of ammonia and brushing the gold with a small brush such as a toothbrush then rinse with lukewarm water and allow to dry.
General: Don't keeps jewelry jumbled together in a drawer or case as the individual pieces can rub against one another and damage and scratch them. Store individually in a compartmentalized box. Avoid jewelry contact with soap, chemicals, perfume, and hair spray. Always remove jewelry when washing, bathing, doing dishes, cleaning with chemicals, swimming, or playring sports/exercising.
