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Gold filled
Gold filled jewellery is after solid gold the best affordable option for gold jewellery in terms of durability. We’re confident we offer the best 14k gold filled material that’s out there, which is why we can be completely honest about its longevity and performance. The quality of your jewellery does depend on your lifestyle and your care of the pieces. We will advise you based on the realities of daily life, which we feel is the most practical.
How long 14k gold filled lasts comes down to three things:
1. What touches it: chemicals that come in contact with your jewellery from wearing it
2. What residue is left on your jewellery (or gets taken off with cleaning)
3. How you store your jewellery
What causes tarnish
Gold filled jewellery can last beautifully for many years, but we’ve found that when the wrong chemicals are left on your pieces it can cause the gold to darken more quickly than it should. The following list contains possible causes for your piece to tarnish with a rating from 1-5, with 5 being the worst.
- Pools & hot tubs – 5
- Body chemicals – ranges from 1-5 depending on the individual
- Sweat – 2-5 depending on the individual
- Products
- Sunscreen – 5
- Perfume – 4
- Unscented lotion – 2
- Perfumed lotion – 4
- Cleaning products with bleach – 5
- Mild dish soaps – 1
- Nail polish remover – 5
- Hairspray – 4
Everyday maintenance
After each wear it’s a good idea to give it a gentle wipe with a soft cloth, lens cloth, or even one of our polishing cloths. If you’ve been a bit sweaty from a workout or a hot day, or applied sunscreen, it would be great to give it a quick rinse in lukewarm water and dry it with a soft cloth or microfabric material. Try to avoind micro abrasive material such as paper towels or bath towels. Taking your jewellery off while sleeping will also help to make it last longer.
Deep clean
When your piece had a bit too much sweat, sunscreen, or any other product applied to it, it’s best to give it a nice deep cleanse.
- Grab a bowl or sink and put your piece in warm water with some gentle soap, preferably perfume free
- Let the piece soak for about a minute
- Gently scrub your piece with a soft toothbrush to make sure you really get into the chain where there is dirt buildup
- Rinse it in lukewarm water and make sure to get all the soap off
- Carefully dry it afterwards, it needs to be completely dry if you’d like to store it
How to store it
The best way to store your jewellery is in something that’s airtight. Less airflow means less chance for chemical reactions that cause tarnish.
- Store it clean & dry after your daily maintenance
- A ziploc bag works best, but one of our cotton pouches will be fine too
- Store it in a low humidity environment
Personal experience
I (Roxy) switched to gold a couple of years ago and truthfully, I am quite lazy when it comes to taking proper care of my pieces. When I come in contact with harsh chemicals (such as perfume or industrial cleaning products) I do make sure to give my gold jewellery a gentle rinse. Apart from that, I shower, sleep, and swim with my jewellery on. Because of this the chains I wear aren’t as sparkly as new, but you wouldn’t notice when you’re wearing them. If I notice a dark spot, I give it a quick rub with one of my polishing cloths to make it shiny again.
Marloes also made the switch to gold when she started working at Koi d’Azur, which was in October 2018. She would say her skin makes jewellery very prone to tarnishing, which she noticed when she was still wearing sterling silver. Marloes also keeps her jewellery on for all her daily activities, such as workouts, sleeping, and showering.
Sterling silver
What is sterling silver?
Sterling silver is 92,5% pure silver and is considered to be a precious metal. The other 7,5% is usually copper to add strength to the metal while still preserving the appearance of pure silver.
What causes sterling silver to tarnish?
Chemically, sterling silver isn’t very reactive. It does however react to some things common in our atmosphere, such as the tiny sulfur particles that appear in the air which results in black tarnish on the metal. This is easily fixed by using a silver polishing cloth to make it shiny again!
How to store it
The best way to store your jewellery is in something that’s airtight. Less airflow means less chance for chemical reactions that cause tarnish.
- Store it clean & dry in a low humidity environment
- A ziploc bag works best, but one of our cotton pouches will be fine too
- It may help to add silica gel bags to prevent tarnishing
Deep clean
One of the oldest tricks in the book is to clean your silver jewellery in a soda bath. The reaction of the soda to the aluminium foil you’ll be using will cause the tarnish to transfer to the foil and off of your piece. This is how to do it:
- Put a piece of aluminium foil on the bottom of a glass baking dish
- Fill the dish with boiling or very hot water
- Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the water
- Drop your silver piece(s) into the dish and make sure it’s touching the foil. You can use an old toothbrush to scrub the soda onto your piece(s)
- After about 10 minutes of soaking you can take your jewellery out when it appears clean
- Rinse your jewellery with water and a soft towel