Jewellery Care

Gold

Wearing gold jewellery in the shower or bath will not harm the jewellery, however it can reduce the shine so it's not recommended.

To care for gold jewellery, you should avoid scratching or rubbing the metal surface. To keep the shine, you can clean it regularly with warm water and a soft brush. Or soak it for a few hours to soften the dirt, and then brush it gently with toothpaste. Dry it with a clean cloth.

To care for your item, you should avoid scratching or rubbing the metal surface. To prevent discolouration you should take care that your items are not exposed to chemicals such as cosmetic or skin care products, or soap or perfume. Even natural skin oils and sweat can cause discolouration over time. Clean your item carefully to prevent oxidisation. 

Gold Vermeil Jewellery

Gold vermeil is also known as "silver gilt", and is the French term for silver which has been gilded with gold. The base material must be pure silver or sterling silver (925), and the 18ct gold vermeil is usually a thicker layer than standard gold plating.

Vermeil gold jewellery is far more durable than more lightly gold-plated jewellery and should last for years with proper care, but all plating wears off eventually. If worn continuously, gold plate can start to wear away after 6 months revealing the sterling silver base underneath.

Rhodium Plated Jewellery

Rhodium is an ultra-rare, silvery-white, hard, corrosion-resistant, chemically inert transition metal. It is a noble metal and a member of the platinum group. Rhodium plating is added to silver to prevent it from tarnishing and to help it last longer.

Our rhodium-plated jewellery items all have a silver base. Silver is an unstable metal that oxidises (turns dark), and there is no way to prevent this. Sterling silver plated with rhodium can be effectively isolated from the air  to avoid oxidisation. Plated silver can generally last 4-12 months depending the amount of use and care.

Gold Plated Jewellery

Gold plated jewellery is the same as vermeil jewellery, only the base metal doesn't have to be silver. It's usually copper or brass with a thin plated gold layer. 

Other care tips

To give your jewellery longer life, some simple measures can be taken, such as not wearing the jewellery while you sleep - this simple step alone can more than double the item's optimum lifespan. And sealing jewellery in little plastic bags when not in use, so that the items don't oxidise, and to prevent them from rubbing together, can be helpful.