Jewelry Care
Most of our jewelry is made of 316L stainless steel, also known as surgical steel, and is plated with 14k gold. In addition to surgical steel, we also have jewelry made of 925 sterling silver. Here, too, the pieces of jewelery are gilded with 14-carat gold. Furthermore, we also offer 14 carat gold plated copper jewelry.
Here you can find out what makes our necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings waterproof and how you can protect your jewelery from tarnishing and discoloration.
What makes the trinketswaterproof?
316L stainless steel, or stainless steel, is a very durable and resilient material that is well suited for making jewelry. Due to its hypoallergenic properties, it has been used in surgery for a long time. Since it does not trigger allergies, stainless steel is also particularly suitable for earrings and piercings. Stainless steel is also waterproof, ie it does not lose its color or tarnish even if it comes into regular contact with water. Jewelry made of stainless steel can therefore be worn in the shower without hesitation. The same applies to gold-plated stainless steel. Because it is a very solid and robust material that is gold-plated using ion plating, the gold-plating adheres very well to the base material. Gold-plated stainless steel jewelry does not tarnish, the gold-plating does not fade over time, but remains intense gold over the long term.
Compared to 316L stainless steel, 925 sterling silver is the higher quality, but also the more sensitive material. Sterling silver has been used in jewelry making for a very long time because of its beautiful lustrous shine. Silver can tarnish slightly over time, this is a normal reaction of the material to external environmental influences. Our sterling silver jewelry is rhodium plated, which means it has an extra coating that delays the tarnishing of the material. With regular contact with water, rhodium-plated silver jewelry can also tarnish over time, but the jewelry can be quickly brought back to shine with the help of a silver cleaning cloth or a silver bath. The situation is similar with gold-plated silver jewelry, which also withstands water contact to a certain extent thanks to an additional coating. Over time, however, the gilding may fade slightly as it washes off the base material.
Can I go into the sea with the jewelry?
With the stainless steel jewelry you can go swimming in the sea without any worries. While it's always better to remove jewelry before bathing in salt water, stainless steel is strong enough to withstand the salt. The same applies to gold-plated jewelry made of stainless steel. To ensure that your jewelery shines and shines for a long time, you should wash it with fresh water after swimming in the sea to remove salt residue.
Sterling silver jewelry is a little more delicate. It is better to take this off in salt water, as the salt can attack the silver and the gold plating. If you do forget, rhodium plating protects your sterling silver jewelry, but it doesn't provide adequate protection if it's exposed to salt water on a regular basis.
Can I go in the pool with the jewelry?
The chlorine in pool water can attack and damage your jewelry. However, small amounts of chlorine, such as those found in the water of thermal baths and private pools, do not affect your stainless steel jewelry. Gold plated or not, you can keep your jewelry if you wash it off with non-chlorinated water afterwards.
Here, too, you should be a little more careful with pieces of jewelry made of 925 sterling silver and better take them off before bathing in chlorinated water. This way you can be sure that the chlorine does not damage the material and dissolve the gold plating.
Tips to prevent your jewelry from tarnishing or discoloration:
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Keep your jewelry away from cosmetics: You should not apply perfume and creams directly to your jewelry, as these cosmetics can damage the jewelry materials. It is therefore best to put on your jewelry only after applying cream and perfume.
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Take off your jewelry when exercising: Sweat can also damage your jewelry, and jewelry can quickly become a nuisance when exercising. If you take it off beforehand, you are on the safe side and protect the material.
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Clean your jewelry regularly: Over time, your jewelry can get a little dirty as dander, dust, and other debris collect in it. Therefore, it makes sense to clean your jewelry regularly.
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Store your jewelry in a safe place: Your jewelry should be exposed to as little air and light as possible. It is best to keep it in a closed jewelry box.
Other jewelry materials
Some of our jewelry is also decorated with pearls or stones. These are genuine freshwater pearls and zirconia stones in various colors and shapes.
Our freshwater pearls are characterized by their natural, irregular shape, which is why each pearl is unique. Necklaces, bracelets and earrings are decorated with these beads. Freshwater pearls can be worn in water, and they don't mind salt water either, but they can lose their luster a little with regular contact with water. Freshwater pearls should be well protected from chlorine, as this can attack the mother-of-pearl surface. It is therefore better to take off pearl jewelery in the swimming pool.
Zirconia are synthetic crystals made from zirconium oxide. They resemble real diamonds in appearance and radiance. Zirconia stones are available in different colors, but colorless zirconia are used particularly frequently. Jewelery set with zirconia stones is also waterproof, since water cannot harm the stones.
Source: https://icrush.de/our-jewelry-materials-waterproof-allergy-friendly