Gold-Filled
Gold-Filled is a USA industry standard that legally requires 1/20th, or 5% pure gold by weight. It is a strictly regulated process that involves pressure bonding multiple layers of solid 14k gold with extreme heat over a core of high quality jewellers brass resulting in a durable, real gold product, with a resilient exterior that is not prone to flaking or cracking. The 14k gold that’s on the outside of 'gold-filled' is the same gold as you would get from a solid 14k piece.
Gold-Filled products are a great quality alternative to the much more expensive solid karat gold. With proper care and storage, you will have affordable jewellery that lasts.
The best care you can give your pieces is to clean regularly to remove oils, lotions, hairspray, etc. Treat them to a gentle swish in warm water & mild dish soap then allow to air dry. Occasional use of a soft cloth, such as a lens cloth, will brighten the gold-fill and restore sparkle to crystals. Your shimmerRings do not need to be removed from your glass stems if hand washing however they are not suitable for the dishwasher. Polishing creams or abrasive products should not be used.
About Swarovski Crystal beads
The name Swarovski is synonymous with quality. This Austrian company is world renowned for the superior cutting techniques and quality materials they employ to create crystals of brilliant shine, cut and colour. When you look inside the crystal, you will see no bubbles. Because of its special glass compounds, Swarovski crystal will out-sparkle a bead of lesser quality. They are a delight to use for shimmerRings.
Sterling Silver 925
The natural, precious metal we know as silver is generally too soft to be used in jewellery making and so the addition of another alloy (generally copper) is added to give it strength and durability. This is then termed 'Sterling silver' and often bears the '925' stamp which relates to it's minimum 92.5% fine silver content.
Sterling silver can be prone to tarnish depending on the enviroment in which it is kept. It will generally tarnish quicker in high humidity climates and places with high levels of air pollution. Things like perfume, hairspray, deodorant and moisturisers can all contribute to further tarnishing due to chemicals reacting with the silver.
Tarnish is nothing to worry about as, unlike rust, surface tarnish can quickly be removed in a couple of easy steps. Our tried and tested method for our plain Sterling silver pieces, such as rings, is as follows:
Line a small bowl with aluminium kitchen foil, add a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda/baking powder and some just boiled water. Drop your jewellery into the bowl and leave for a minute or so. Lift jewellery out with tweezers and rinse well. Allow to dry and bring up the shine with a soft cloth.
Argentium Silver 935
Argentium Silver is a revolutionary alloy which is stronger, brighter & whiter than traditional Sterling silver. Made with added germanium, it contains less copper than Sterling silver, is highly tarnish resistant and so requires less maintenance. Argentium is also hyperallergenic, making it a great alternative for people who have an allergy to traditional Sterling silver.