Jewelry
My Jewelry
All Jewelry on this site is made in Turkey. It is authentic 14 Karat Gold and .925 Sterling Silver. It is guaranteed to be of the best quality or your money back.
Upon request, 18 Karat or White Gold is available in most pieces for an additional cost.
Helpful Hints And Jewelry Information
Karat
Pure gold is 24K, but it is soft and easy to dent or bend so it is alloyed with other metals to make it sturdier. 24K, 22K, 18K, 14K, 12K, 9K are all references to the amount of gold in the metal alloy used in the jewelry. When you see these numbers referencing karats this is how many parts of the gold alloy are pure gold. 14K means it is 14 out of 24 parts pure gold and 10 parts other metals (copper, tin, zinc, silver). 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals.
Real gold jewelry is much more valuable than jewelry that is plated gold. Other references are:
.750 – The same as 18K. It means the metal alloy is 75% gold, just as 18K means the alloy is 18 out of 24 parts gold (18/24 or 75%)
.585 – The same as 14K, 58.5% gold.
If used alone, any of the marks above mean the piece is solid gold. If used together with any gold filled or gold plating marks, then this means only the gold plating is the alloy mentioned and it is covering a base (not valuable) metal.
Gold Karat Jewelry Vs Gold-Filled/Gold Plated
When you purchase gold, karat is probably one of the most important things to be sure of. Check the marking on the piece (i.e. 14K stamped). Be sure it is marked as the person selling it has told you. Gold Plate, Gold Filled, G.P., G.F., Rolled Gold, 1/20 – All of these mean the piece is Plated and the different terms refer to the thickness of the gold plating. Note terms such as gold filled and gold plated. Gold filled items are simply layered with gold, and have some sort of non-precious metal underneath. The non-precious metal will eventually show itself with wear and tear (i.e. making your skin turn color). Gold plate is simply saying that the plating is gold color. It could be any kind of non-precious metal. Karat marks are regulated and should be the only way you can trust what you are getting in content of your jewelry.
.925 Sterling Silver
.925 is Sterling Silver (92.5% silver) (.800 is coin silver) (.999 fine silver). Your Sterling Silver jewelry should be clearly marked with either .925, .999 or the word “STERLING”.
Bleach/Chlorine with your Gold and Sterling
When using a hot tub or swimming pool, always remove your Gold and Sterling jewelry before entering the water. These waters contain Chlorine (contains bleach), which will erode Gold jewelry and tarnish Sterling! The alloys used in gold are very susceptible to damage by chlorine. When Sterling, that is not coated with Rhodium or any other product, is exposed to Chlorine or Bleach it will turn black and require much silver cleaning effort to turn back. Jewelry is precious and more delicate than we often think about. Next time you head for the pool or start cleaning with bleach, take off your jewelry.
Alka Seltzer For Cleaning Jewelry
This is a way to clean your jewelry without spending a lot of money on jewelry cleaner. Take your jewelry and place it in a cup of water, drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets and let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth. You can also use a hair dryer. Silver is better completely dry and not allowed to sit wet.
Silver Cleaning
To clean silver, a polishing/jewelry cloth is usually the most effective method. Dip style cleaners remove oxidization and do not buff the surface to a shine. A polishing cloth with a few rubs can remove oxidization and smooth most surface scratches that dull the finish on your silver pieces. Follow this with a quick scrub using an old worn out toothbrush and either toothpaste (non-abrasive, non-polishing gel or paste) or mild detergent for a nice shine!
To Prevent Tarnishing of Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver tarnishes when exposed to air. You can keep your silver sealed in plastic when not wearing it. Another option is placing a piece of aluminum foil in the plastic bag or even in your jewelry box. The foil will tarnish before your silver.