Hi Friends! 

Here are some helpful insights to becoming a conscious shopper, why gold filled is king & why you should ALWAYS ask questions about your jewelry.

The majority of our jewelry is made in gold filled - Christine started JoeLuc when she saw how people (including herself) were being so misguided about jewelry readily available at all department stores & boutiques who were selling plated and vermeil for $$$ which quickly tarnishes and holds no value!

Let's get to the basics. What is gold filled & why it is SO different then plating and vermeil :

 

 

Plated and Vermeil Jewelry

Don't get misguided by a piece of jewelry that states it is 18kt or 24kt plated or vermeil - sadly this will begin to tarnish and wear off the moment you start wearing it, turning it quickly into the base metal.

• Don't write off buying plated & vermeil jewelry. Why?! There are SOO many talented Indie artist who are able to create unique designs specific for their brand. This is an incredibly affordable approach which allows them to freely design and cast their design's. 
• This is great for pieces you are going to wear for special occasions, not everyday.
• Check with your designer - see if their castings are custom, do they metal-smith are their stones genuine?!  If they answer yes - you know your truly buying a piece of art - not a mass produced piece.

 

Gold Filled

It's been our jam for a while! The main reason we LOVE it so much is because we are able to incorporate our 14kt settings as well genuine & natural stones into most of our pieces. Giving an affordable approach to fine jewelry. 

Gold filled truthfully wears just like 14kt gold, but it varies from wire to chain:

• Gold Filled Wire-  Our cuffs which are all made from a 14/20 gold filled wire are super stable. That means you can pretty much wear it for the rest of your life without effecting the quality of gold.
  
• Gold Filled Chains - As you wear any chain, it can scrape gunk into the links making it appear dirty (we know, kinda gross). Simply washing it with a tooth brush and dish soap does the trick.
• The KEY- take them off before showering or working out. Tightly woven gold filled chains, such as box chain or foxtail may need slightly more attention because there is more area for gunk to build up with wear. For this reason taking them off before you shower or work out will help!

Shopping for jewelry and you don't see any material information on the description? 

Normally, if there is no karatage mentioned, the layer of gold is either just a color imitation and not actually gold, or is plated or vermeil.

How to clean my gold filled?

Hot water with dial soap and a soft bristle toothbrush cleans it up! If you want a deeper clean, use a small tupperware, fill it up half way with hot water a bit of dial soap, place one gold filled piece in there, seal the lid and shake it up.

Remember, if you truly want your piece to last a lifetime you need to care for it by storing it in a soft jewelry case or box, taking your necklace off before sleep, showering - be sure to remove your chains before you put on any lotion - as some lotions can have harsh chemicals in it that can break down your chain slowly & can become more susceptible for breakage.

 

I hope this helps shed some light in a very manipulated jewelry market. JoeLuc jewelry is dedicated to providing you with the best sourced gold filled jewelry, we will always use natural, genuine stones with 14kt gold settings.

Want to learn more about the natural stones we use?! 

Click for our Material post here.

xo