Our Materials & Jewellery Care Guide

Jewellery Care Guide18 Carat Gold Plating

Sometimes gold plated jewellery gets a bad rep, but we are here to set the record straight! If produced to the correct standard and cared for in the correct manner, gold plated jewellery can be an affordable alternative to solid gold pieces.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our gold plated range. We work exclusively with European suppliers and ensure that the plating is done to the highest standard. Our plating has a 3 micron thick layer of 18 carat gold on brass, much thicker than most gold plated products on the market. This ensures a more robust piece that will keep its colour and can even withstand moderate contact with liquids. Depending on how often you wear your pieces, and how you care for them, our gold plated pieces can last for years. 

Caring for your 18 Carat Gold Plated Jewellery

To prolong the life of your pieces:

  • Avoid excessive contact with moisture. Remove when showering and swimming. Our gold plating is water resistant, but over time excessive moisture will wear down the gold.
  • Remove jewellery when sleeping to avoid accidental damage (e.g snapping necklaces/bracelets or losing earrings).
  • Avoid contact with chemicals. Allow perfumes and lotions to dry before putting on your jewellery
  • Store away from direct sunlight in a closed bag or jewellery box.
  • Remove before doing exercise, especially with more delicate pieces. For example, wearing your rings when using exercise equipment/lifting weights may cause the gold plating to chip or wear down.
  • Be mindful of contact with objects which may scratch or chip the gold plating due to friction e.g. Continuous contact with steering wheel when driving may accelerate wear at the back of your rings.

We are often asked if our gold plated rings will tarnish or leave a green tinge on the finger when worn. Our gold plating is very durable, however the wearer has a certain level of responsibility in getting the longest time possible out of their pieces. Having sold thousands of rings over the years we are typically seeing the below lifespans of our rings:

  • Everyday wear/no adherence to care instructions (AKA 'never leaving my hand'): 6 months to 1 year
  • Regular wear/moderate adherence to care instructions (AKA 'I'll try my best'): 1 to 2 years
  • Regular wear/strong adherence to care instructions (AKA 'I'm a good jewellery mom!): 2 to 3 years

If you are adhering to the care instructions and notice a fault (e.g discolouration on finger/missing stone) within the first few weeks of wear this is likely due to a chemical reaction with the wearer’s skin (known as oxidation) or a manufacturing fault, which we are always happy to resolve. You can learn more here.

9 Carat Gold

Some people prefer to invest in solid gold pieces and we totally get it! Our growing range of 9 carat gold pieces are all fully hallmarked with 375, the European standard stamp. 

We still encourage you to care for your 9 carat gold pieces by following the steps outlined in the Jewellery Care Guide section below, although of course 9 carat gold will withstand a lot of wear and will never lose its gold colour.

Sterling Silver

All our sterling silver pieces are stamped with the industry standard .925 hallmark. This signifies that the piece is made up of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals that form an alloy. Some of our pieces are finished with a rhodium plating, which gives a darker, shiny appearance and adds durability to the silver (this will be noted in the product description).

Sterling silver is a very hard wearing material that can last a lifetime. However, we also encourage you to follow steps outlined in the Jewellery Care Guide section below to avoid premature tarnishing.

Cubic Zirconia

While there are some items with authentic gemstones in our collection, the majority of our pieces contain cubic zirconia stones. All references to emerald , ruby, sapphire etc. are related to the colour of the stone. If a piece contains a genuine gemstone this will be noted in the product description.

Vintage Silver

We do not chemically test our vintage silver pieces, however we examine the hallmarks and look and feel of the pieces and use this as our point of reference. Only hallmarked silver will be advertised as sterling silver, however please note that this is due to a hallmark present, not chemical testing. 

None of the stones in our jewellery are tested for authenticity. While many of the stones are likely to be genuine, we advise customers to assume that they are costume jewels. We have priced our pieces accordingly.

Jewellery Care Guide

Whether you are investing in gold plated, gold vermeil, 9 carat gold or sterling silver pieces, we recommend following the guidelines below to ensure your pieces sparkle every day:

  • Try to avoid contact with moisture (especially salt water, chlorine and harsh chemicals).
  • Allow perfumes, lotions and fake tans to dry before wear.
  • Store in a closed bag or box (your Ivy's Attic box is a perfect home for your piece!)
  • Clean with a soft, non-abrasive cloth.

We particularly advise to follow the above guidelines (most of the time at least!) with your gold plated and gold vermeil pieces, however these steps will also ensure your 9 carat gold and sterling silver pieces will stay in great condition.

Quality Assurance

All of our pieces are compliant with the EU R.E.A.C.H Legislation, ensuring they do not contain any harmful metals. All our pieces are Nickel free and hypoallergenic.

Talk To Us

From time to time, there may be an issue with your piece due to a number of factors, for example:

  • Excessive contact with water or chemicals.
  • Reactions due to pH levels in your skin.
  • Fault in manufacturing process.

If you encounter a problem with a piece we encourage you to contact us either via our Contact Us page or email (hello@ivysatticjewellery.com). We will assess the issue and if deemed a product fault and not due to improper care, we will always happily offer a replacement or alternative piece, within 1 year of purchase.

Lots of love,

Ivy's Attic xxx