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Jewelry Care

Please care for your jewelry and it will care for you. 

JEWELRY CARE SIMPLIFIED: 

A guide to keep your jewelry shiny & clean.  We also have a video in our Blog showing the process of cleaning your jewelry. 

    • To clean your jewelry it’s recommended in the industry to use Mr. Clean (green/ gain scent) Multi Purpose Cleaner /Original Cleaner and very warm water. Soak for about 2-3 minutes, take it out and run it under the warm water quickly. Lay flat and use a soft cloth to pat it dry on both sides. Move to a dry cloth/ paper towel surface and let it dry completely before storing or wearing it (I usually let it sit overnight). I recommend doing this once a week. 
    • When you are not wearing your jewelry, it should be stored away out of the Environments or in the Boutique Suarez Co. pouch provided.
    • Exposure to air, light and humidity can cause your jewelry to tarnish over time so keep it in the pouch and store it away in a dark place.
    • Our jewelry is not meant to be in contact with water, perspiration, and chemicals such as chlorine, sulfur, perfume, detergent, oils, salt water, body or suntan lotion.
    • Put your jewelry on after applying your makeup, hairspray, perfumes and lotions have been fully absorbed into the skin. 
    • When doing chores take off your jewelry as chemicals in soaps, detergents and cleaners can impact the plating.
    • Take off your jewelry before a shower, swimming or exercise.
    • Wipe down or clean your jewelry frequently to get rid of pollutants. It will also prolong its life. Do not Brush or Rub the jewelry when cleaning. Do not use a jewelry cleaning cloth. Just a regular soft cloth or cotton ball will do to pat down the jewelry. 
    • Keep jewelry from rubbing and friction as it will cause the piece to wear down quickly. This can happen when you layer and they rub together. It’s best to wear one piece of jewelry at a time.
    • Overtime jewelry may become duller, depending on what it is exposed to
    • Semi-Fine Jewelry is not meant for an Everyday wear. 
    • Each individual will have a different outcome on how long their jewelry will last due to care, maintenance, type of jewelry purchased and how your bodies chemistry reacts to jewelry.
    • Please take care of your jewelry  

 

Boutique Suarez Co. Jewelry is Curated, Designed & Handmade in New York by Erin Suarez of Boutique Suarez Co. In our Collection you will see Necklaces, Chain Links, Necklace Stacks/ Layers, Bracelets, Earrings, Rings, Anklets and a Build your Own Necklace Collection of Demi-Fine Chains, Charms, Pendants and Medallions. 

We offer several different types of Materials, such as... 

Fine: 14k Solid Gold 

Demi Fine: Gold Layers and 14K Gold Filled over Brass. This makes it highly durable and should last for years to come when taken care of properly. If the product is 14K gold filled it will be notated 14k Gold Filled - GF

What is 14K gold-filled?

 “Gold-filled” is a USA industry standard that legally requires 1/20th, or 5% pure gold by weight.  It’s a strictly regulated process that involves pressure bonding multiple layers of solid 14k gold with extreme heat over a core of high quality jeweler’s brass resulting in a durable, quality real gold product.

What is Gold Layers? 
This is our highest quality product with the exception of our Gold Filled & Solid Gold. The term GL stands for “Gold Layers”.This process involves 7 different metals and gold depositing layers to achieve the final product. The base metal is brass and we can achieve 14-24k in the Gold Layers process. 

Semi - Fine: Brass Jewelry that is plated with gold. What is gold plated jewelry? Gold plated jewelry is a very light layer of gold - 0.05% on top of a base metal (usually brass or copper). The thin layer of gold is plated onto the base metal to create gold plated jewelry.

is 14K gold-filled - GF?

 “Gold-filled” GF is a USA industry standard that legally requires 1/20th, or 5% pure gold by weight.  It’s a strictly regulated process that involves pressure bonding multiple layers of solid 14k gold with extreme heat over a core of high quality jeweler’s brass resulting in a durable, quality real gold product.

Is 14k gold-filled GF actually "filled with gold"?

 No Filling, All the gold is on the outside. The only thing you need to know is that the term refers to a thick outer layer of durable, pressure-bonded, real, solid gold...on the outside.

Is 14k gold-filled GF jewelry real gold?

The gold in 14k gold-filled is definitely real. There’s a thick layer of real, solid 14k gold on the outside of a brass core.  The 14k gold that’s on the outside of gold-filled is the same gold as you would get from a solid 14k piece.  

How much real gold is in 14k gold filled GF?

Gold-filled jewelry is required to have a minimum of 1/20th (5%) gold by weight. The 5% gold in gold-filled jewelry may not sound like a lot, but it’s all on the outside and it's plenty to keep your jewelry looking great for many years.

How are 14k gold-filled GF items marked?

14/20 GF or 14k GF mark may be present on our gold-filled clasps. Since our Jewelry is handmade the gold-filled pieces won't be marked, however we do have a mark on our clasps.

Is 14k gold-filled GF good quality?

Gold-filled is absolutely your best option after solid gold for quality and durability. It will not flake off or turn your skin green and offers a great option for people with sensitive skin. We only use the best Italian & USA made gold-filled components and stand behind our product’s quality.  Gold-filled jewelry can stay beautiful for a lifetime, especially with a little love and care.

Is 14k gold-filled GF jewelry durable? How long does it last?

After solid options, Gold-filled jewelry is certainly your best quality for gold pieces. Gold Filled items can last you a lifetime if taken care of properly.

Does 14k gold-filled GF tarnish?

14k GF materials are not supposed to tarnish for a long time.  It's possible for gold-fill to tarnish under certain circumstances, but it should not tarnish easily.

Does it contain nickel? 

No. None of our jewelry contains nickel.

Is 14k gold-filled GF jewelry okay for people with sensitive skin?

Yes. 99.9% of people find they have no sensitivity to gold-filled jewelry.  Because the outside of the piece is solid 14k gold, it interacts with your skin in the same way solid 14k gold would.  If you do not have any sensitivities to solid gold, you will find gold-filled will agree with your skin as well.

Will it turn my skin green?

There are very rare instances where certain people's body chemistry reacts with the 14k gold to leave a green residue on the skin, but this happens in approximately 0.001% of people, so it should not be a concern.  Body chemistry is fascinating, and often times it's actually medications present in the system that can react with the gold when worn.

Will it flake off?

No, the mechanically bonding process of the gold to the core through extreme pressure and heat will prevent it from flaking or cracking.

Does it Rust?

No, Rust isn't possible with the metals present in gold-filled material.

Can I sleep & workout in my gold-filled jewelry?

Yes, but it won't last as long. Sleeping in your jewelry won’t damage the gold-filled surfaces, but for delicate pieces such as dainty chains on necklaces or bracelets, snagging on the fabric of your sheets or nightclothes can be an issue.  If you can take your pieces off before bed, they'll appreciate it by staying bright longer. It's also good if you can to give them a wipe down after wearing just to get oils off the surface from our body. Working out in your jewelry is up to you but we don’t recommend it just in case it gets caught on something….we wouldn’t want your jewelry to snag and break

 How do I take care of it?

The best care you can give your pieces is to clean them gently with water, mild soap (ie.MR.Clean), and a soft cloth and only polish them when they really need it. It also helps to avoid exposure to lotions or wash them off your jewelry immediately, especially gold-filled chain, which can capture bits of lotion in all the nooks and crannies. For more care tips, see the care product care page.

 Why aren’t all our items 14k gold-filled GF?

All of our charms, pendants & medallions are either Vermeil ( Sterling Silver with a Gold Plating) , Demi-Fine/ gold filled import, GFI (extra heavy gold layered process as thick as GF standards) or plated gold rather than gold-filled GF because more complicated designs are cast from a mold- a process that is not compatible with gold-filled material.

Why can’t you cast 14k gold-filled GF?  

The casting process involves pouring liquid metal into a mold. If you melted down gold-filled material, the gold would no longer be only concentrated on the outside and you’d end up with something more like 2k gold, instead of 14k gold on the outside of a brass core. The only way to make gold-filled requires massive amounts of pressure and heat. Our Vermeil & Demi-Fine/Gold Filled GFI Pieces pair perfectly with our Demi-Fine & Gold Filled Chain