Jewellery Care
WHAT AM I BUYING EXACTLY AND WILL IT LAST?
(OR HOW TO KEEP YOUR ANA VERDUN JEWELLERY LOOKING FAB!)
We use Sterling Silver and 22ct Hard Gold-Plate to make our Collections.
Sterling Silver:
All our silver is Sterling Silver (925) and excludes nickel. Our silver is purchased in the UK and Hallmarked in the UK. It is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, which harden the silver and make it suitable for jewellery making.
- Sterling Silver naturally tarnishes (darkens) through exposure to air, humidity, perfumes, skin creams & perspiration.
- Sterling Silver is susceptible to damage from chlorine and salt. Avoid wearing silver jewellery while using cleaning chemicals or in chlorinated water, for example, swimming pools.
To clean your silver jewellery, we recommend you use warm soapy water with a soft toothbrush and then use a sliver polishing cloth to restore its shine. Please do not use silver cleaning dips as these will damage the original finish of your piece.
Take extra care when cleaning jewellery with set gemstones and pearls as some gems are sensitive to chemicals, for example opals and pearls… and some gemstones can come loose from their setting.
To store your silver jewellery, we recommend you store it in an airtight box or bag as humidity and exposure to the environment can cause your silver jewellery to tarnish over time.
If you need extra advise on how to clean or store your jewellery, please call the studio on +44 (0)20 89954722, we are always happy to help!
Oxidised silver:
The blackened effect you see on some pieces is either achieved by artificially oxidising the silver with a mild sulphur-based solution or by using black rhodium plating, which provides a longer-lasting finish.
Do not clean oxidised silver as it will lose the blackened finish. Only use a polishing cloth if you wish to restore its shine.
Gold Plate:
The gold plating that we use is called Hard Gold Plating, which has a stronger and harder composition than gold-fill, or “flash” plating. Gold Plate is also called gold vermeil. The difference between vermeil, and gold fill, is in the thickness of the gold and the base metal used. To qualify as vermeil, the base must always be sterling silver and the gold layer must be at least 2.5 microns.
We use 3 microns for all our pieces and 5 microns for all our rings. The longer the piece is exposed to the electro-plating process, the more microns coat it. More microns mean the layers are stronger and thicker. Although we use "Hard Gold Plate", this will fade with time, depending on wear, and we recommend you treat your plated jewellery with care.
How to make your gold plated jewellery last longer:
- For our pieces that are mainly in silver with gold plated details we suggest you follow the above recommendations on how to clean and store your jewellery.
- For our fully gold plated jewellery, we always tell our customers to treat these items as accessories rather than pieces that are worn every day or kept on your body in the way you would with solid gold or purely silver jewellery. If you take care of your gold-plated jewellery bearing in mind they are not solid gold pieces, they should last a long time.
To clean and store your fully plated jewellery please follow the suggestions above.
- Gold-plated Rings: Although we use 5 microns for our rings, it’s always important to remember that they are not made in solid gold and because rings are constantly being rubbed against other surfaces, the gold plating will fade quicker than other pieces of jewellery. If you take this approach and treat your plated jewellery with care, especially when doing physical activities, remembering to take your rings off etc… your plated rings should last longer.
We offer a full refurbishing service for all your Ana Verdun jewellery
- Cleaning is always free of charge
- Cleaning and re-whitening your silver Hera ring is a free service.
Please note that all refurbishing services including the free ones, are subject to any postage charges incurred unless they are dropped off or picked up directly from us.
Re-plating service:
Please see our price guide below. We have different prices depending on the size and amount of plating surface for each piece. All prices are exclusive of postage charges.
Price | For example… |
---|---|
£52 - £64 | small earrings and charms |
£64 - £87 | our medium to large earrings and thin rings/bands |
£87 - £110 | our Hera and Zarek Rings, Ceres Rings |
£110 - £190 | our long pendants with belcher chains |
£190 - £282 | other thicker chains and larger items |
£282 - £397 | other thicker chains and larger items |
Solid Gold:
9ct, 14ct, 18ct , 22ct and platinum, these metals do not tarnish but it’s worth giving them a good clean from time to time to keep them looking like new.
To clean your gold jewellery just follow the steps above or call the studio to book your complimentary cleaning service for your Ana Verdun pieces.
Note: If while cleaning your jewellery, and we notice that your prongs (the claws that hold the stones) need to be re-tightened, we’ll contact you as this will incur a charge.
* For your jewellery with gemstones of higher value it’s always advisable to re-tighten your prongs or checking the gem settings from time to time to make sure you don’t lose them.
For any more information or to get a specific price for your re-plating service, please call us on +44 (0)20 8995 4722 or email us at ana@anaverdun.com