JEWELRY CARE

OUR COLLECTIONS

Our In-House Line consists solely of .925 sterling silver, either solid sterling silver or plated with 14k or 18k gold. Our Vintage Line consists of varying types of metal qualities, please see individual product descriptions for contents. 

IN-HOUSE LINE

STERLING SILVER

Sterling silver is a mixture of pure silver and some other metal, usually copper. The resulting alloy gives the silver strength. The standard is at least 92.5% silver. Hence the .925 stamp you see on some sterling silver items.

GOLD PLATING

A base metal such as steel or brass is dipped into a bath of electroplating solution, with a lump of solid gold. When an electric current is applied, a thin layer of gold is deposited on the metal. Since the plating is quite thin, the plate (and hence the color) on findings can wear off over time and wear.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 14K AND 18K GOLD

14k gold is composed of 58.3% gold and 41.7% of other metals, making it the hardest, most durable, and most popular of the karat golds. 18k gold is composed of 75% gold, which is alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough for everyday wear.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

It is okay if you get your jewelry wet but it is best practice to remove your jewelry while exercising, showering, and swimming, in order to ensure the longevity of any plating and to avoid silver tarnishing. Avoid contact with perfumes, lotions, or hair products. Do not use harsh chemicals, bleach, oil, or jewelry cleaners. Silver will oxidize or tarnish over time so it is best to store your sterling silver items in a cool place with low humidity to prevent it from oxidizing rapidly. Over extended time and wear the gold plating on your items may start to wear off, in this case, it's not our responsibility to return or exchange your item. We apologize in advance.

Frequently clean your jewelry with a polishing cloth or felt cloth like the one provided in your shipment. This will remove any silver tarnishing and restore shine. You may also use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap with a soft bristle brush (like a toothbrush) to remove any dirt or build-up on your items.

The Or is not responsible for the care of your jewelry.

JEWELRY ALLERGIES

Everyone's skin type is different and some people have allergic reactions to some plating. The most common is nickel-plating - possibly up to 10% of people react to nickel. Nickel is sometimes used to color gold, as an alloy, and sometimes in the electroplating process. If an allergy is a problem, please be aware that there may be traces of nickel in some of our non-solid sterling silver products. The Or strives to use a nickel-free/allergy-free plating process on all of our plated In-House items but we can not guarantee there will be absolutely no traces of nickel. If you are susceptible to this, it's advisable to avoid wearing non-solid sterling silver or platinum jewelry. We do not offer refunds or returns for this reason. We apologize in advance.

The Or is not responsible for your skins reaction to metal or vice versa.

VINTAGE

Since our Vintage items are sourced many different ways and consist of different metals and manufacturing processes, it is hard to say exactly how to care for each individual item. We will always follow the stamping on each item to do our best when listing the type of metal and contents. As with our In-House Line, unless an item is solid sterling silver only, please be wary if you have any jewelry allergies such as to nickel. Since these products are up-cycled and have already had some love over the years, it is best practice to be gentle with your wear and care.

Please note, all of our Vintage items are in very good or better condition, unless noted otherwise in the individual product description.