Facts about the gold plated metal alloy collection

Paola Sighinolfi jewelry is made of metal alloy and all jewelry receives a gold plating.

The Jewelry has either a polished or mat surface. Please note that a mat surface will become shinier with wear.

These surface treatments will fade over time because of contact with clothes, hard surfaces, sweat, perfume, hairspray, air pollution and others. Everyday or very frequent wear, may speed up this process, especially on items like rings and bracelets, which have more frequent contact with surfaces.

The platings are as follows:

Mat 18K yellow gold.

High polished 18K yellow gold.

High polished 18K rose gold.

High polished white rhodium.

Mat black oxidation. 

Mat 18K yellow gold, high polished 18K yellow gold and high polish 18K rose gold platings are in the gold family. 18K refer to the colour of the metal. All is in fact plated with 24K gold.

The silver colour is plated with rhodium, which is a very hard metal that comes in black and white – it is used to protect the silver from oxidising.

For the gold and rhodium platings, 3 micron layers are added on to build up thickness, thus the plating lasts longer. In theory it should last a year, but this varies in accordance to how often the jewelry is worn.

Rings wear the quickest, because they get touched/banged constantly, thus for rings it could be less than a year, while earrings can sometimes last 2-3 years.

The black jewelry is oxidised, this is done by a solution that speeds up the natural oxidisation process of silver. This however means you cannot ‘add’ layers of oxidation and therefore it will rub off within 1-2 weeks. This is supposed to happen. The black oxide is meant to give the jewelry an antique two tone finish with wear - this is not a claim.

 

Product care

When you're not wearing your jewelry you should keep them in a safe and secure place, like your bedroom.

Do not keep your jewelry in the bathroom because all of the moisture from your shower and sink will make the sterling silver pieces tarnish extra quickly.

Jewelry boxes are a great place to keep your jewelry, but you should keep in mind that it does not protect the sterling silver pieces from tarnishing and oxidation.

Avoid direct contact with water and chemical products e.g. soap, perfume, abrasive products. 

Do not wear jewelry when in the swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna/steam room or while bathing or showering. 

Chlorine, detergents, oils, moisturizers & perfumes can all cause tarnishing and damage. 

Remove jewelry when doing household tasks. 

Avoid impact with hard surfaces as much as possible. 

Make-up, perfume & hairspray all contain chemicals, which may dull the finish of your jewelry. 

Gently wipe jewelry clean with a soft cloth after each wear to remove make up and oils (from skin). 

Coil chains gently to prevent damage in storage. 

Don’t yank or pull chains.  

 

Remember:

You should treat your jewelry like any other wardrobe item. 
Clothes and shoes must be maintained e.i. washed, new soles, cleaned, repaired etc. The same goes for jewelry. 
The gold plating must get a new gold layer on when needed, and it is advised to check locks and clasps for firmness.