Metal affects a piece’s color, weight, feel and maintenance. The product description or your agreed quote specifies the alloy used; a photograph alone cannot establish its composition.

925 sterling silver

Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% other alloying metals. Alloying makes silver more practical for jewelry than very soft pure silver. Sterling can be polished, textured or intentionally darkened to bring out detail.

Tarnish is a natural surface change and is not, on its own, evidence of poor quality. A darkened finish and accidental tarnish are not the same treatment, so ask before polishing a textured piece.

Gold: 585 and 750

Fineness expresses the proportion of gold in parts per thousand. Gold marked 585 contains 58.5% gold and is commonly described as 14K; 750 contains 75% gold and is described as 18K. The remaining alloying metals affect color and working properties.

Yellow, rose and white gold are different alloy compositions, not different gold purities by themselves. White gold may be rhodium plated for a bright white surface; check the description for the chosen design.

Plating, oxidation and texture

A plated piece has a surface layer over a base material. It should not be confused with solid gold. Rhodium and gold plating can wear, especially at contact points. Matte textures and intentional darkening also change as the piece is worn.

Choose a finish for the way you like jewelry to look and age. If you want to keep a crisp matte or bright plated appearance, periodic professional maintenance may be needed.

Other metals and sensitivities

Platinum and other special requests require an individual feasibility check. If you have a known metal sensitivity, tell us before ordering so we can ask about the specific alloy. We do not describe every alloy or coating as universally hypoallergenic.

What to confirm

Before approving a custom piece, confirm the base metal, fineness, color and any coating. Hallmarks and documentation are discussed in Certificates & Authenticity. For maintenance, see Jewelry Care.