How to take care of your Sterling Silver and Gold Vermeil Jewelry

One of the main reasons we decided to create AURORI is because we were fed up with fast fashion jewelry made with various mixed metals. That's why we have established good relationships with our manufacturers to ensure we design jewelry created in only Sterling Silver (with Rhodium Plating) and Gold Vermeil to bring you quality jewelry made to last.

We often get asked, what is Sterling Silver, Rhodium Plating, and Gold Vermeil? To give you the 411, we decided to create a comprehensive guide for all the materials we use, and how to care for each material.

 

THE BREAKDOWN: 

sterling silver:

Sterling Silver is an alloy made with 92.5% pure Silver and 7.5% Copper. Pure silver is too soft for jewelry, so the combination of Copper makes it strong without compromising color. Sterling Silver has a lifetime of durability, it is versatile, sophisticated, and timeless- making it the perfect fit for jewelry. 

 

rhodium plating:

Rhodium is a highly reflective, silver-white hard metal in the platinum family. Due to its rarity, it's one of the most expensive precious metals in the world. Rhodium is commonly found as a coating for engagement rings; it's resistant to tarnish and oxidation in moist air- increasing the durability of jewelry.

 

gold vermeil:

Gold Vermeil is not to be confused with regular gold plating, vermeil is a much thicker layer of gold which gives the pieces their long lasting color. Gold Vermeil must consist of a minimum of 10k and 1.5 microns. We use 18k gold layered on Sterling Silver. 

 

 

 

THE CARE GUIDE: 

Although our materials are made to last, a little extra love will keep your Aurori pieces feeling brand new. Below are some tips and tricks you can use at home.

• Wear often! The natural oils in your skin will help protect your pieces and clean the silver. 
• When not in use, store your jewelry pieces in an airtight bag or your AURORI pouch.
• Avoid H2O & sweat by removing when you're working out, swimming, showering, cleaning, sunbathing, and putting on lotion and makeup.
• To clean, gently buff with a soft brush & warm soapy water. 
• You can also make your own natural DIY cleaner with 2 parts water to 1 part baking soda.

That's it! We hope you found this article helpful. At AURORI, we strive to create classic designs with a bit of personality. If treated with care, our pieces will reward you with a long life, looking lustrous for years to come.