Here at Witt & Pearl all our pearls are set with either Sterling Silver, Solid 18k or 14k Gold, 14k Gold Vermeil or 18k Gold Flashing. 

All of these precious metal should last for years to come as long as you follow the below tips to care for them and reduce the risk of tarnish. Each type of metal requires different ways to look after them.

Please check what your jewellery is labelled as on our site and see below to take care of your gorgeous piece.

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Sterling Silver (925)

Here at Witt & Pearl we use Sterling Silver (925) in our Silver Jewellery & 14k Gold Vermeil pieces. Sterling silver is an alloyed metal, normally made of 92.5% pure silver and other metals.

Sterling Silver is a great choice for Jewellery as its Hypoallergenic, great for everyday wear & can be worn in Water.

Sterling Silver (925) Care Instructions

Sterling Silver can tarnish because of its composition.If you’re looking at a piece of jewellery that is darkened or appears dirty, then your silver has tarnished; but, there’s no need to panic. Tarnish is simply the result of a chemical reaction with oxygen or sulfur particles in the air. Tarnish on Sterling Silver can be removed by using a Silver Polishing Cloth.

Believe it or not, your skin’s natural oils will help keep silver jewellery shiny. One of the easiest ways to prevent tarnish is to simply wear your silver often as opposed to letting it sit in a jewellery box unworn.

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14k or 18k Solid Gold

Solid gold is the best quality of gold there is - it’s great to wear everyday, won't fade, is hypoallergenic & can be worn in water without tarnishing.

Solid gold jewellery is just as the name suggests - the whole piece is made entirely of gold (no base metal). We use Solid 14k Gold here at Witt & Pearl. 14k Solid Gold means 14 parts gold (58.3%) and 10 parts alloys (41.7%). 

You might think that the less gold, the less prestigious the metal. However 14k Gold is actually more commonly recommended for daily wear over 18K gold because of its increased durability.

Solid Gold is more expensive than Gold Fill or Vermeil, but gives you a piece of Jewellery to last a lifetime.

Solid Gold Care Instructions

Gold is really durable so can be worn all the time. Just try not to get any harsh chemicals on or near it.

Gold can be easily cleaned with warm soapy water & patted dry.

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14k Gold Vermeil

Gold Vermeil (pronounced “Ver-may”) is a plating of Gold over Sterling Silver. As gold vermeil only comprises precious metal alloys it’s the best choice for quality gold jewellery which comes at a fraction of the price of pure gold.

At Witt & Pearl we use 14k Gold as this is harder and more scratch resistant than higher carats, but still has ample gold content (58.3%) to maintain its lustre & shine.

A 925 stamp on your gold vermeil guarantees that the underlying metal is sterling silver. This acts as a guarantee that the piece contains at least 925 parts of pure silver out of 1,000 parts of metal. Look for a tiny little stamp on your W&P pieces.

Sterling Silver and 14k Gold are kinder to your skin and much less likely to cause an allergic reaction, making the product hypoallergenic.

As Gold Vermeil mostly comprises sterling silver and gold, it can be repaired and recycled. This means that when properly cared for, gold vermeil jewellery will stand the test of time. And if after prolonged wear, the gold plating wears through, your jewellery can be easily re-plated.

14k Gold Vermeil Care Instructions

Stay away from water - Chemicals in particular, can strip the gold from your jewellery. 

If your jewellery gets wet with anything other than warm water please rinse off with warm water first before patting dry - and make sure jewellery is fully dry before storing.

Avoid wearing when exercising, sleeping or cleaning - Perspiration contributes to tarnishing as does any chemicals from cleaning.

Do not spray perfume or moisturiser when wearing jewellery.
Make sure to put your jewellery on 5 minutes after this to stop the chemicals from coming into contact.

Store your jewellery in its box.

How to clean

If your gold is lightly tarnished, it can be brightened up with a polishing cloth. 

Don’t use chemical jewellery dips on gold vermeil as this can remove the gold.
If gold vermeil jewellery gets dirty, you can clean it gently with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Dont use any abrasive pads on it and make sure you pat it completely dry.

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18k Gold Flashing

Our Gold Flashing is 18k Gold over brass. This is fine for most people but if you have sensitive ears we recommend going for Solid Gold, Sterling Silver or 14k Gold Vermeil which are Hypoallergic.

18k Gold Flashing Care Instructions

To avoid tarnishing and prolong the life of your jewellery we recommend keeping it in the box provided and to DO NOT expose to water, chlorine, nail polish removers, body lotions, soaps, perfume, and hairspray. When getting ready put jewellery on 5 minutes after using perfume & hairspray.

To clean your jewellery, we recommend using a suede cloth. Please do not use water or any other cleaning agents as they can be abrasive and cause the removal of the plating from your jewellery.

To Prolong Jewellery keep it in the Box Provided & do not wear overnight.