What is Sterling Silver?
Sterling Silver is an alloy made of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal, such as copper. This composition makes sterling silver jewelry a high quality choice.
Furthermore, all CiCi'De Jewelry sterling silver pieces are stamped with the 925 mark and rhodium plated. This process provides an extremely tough and protective layer against tarnishing and makes your jewelry more resistant to scratches, which is ideal for durability.
What is Gold Vermeil?
Vermeil is a legally regulated term that refers to gold-plated silver pieces of a certain quality standard. In order to be legally called “vermeil”, jewelry must meet ALL the following conditions:
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Have a base layer made of Sterling silver.
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Be plated with at least 10k gold (10 karats), which means that it contains at least 41.7% pure gold.
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Have gold plating that is at least 2.5 microns thick. A micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter.
What is 14K Gold-filled?
“Gold-filled” or 14K gold-filled is a US standard that involves pressure bonding of 14-karat gold over a base metal, typically jeweler's brass. The gold layer in this process constitutes 5% or 1/20th of the total weight, securely heat-bonded to the base metal. This meticulous bonding not only results in a luxurious appearance but also grants the jewelry waterproof and tarnish-resistant properties. USA Gold-filled stands out as a highly recommended choice for those seeking enduring and well-crafted jewelry.
What's the difference between gold-filled and gold plated?
Gold-filled jewelry contains a significantly higher amount of gold and is bonded in a more durable manner compared to gold-plated pieces. Furthermore, the standards for 14K gold-filled products are strictly regulated, ensuring consistency and quality. On the other hand, the standards for gold-plated pieces vary widely in terms of thickness, making it uncertain how much gold is present in the plated layer.
What is Brass?
Brass is a metal alloy primarily composed of copper and zinc. It is known for its distinctive gold-like appearance and is valued for its strength, malleability and resistance to corrosion.
What is Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel is widely used in fashion jewelry and watches. Appreciated for its low nickel content, surgical stainless steel is perfect for people with allergies or sensitive skin as it minimizes the risk of adverse reactions. Due to its lightweight nature, it is particularly suitable for body piercing jewelry like earrings and belly bars.One notable aspect of stainless steel is its durability, resisting corrosion and oxidation. You can thus rest assured that our jewelry will not rust, tarnish or turn your skin green, even with daily wear. Another advantage of steel is its safety; unlike some other metals, wearing stainless steel poses no harm making it a worry free option that can last a lifetime.
What is 18K gold?
18K real gold is an alloy made of 75% gold and 25% other metals, such as copper, silver or zinc. The additional metals both strengthen the gold and influence its color, which might vary depending on the specific composition.
What is Vacuum plating?
Vacuum plating real gold is the use of high-temperature vacuum plating technology on parts to plate 18k real gold. This electroplating method involves using glow discharge to shoot oxygen ions onto a target material in a vacuum. The positive ions in the plasma will accelerate towards the target material, causing it to come out and deposit on the surface of the object being plated.
High-quality vacuum electroplating can effectively extend the colour retention life of jewellery, resulting in twice the color retention time of ordinary gold plating.