When you're at a department store or boutique do you pay attention to what the pieces are made of? I'm continually surprised at how many brands don't provide this information and the variety of highly prices pieces sold with a description of color but not "metal type".

If you're looking to invest your hard earned dollars in an investment piece it's really important to ask all the right questions and then know how to care for your pieces properly afterwards. With care,  sterling pieces can last forever and be handed down to your loved ones.  Hopefully I can help you navigate through the process. 

Sterling is one of the most popular metals for jewelry but as the price of sterling rises more brands are turning to brass and gold filled (gold plated onto brass) materials to make their pieces.  I've always been a big fan of sterling; I adore it. Silver itself doesn't cause reactions and is widely regarded as one of the best materials to prevent this. It has a weight and quality to it unlike brass (gold filled) and other non-precious varieties. Just make sure to buy "nickel free" silver pieces. Allergies to nickel occur in approximately 10% of the population, and nickel is the most common metal to cause an allergic reaction. Make sure to ask for nickel free sterling. 

Also purchase 925 silver pieces which consists of 0.925% pure silver. There are a couple steps you can take in ensuring that your sterling silver jewelry is the real thing. Most commonly sterling pieces (including SO PRETTY) have the 925 symbol stamped on each piece. If it doesn't have the stamp the easiest test to do is to use a magnet. Precious metals, such as silver, gold and platinum, are non-ferrous materials, meaning that they are not magnetic. Take a piece of "silver" jewelry and place it near a magnet; if it is attracted to it, then it is not sterling silver. It is stainless steel that is highly polished to look like silver. 

When looking gold or rose gold but don't have the money for a solid piece "vermeil" is a good option. To be categorized as "vermeil" fine gold or rose gold must be plated (at least 2.5 microns thick) on top of solid sterling silver. There are a lot of gold filled products on the market. This is gold plated on brass.  Make sure to ask if it is gold vermeil or gold filled. 

CARING FOR YOUR SILVER JEWELS

Many factors can influence the condition of your sterling jewelry.  To keep your silver sparkling, new and tarnish free store it in an airtight, cool, dry place away from natural sunlight and heat. Our Wanderlust Jewelry Storage Bags are perfect! Please do not store your jewelry in your bathroom. The humidity will tarnish your pieces sooner than anything else. If you don't have a jewelry box or bag you can also use a clear ziplock bag. They aren't fancy but they certainly do the trick. 

Remove jewelry before going to bed or participating in physical activity. Avoid contact with humidity, extreme heat, chlorinated water, salt water, lotions and perfumes and use your So Pretty silver polishing cloth to make your piece sparkle and shine. When traveling use the So Pretty microfibre pouch and drawer style box provided free of charge. They will prevent the pieces from scratching and will limit wear and tear on each piece. If you have one of our jewelry bags you can travel with multiple pieces with ease! 

I hope this information helps! 

Happy accessorizing, 

Cara Cotter