What your jewelry is made of
Every product page names the exact material. There are four families:
Gold-plated steel: 18K gold plating over a stainless- or titanium-steel core. Steel is nickel-free and corrosion-resistant, which is why these pieces survive water, sweat and daily wear without turning your skin green. There is no brass or copper underneath, and these are the pieces covered by our 100-day guarantee.
Sterling silver: solid S925 sterling silver — 92.5% pure silver, the standard for fine silver jewelry. Silver oxidises naturally, so it is not covered by the 100-day guarantee.
Plated brass, alloy and copper: some pieces are gold-plated over brass, alloy or copper rather than steel. These metals are heavier and warmer in tone, and they are what makes certain shapes possible at this price — but they are living metals. The plating thins with daily wear and the base metal beneath darkens. Keep them dry, wear them as occasion pieces, and they last far longer. They are marked on the product page and are not covered by the 100-day guarantee.
Stones and shell: brilliant-cut cubic zirconia unless the product page says otherwise. We also use natural freshwater pearl, mother-of-pearl, tiger's eye and coloured enamel — the natural materials vary slightly from piece to piece. A small number of earrings use man-made imitation pearl, and those pages say so in plain words. We do not sell mined diamonds and we never describe our stones as diamonds.
How to look after it
Gold-plated steel
- Water is fine — shower, swim, sweat. Rinse with fresh water after chlorine or salt water.
- Dry with a soft cloth. Never use an abrasive cleaner.
- Perfume, hairspray and lotion go on before your jewelry, not after.
Sterling silver
- Keep it out of pools and the sea, and take it off before the shower.
- Store it dry and away from open air.
- Sterling darkens slowly with air and skin contact — a soft polishing cloth brings the shine straight back. This is normal for silver and is not a fault.
Brass, alloy and copper
- Keep them dry. Take them off before showering, swimming and washing up.
- Store them dry between wears and polish with a dry cloth.
- The patina that develops over time is the metal ageing, not a defect.
Pearl and shell
- Put them on last and take them off first — perfume, hairspray and cleaning products dull the surface.
- Wipe with a soft damp cloth, never soak.
Sensitive skin
Our stainless and titanium steel contains no nickel in a form that leaches onto skin, and sterling silver suits most people who react to costume jewelry. The brass, alloy and copper pieces are the exception — if you react to costume jewelry, choose steel or silver. If you have a known metal allergy, patch-test as you would with any new jewelry.