JEWELRY CARE

 

We note the metal quality of each piece on all product pages. Please refer to the product you purchased to ensure the quality of your jewelry. See the diagram below for a visual of how each material differs.

All of our pieces are nickel- and lead-free.

Tarnishing and color change does not constitute a repair.

Necklaces and bracelets may have a circular brand tag on the end. The tag serves a few purposes - First, it is there as a little “hello” from Mod+Jo! Second, it may be functional, helping to create a stopper so that any pendants on your jewelry don’t fall off when taking it on or off. Just FYI, this element is gold plated, regardless of the product it’s hanging out on. 

 

GOLD PLATED JEWELRY

Gold plated jewelry is made of a thin layer of gold electroplated over brass. We choose materials with the thickest plating wherever possible. Regardless, these pieces need to be cared for to live their best lives. Do not wear your gold plated jewelry in water. Avoid contact with lotions, perfumes, oils, and sweat. These chemicals can dull your pieces and reduce their shine.  

We recommend your jewelry be the last thing you put on when heading out. After removing your jewelry, run a clean dry cloth over each piece to remove the day. Do not use polish or soap on these pieces, as these chemicals can easily strip the gold. If you have a known allergy to brass, please be aware when purchasing gold plated jewelry.

 

GOLD VERMEIL JEWELRY

Gold vermeil jewelry is made of a thick layer of gold (2.5 microns) electroplated over sterling (.925) silver. Regardless, these pieces need to be cared for to live their best lives. Do not wear your gold vermeil jewelry in water. Avoid contact with lotions, perfumes, oils, and sweat. These chemicals can dull your pieces and reduce their shine or cause the gold to wear away, changing the color of your jewelry to more silver than gold.

We recommend your jewelry be the last thing you put on when heading out. After removing your jewelry, run a clean dry cloth over each piece to remove the day. Do not use polish or soap on gold vermeil jewelry, as these chemicals can easily strip the gold. If you have a known allergy to silver, please be aware when purchasing vermeil jewelry.

 

14K GOLD FILLED JEWELRY

Gold fill is second only to solid gold in terms of quality and is the best affordable option when it comes to durability and longevity.

Our gold filled jewelry is created with an outer layer of entirely 14k gold that is pressure-bonded to the brass base metal and contains at least 5% gold by weight.  This technique is more durable than plating and vermeil and provides a longer life span for your pieces when provided with the right care. Gold fill is safe for most sensitive skin types. Please be cautious if you have an allergy to brass as our gold filled jewelry still contains this metal and your skin may have a reaction.

Gold filled jewelry often requires very low maintenance. Gold fill pieces are more durable than plating or vermeil but will still need some TLC over time. You can clean your items with a wet cloth, gentle toothbrush, and ordinary soap. Do not use rough-surfaced cleaning pads such as Scotch Brite. 

Though our gold filled pieces are durable, we still do not recommend them coming in direct contact with lotions, oils, perfumes, or ocean/pool water. This can dull your pieces and reduce their shine. We recommend your jewelry be the last thing you put on when heading out. After removing your jewelry, run a clean dry cloth over each piece to remove the day.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

The pH of your skin may react to metal jewelry. Not getting enough water? In a humid environment?  Put a little extra lotion on? Even high-quality metal jewelry can sometimes leave a green tint when the metals react with the acidity of your skin. It can also be caused by other substances on your skin, such as lotion, oils, or perfumes. Luckily, this tint is completely harmless. An easy way to remove this is to apply rubbing alcohol or makeup remover to a cotton pad and gently wipe down the affected area on your skin.

If you have a known allergy to brass, please be aware when purchasing our gold-plated and gold-filled jewelry. While gold fill has an outer layer of 5-10% 14k gold over brass, it still contains brass as a base metal and skin highly sensitive to brass may be affected. For these customers, we recommend gold vermeil or solid gold jewelry. All of our pieces are nickel- and lead-free. 

Gold jewelry may vary slightly in color. This is because, unless it is 24k (meaning 100% gold), it’s a mixture of gold and other metals (called gold alloy). 24k solid gold is quite soft and can easily dent and scratch, making it less durable for everyday use. 14k gold is 14/24 or about 58% gold, and about 42% other metals - this is the most common gold selection due to its durability. The particular mixture of metals gives gold alloy its own particular hue and tone and can vary slightly.

Further questions? Feel free to reach out.