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Home / Jewelry Care

Jewelry Care

Meredith Nicole Collection Care + About

ABOUT

Our Meredith Nicole Collection is full of jewelry pieces ranging from colorfully hand-painted earrings to minimal everyday wear necklaces + bracelets.  Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish by our team with love and a design that is meant to give you a beautiful feel when worn. with proper care our pieces were made to last a lifetime. 


CRAFTSMANSHIP

We offer a few styles of jewelry in our Meredith Nicole Collection. Each style has its own level of care to consider when worn. These materials we use are 14K Gold Filled, Sterling Silver, Wood + Gemstones.


TIMELESS QUALITY

With proper care, your Charlie & Crew pieces can last for a lifetime. We use quality materials to craft our jewelry including 14K Gold Fill and Sterling Silver.



Below are some tips to keep in mind when caring for your jewelry pieces.

14K Gold Filled Jewelry:

What is Gold Filled?

Gold filled is a layer of gold pressure bonded to a base metal, usually  jewelers' brass. It has become a popular alternative to using solid gold due to it being more durable, more affordable and more versatile for different lifestyles + activities. 


Is Gold Filled like Gold Plated?

No. Gold Filled is not the same as Gold Plated. Gold filled contains a substantial layer of 14kt gold, rather than a microscopic layer of gold plating (or gold dipped). Gold filled is required, by law, to have at least 5% or 1/20 of gold by its weight. Because of this, gold filled is worth more + maintains its value better than gold plated (or gold dipped), which has a minimal amount of gold.  

Does Gold Filled jewelry chip or tarnish?

Unlike Gold Plated, the process of pressure bonding makes Gold Filled jewelry tarnish and chip resistant.  This is why you will find gold-filled jewelry is about double the price of gold-plated jewelry. When properly cared for and maintained, A gold-filled finish will not flake off or chip and is technically tarnish resistant.

It is highly unlikely for your gold-filled jewelry to tarnish. Though it does depend upon a lot of factors, especially about the care and cleaning you give your jewelry. If they are exposed to chemicals from your makeup, sweat or perfumes every day, there is a greater chance that the life of your gold-filled jewelry will deteriorate. Your pieces won’t immediately tarnish but they will start losing their luster quicker than you may expect. We supply a jewelry care card with tips on how to care for your jewelry with your order.


STERLING SILVER:

What is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver is considered a precious metal and loved by many. Sterling silver is a 92.5% pure silver with in most circumstances a copper as the remaining metal.  Even though sterling silver is known to be stronger than solid silver, it is softer than gold filled metal. With this comes the risk of being more prone to scratching if not treated with proper care.

Does Sterling Silver chip or tarnish?

Sterling Silver does not chip but it can tarnish. Sterling silver tarnishes naturally over time. Let us explain.  This occurs with even the most expensive of sterling silver. Any tarnishing will be caused by a chemical reaction between the sterling silver metal and exposure to air and any chemicals that come in contact with it. Your natural skin oils and body chemistry may actually help to preserve the sterling silver and help prevent tarnishing, which is why we recommend that you wear it frequently. Although rare, some body chemistries can react with sterling silver and cause tarnishing as well. Pregnancy, thyroid disorders, hormone levels, medications and more can affect body alkalinity versus acidity, and may cause a reaction with your jewelry. This is rare but can happen and is based on individual cases. Proper cleaning and care can decrease the chance of tarnishing your Sterling Silver jewelry.

Jewelry Care + Tips:

Please follow these best practices to ensure a long + beautiful life for your piece:

  • Moisture + sun exposure can cause tarnishing. Remove your jewelry during activities such as exercising, gardening, hiking, swimming, household chores, sunbathing, bathing,  etc.
  • Remove your jewelry when using products/chemicals: shampoos, lotions, perfume, makeup, hairspray, etc. Items that contain sulfur should be avoided whenever possible as well.
  • Avoid excess exposure to chlorine, pools, hot tubs or spas.
  • Taking extra care with  perspiration, salt, chlorine, perfume, lotions, and makeup as they can damage fine jewelry. Jewelry like  bracelets, which are tight against the skin, are prone to more contact and may need to be cleaned more frequently.
  • Avoid abrasive materials such as terry cloth, bath towels or your shirt to polish your jewelry. Tissues and paper towels are micro-abrasive and should not be used to clean jewelry..
  • It is best to store your jewelry in a dry spot away from sun + direct air exposure (ziplock bag  for example). Always clean your piece before storing it. 

To Clean your jewelry safely:

    For our 14KGF and Sterling Silver necklaces & bracelets:

    • Use the provided anti tarnish polish cloth to clean your piece.
    • You can use a generic micro fiber cloth or lens cloth to remove any oxidation or tarnish marks. Gently rub across the surface until the shine has been restored. 
    •  Occasionally, remove skin oils by rinsing with warm water and buffing with a soft cloth or microfiber fabric.
    •  Regularly clean your jewelry using a mild soap. Pat dry, Do not rub dry.  When cleaning your piece, start by using mild soap and water and gently clean the piece with your fingers. Make sure your piece is completely dried when finished cleaning to avoid oxidation.