JEWELRY SHOPPING GUIDE

This page is your virtual helper to pick the right Eve Black Jewelry piece for you!
Those of you who met me through the years know that informing my customers is an integral part of my business. I value information over sales tactics and have spent much time explaining pearls, gemstones, and materials care to my direct customers. Plus where the best beach is and so on ;) 

Please use the information below to find the most important answers to your jewelry-related questions to improve your online shopping experience.

Which kind of metals do we use in our jewelry?

Most of our pieces are made exclusively with 14 karat Gold-filled. We do not use gold plated metals. All our chains, clasps, and wires are strictly 14 karat gold-fill. We will use a non-gold fill metal for decorative accent beads, which can not be cast in gold-fill. See below for the definition. Some pieces can be custom ordered in Sterling Silver. Please use the contact form to send an inquiry!

 

What is gold-filled?

Gold-filled (also known as rolled gold) comprises a solid brass (copper and zinc) core over which gold is mechanically bonded using heat and pressure. Gold-filled items must contain, by law, 5% or 1/20 of gold by weight. The gold used is generally 12K or 14K, although I have seen some 10K gold-filled items too. All our gold-filled findings are 14K.

 

What is the difference between gold filled and gold plate?

The difference between gold filled and gold plated items is the amount of gold used over the brass core. Gold-filled items must contain, by law, 5% or 1/20 of gold by weight. In contrast, gold plated items usually have a microscopic amount of gold. This means the gold layer on gold plated items can peel or flake quickly, exposing the brass core underneath. Because the gold layer on gold-filled items is so much thicker, it will not peel or flake and lasts for years.

 

What is Gold Vermeil?

Vermeil is a legally regulated term that refers to a certain kind of quality jewelry. To be legally called "vermeil" in the United States, the jewelry piece must meet ALL of these conditions according to the Federal Trade commission:

1. Have sterling silver as its base material. Sterling silver is an alloy made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other materials and is a standard material used in high-quality jewelry (versus, e.g., brass or copper).

2. Be plated in gold at least 10k (10 karats), which means the gold is at least 41.7% gold content.

3. Have gold plating that is at least 2.5 microns thick. A micron is 1/1000th of a millimeter.

In Canada, the requirements for labeling an item 'gold vermeil' are much lower; the plating thickness needs only to be 1.0 micron thick. US Vermeil is much higher in quality.

Vermeil pieces are made with precious materials with heavy plating to ensure long-lasting wear.

 

How is vermeil different from gold-plated?

Gold-plated jewelry refers to jewelry that has gold plating at least 0.5 microns thick. It does not require sterling silver as the base material and usually uses a less valuable material at its core. Since the plating is so thin, the gold color will wear very quickly compared to gold vermeil. Gold vermeil is superior to gold-plated jewelry and much higher in price.

 

Which kind of pearls do we use?

 

 Tahitian Cultured Pearls

Cultivated primarily around the islands of French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti). These saltwater cultured pearls sometimes referred to as black pearls, have a wide color range. They might be gray, black, or brown, and they can have blue, green, purple, or pink overtones.

They are one of the most valuable kinds of pearls on the market today.

We prefer the Silver-toned Tahitian pearls and teardrop or baroque shapes for a lighter, more organic look that works well with our colored gemstones. You can contact us if you would like to upgrade your Tahitian pearls to a larger size or different price category. 

 

Freshwater Cultured Pearls

Freshwater cultured pearls are the most commonly produced pearls, and they are one of the most popular pearl types among shoppers and jewelry designers. This is due to their remarkable range of sizes, shapes, and colors, plus their commercial availability at lower price points. They are usually cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, often with many pearls grown in one oyster. China is the leading source for freshwater cultured pearls. We use only naturally colored freshwater pearls, no dyed ones. The natural colors range from white to beige, light pinks, to gold tones.

 

Hawaiian Sunrise Shells

These amazingly beautiful shells are scarce and endemic to the Hawaiian islands, mainly Kauai and the North Shore of Oahu. They are deep water shells and rarely found on the beach, mostly in the morning after a storm. Not only that fact, but also the color range from pink to orange gives them the name "Sunrise shells." The more greenish versions are aptly called "Moonrise Shells." They are highly prized and a cherished gift of the ocean. In the Hawaiian tradition, only the nobility was allowed to own these unique treasures.

 

Abalone / Paua Shells

 We love Abalone shells! They are among the most beautiful materials in our supply stock, looking almost like opals with their rainbow-colored iridescence surface. Fascinatingly different at every angle and with no two alike, they are unique gifts of nature. Abalone Shells are referred to as " Paua " shells by the Polynesian Maori people and are traditionally in their adornments. We mix it with another treasure of the South seas, Tahitian pearls, in our " South Sea Collection."