product & materials information, care & cleaning
This is the place to find information about the materials we use and how to care for your treasures!
LEATHER & SUEDE CORD
We use various leather and suede in our jewellery creations. Below is the information about each type.
EUROPEAN LEATHER CORD
Our superior quality European Leather Cord comes from our supplier in France.
Please note:
Due to the high cost of these leathers & high international fees and charges, we are unable to stock sufficient quantities of this cord. Please note that there is currently a 3 week waiting time for the delivery of these cords - on top of production time.
If you wish to place a custom or wholesale order with items featuring this cord, please allow extra time for production. Contact us for more information.
LEATHER CORD
info coming soon
FAUX-LEATHER / FAUX-SUEDE / VEGAN CORD
info coming soon
HAND-PAINTED METAL CHARMS & PENDANTS
info coming soon
OXIDISED / PATINA METAL CHARMS & PENDANTS
We use numerous oxidisation and patination techniques on our brass & copper charms / pendants.
Whilst this beautiful effect is achieved by controlled chemical reaction, you do not need to worry about how it might affect you: when the desired effect is achieved, the chemical reaction is stopped. The metals are then neutralised & coated in the most suitable protective coating, such as epoxy resins and various sealant sprays.
ALLOY METAL CHARMS
Our alloy metal charms come from our suppliers all over Australia We spray our alloy (i.e. composite) metals with various protective sprays to make them less prone to tarnishing. This is not guarantee that these components will not tarnish.
Please note that all our jewellery will soon be sold as "hypoallergenic".
Sign up for email updates regarding these exciting news!
STAINLESS STEEL CHARMS, CHAINS, FINDINGS & EARRINGS
Stainless Steel has become extremely popular for use in jewellery-making.
This is due to a number of reasons:
1). Stainless Steel has corrosion-resistant qualities (i.e. it is resistant to elements & therefore resistant to rusting / darkening)
2). Stainless Steel is EXTREMELY strong & durable. It means that your stainless steel jewellery will last for a VERY long time!..
In the recent years, Stainless Steel has even become very popular in a production of wedding rings - outshining the once-popular (but soft) white gold and the tarnish-prone silver.
We like to think of Stainless Steel as "the Platinum of the Alloy Metals"!.. :)
This extreme durability does mean that the jewellery made from Stainless Steel is less prone to bending and is less pliable. Please consider this when purchasing bracelets.
3). Stainless Steel is generally considered to be "hypoallergenic" (i.e. "least likely to cause allergic reaction").
There are various grades of Stainless Steel. Here are some types we use in our jewellery:
304 Stainless Steel: this grade of SS often used for food equipment, where cleaning for the removal of bacteria is essential. This
316L Stainless Steel: aka "surgical grade" steel. It is guaranteed to not cause any allergic reaction.
All the wonderful properties of Stainless Steel listed above are reflected in its production costs and - therefore - the cost of using it in the creation of our jewellery.
All our stainless steel jewellery components come from our Australian suppliers.
925 SILVER EARRING HOOKS
We use 925 silver hooks in some of our earring designs. The 925 silver hooks are very delicate, bendy and pliable. If they get out of shape, do not be afraid to gently bend them back into shape.
HYPOALLERGENIC EARRING HOOKS & HOOPS
Unless otherwise stated, all our earring hooks & hoops are hypoallergenic - regardless of the type of metal.
To be considered "hypoallergenic", the metals must be coated in a variety of protective finishes or coatings. The type of hypoallergenic finish depends on the type of the metal.
Whilst "Hypoallergenic" means "least prone to cause an allergic reaction", it is not a 100% guarantee that they will not.
METAL "FINDINGS"
We use high quality metal "findings" (i.e. connecting jewellery parts) in our jewellery.
All our metals are nickel and led-free.
The findings we use are made from various metals, including:
- Stainless steel 304
- Stainless Steel 316L
- Copper
- Brass
- Other alloy (i.e. "composite") metals
You will also see listing mentioning these terms, which are connected to the the "hypoallergenic" qualities of the materials used in our findings:
- "Electroplated"
- "Rhodium-plated"
- "24K Gold-plated"
- "Silver-plated"
Hypoallergenic qualities:
(Jump to "Stainless Steel" section above to find out information regarding its hypoallergenic qualities).
From the materials we use, Copper, Silver, Stainless Steel, Rhodium & Gold are considered to be "Hypoallergenic" metals (i.e. "least prone to cause an allergic reaction").
Consider this if you have a severe allergy to metals:
With the exception of the listings that state to be made of "SURGICAL GRADE" steel, we cannot guarantee 100% that they will not...
However, do not despair just yet!.. Because...
Other metals CAN be hypoallergenic!
When "electroplated", or plated in "hypoallergenic metals" such as the ones listed above, other metals are considered to be "hypoallergenic"!
Non-hypoallergenic metals can ALSO become "hypoallergenic" when coated in resin & ProtectaClear sealant.
(more info on ProtectaClear is coming here soon - don't forget to sign up to our newsletter to be notified!)
DISCLAIMER: At this stage (unless otherwise stated on the item listing), we cannot guarantee that every single component used in our jewellery is "hypoallergenic".
If you are concerned about this, please contact us via email as we are able to offer a custom service to coat ALL the components in the ProtectaClear hypoallergenic coating.
Tarnishing:
We spray our alloy (i.e. composite) metals with various protective sprays to make them less prone to tarnishing. This is not guarantee that these components will not tarnish.
NEWS: ALL our jewellery will SOON be sold as "hypoallergenic"!!
Sign up for email updates regarding these exciting news!
CARE ADVICE FOR ALL METALS
CLEANING ADVICE FOR ALL METALS
We spray all our metals with various protective sprays to make them less prone to tarnishing. This is not guarantee that these components will not tarnish.
If you follow our jewellery care advice, your jewellery will last longer and will be less prone to tarnishing (darkening / loosing its sheen).
However, as everyday external moisture is not under anyone's control, there is always a chance that metal will tarnish - including silver.
If it happens, do not stress! Use a lint-free microfibre cloth (designed to clean sunglasses, glasses & jewellery) to gently wipe your jewellery.
NEVER use any abrasive liquids to clean your jewellery as they WILL damage the components.