MATERIALS
All of Betina Roza Jewelry is made with
Sterling silver, 14K gold fill, Solid brass, or a combination.
But what do those terms even mean?
What is Gold Filled?
Many people wonder this and you are not alone.
Here’s the scoop.
Gold-filled is composed of a solid layer of gold (typically 14K gold) mechanically bonded to a base of either sterling silver or some other base metal, frequently brass.
Heat and pressure are used to bond the gold to the surface of the base metal, and it is defined as having 5% gold by weight.
This is a very different process than gold plating or gold dipped, which is when a minuscule layer of solid gold is applied to a brass base, typically making up less than .05% of the total weight.
In other words, Gold filled is 100 times thicker than plating.
Most gold plating will wear off rather quickly and expose the brass base product. It does not stand up to heat, water or wear over time.
Betina Roza gold-filled designs are 14KT yellow gold-filled or 14KT rose gold filled. 14k gold-filled products are identified as 14/20 gold-filled or 14KT gold-filled.
What is Sterling silver?
Sterling silver, is mostly (92.5%) pure silver with a tiny amount of copper (7.5%). Pure silver, also called fine silver, is rather soft, very malleable, and easily damaged, so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver.
The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal's value. The majority of silver jewelry you see is made with sterling.
One of the coolest things about sterling silver is that you can always melt it down and turn it into something else. If you are into that kinda thing ;)
Silver does tarnish over time, due to a natural reaction to air and moisture. but can easily be cleaned with a silver polishing cloth. Start first with warm water and mild soap, that is often all that is needed.
What is Brass?
Brass is an alloy (mix) of copper and zinc.
Because of the copper content of brass, it can react with your skin and turn it green (sorry, but it's true!) The good news is that it's harmless and will easily wash off with soap and water. You can also use a jewelry shield coating to prevent this, or just remove your brass jewelry when you are doing any kind of sweaty activities.
Another unfortunate truth about brass is that it will tarnish eventually. No matter what they tell you, no matter how it is coated or waxed or whatever protection spell is placed upon it: it will tarnish.
But again, the good news is that it's relatively easy to clean.
