Frequently Asked Questions...
Which Finish Should I Choose for my jewelry?
925 Sterling Silver
If you like natural real silver, then this is the choice for you. We are in the process to also create Sterling Silver pieces with 22K Gold Accents for a "two tone" look, so your jewelry does compliment your existing gold or silver jewelry pieces. So check back often for what is new! Please note that natural Sterling Silver does tarnish over time and needs to be cleaned once in a while with a regular jeweler's polishing cloth, which takes only a couple of minutes, if done on a regular basis.
Vermeil ( 24K Gold over Sterling Silver )
We add an extra heavy coat of Pure 24K Gold over 925 Sterling Silver. Our coating is heavier than commonly done, so it will last a very long time. If at any time the Vermeil finish on your jewelry accidentially gets damaged, we offer a lifetime re-coating service at a minimal cost. We want you to enjoy your jewerly for a lifetime, so we will be happy to help. Vermeil Jewelry will not tarnish.
Like it Natural? - Natural Fine Jewelers Bronze or Jeweler's Grade Copper .
Some of our jewelry items we may also create in natural fine Jewelers' Bronze or Copper. We protect our natural bronze and copper pieces with a special invisible coating that will keep it from tarnishing. This finish is so durable, you can even wear you jewelry in the ocean or in the pool, and it is non alergenic.
Solid 14K Gold - custom order only
Solid 18K Gold - custom order only
Why is Fine Bronze & Copper Jewelry special?
Bronze and Copper, used as far back as 6000 BC, delivered strength and durability and commanded a high price. Every day, bronze and copper artifacts are unearthed, still in excellent condition, still rich in color, full of history and representing an incredible combination of skill and art.
The archeological period where bronze was the hardest metal in widespread use is known as the Bronze Age. In the ancient Near East this began with the rise of Sumer in the 4th millennium BC, with India and China starting to use bronze around the same time; everywhere it gradually spread across regions. The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age starting from about 1300 BC and reaching most of Eurasia by about 500 BC, though bronze continued to be much more widely used than it is in modern times.
The discovery of bronze enabled people to create metal objects which were harder and more durable than previously possible. Bronze tools, weapons, armor, and building materials such as decorative tiles were harder and more durable than their stone and copper ("Chalcolithic") predecessors.
In many parts of the world, large hoards of bronze artifacts are found, suggesting that bronze also represented a store of value and an indicator of social status. In Europe, large hoards of bronze tools, typically socketed axes, are found, which mostly show no signs of wear. With Chinese ritual bronzes, which are documented in the inscriptions they carry and from other sources, the case is very clear. These were made for elite burials, and also used by the living for ritual offerings.
Bronze was still used during the Iron Age, and has continued in use for many purposes to the modern day. Among other advantages, it does not rust.
Bronze as wearable art?
Bronze is harder than silver or gold, so it is actually more time consuming to produce wearable art from Fine Jewler's Bronze. The value of the pieces creates is derived from the time that it takes to make them, which is a larger portion of the sales price than the cost of the actual raw material metal value, as with fine solid gold jewelry. You could compare this with a painting, whereas the value of the painting is not in relation to the cost of the canvas and the paints used but based on the finished piece of artwork and its value as such. If our creations would be made of solid gold they would not be as affordable as they are, as gold is at nowadays at a record high, and would cost you about 20 - 30 times as much.
How do I take care of my "Natural" Bronze or Copper Jewelry
With the proper care your Bronze and Copper Jewelry will give you a lifetime of enjoyment. Bronze is a natural material that will tarnish over time. You can prevent / prolong tarnishing by keeping your piece of wearable art in a anti-tarnish bag or small Ziploc bag with an anti-tarnish square added, both provided with your initial purchase.
We choose to not lacquer any of our jewelry pieces as we do not feel it is appropriate and takes away the natural metal feel of the Bronze and Copper, and any applied lacquer could peel off over time. Therefore we believe in 100% natural Bronze and Copper to be our choice of finish.
HOW TO CLEAN :
Remove your bronze wearable art from any chain. Use a fine brush ( like an old toothbrush ) and Bronze Cleaner like BRASSO or BLITZ for Bronze or Copper . Put a little dab of the cleaner on your jewelry piece, brush lightly for about 1 minute and rinse off with cool water. Voila, your piece will be nice an shiny again. You can do the same with any chain. On a light chain we recommend to wrap it around a wooden dowl, or another round object, as not to pull on the chain for cleaning so it does not get damaged accidentaly.
Should your jewelry piece become very tarnished and you do not want to clean it yourself, you can always just send it in to us ( USPS Priority mail w/ tracking), and we will be happy to re-polish it for you for a minimal labor charge. If you piece becomes damaged or scratched due to some kind of unfortunate accident, we can always refinish it for you, too. We always will be happy to help, as long as you own your Varez Wearable Art, so it becomes a piece you cherish for life.
