Jewelry Care and Material Info

The lowdown on the ingredients of Zalias Jewelry 

All Zalias Jewelry is made of one or more of the materials catalogued below. If you're not sure what's in your specific piece of jewelry, you can always refer to the product listing.

Gold Fill:

This is a beautiful metal, made by bonding gold to a brass core. Fifty times thicker than gold plating, it wears much better, yet is still more affordable than solid gold. Gold Fill is used in most of my chains, all ear-wires, and in many designs I offer. It shouldn't tarnish or need any upkeep, it wears beautifully.

Sterling Silver:

Sterling silver is used for some post earrings, necklace chains, and threader chain earrings. When sterling is used in a design, it's often oxidized it to get it a nice black color. This may rub off over time. If you ever need things re-oxidized please contact us!

Brass: 

I love brass because it's a tough, strong metal, and it's affordable. It has a tendency to darken, and tarnish over time. I find that the more you wear and love on your brass pieces, the more bright and shiny it stays (getting buffed as it comes into contact with your daily lifestyle). To brighten your brass we recommend using a jewelry polishing cloth, or rubbing with a fine grade steel wool. 

Bronze:

Any cast pieces are made with bronze, a beautiful metal that is pure, comes from the earth, and looks like gold. Like brass it does tarnish, but again, the more you wear it, the shinier it stays. Rings can occasionally turn your skin green underneath. You can coat the inside of a ring with clear nail polish to solve this issue. To bring it back to its' original shine use a polishing cloth or fine grade steel wool. 

Steel:

The most mysterious metal I use! I love it so much for being strong, tough, resilient, and for staying that dark moody slate color. While it isn't often used in jewelry, it works great because it has no nickel, or any other alloy that would irritate you. It comes from the earth and I've found it great for sensitive skin. Not only that but it's a very eco-friendly choice. Much of the steel I use is sourced from second hand building supply stores, making it that much more of a lower footprint on the environment. 

The most important thing to know about your steel jewelry is that it will rust if exposed to water. It's very important to store in a dry place. Don't keep it in your bathroom. Remove before showering or swimming. If it does get wet, immediately dry. If you follow these simple rules, it will last you a lifetime. If your piece does rust, let us know, and perhaps we can fix it for you!

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