Below you will find information about the most commonly used materials in the manufacture of our jewelry.
We always state, as much as possible and if known, which materials are involved. When purchasing, we pay attention to the right quality and ensure nickel-free material. The quality of sterling 925 silver, gold and the authenticity of Swarovski Elements is of course guaranteed.
What is Rhodium and why is its use in jewelry so popular?
Rhodium is a hard, silver-white metal that is very similar to other precious metals such as platinum. During rhodium, a layer of rhodium is applied to the precious metal. Because Rhodium is very hard (it is almost as hard as Chrome), do not or hardly damage the jewelry, which considerably extends its life. Rhodinated silver is stronger, does not oxidize, is not sensitive to atmospheric influences, becomes dull less quickly and therefore retains its shine and elegance for longer.
Swarovski Crystal
Swarovski Elements is the famous brand of the finest glass crystals manufactured by Swarovski. Daniel Swarovski once made this glass and it soon became available in all kinds used ornamental objects. International designers often collaborate with Swarovski to create the most beautiful creations. The elements consist of various shapes and a large number of colors so that you can embellish any piece of jewelry. A piece of jewelry with Swarovski has a beautiful appearance.
Goldfilled gold or rose gold
Goldfilled means that a layer of 14k or 24k gold is mechanically bonded to a base material (usually copper) until there is a certain thickness of the gold has been reached. This gold layer must be at least 1 / 20th of the total weight. However, the gold layer is many times thicker than with gold-plated materials. Goldfilled materials stay beautiful on gold color, it is not called `a lifetime Jewelry` for nothing, the gold layer will remain there for a long time. This provides a beautiful and affordable quality that is well tolerated by people who are allergic to metals other than gold.
Goldfilled is therefore more expensive than gold-plated or gold-plated materials because it contains more gold. When a piece of jewelry is gold filled, you really have something more valuable in your possession. With goldfilled, twice as much gold is used as with gold plated, and the gold used is also of much better quality. For example, they last a relatively long time, about ten to thirty years.
Vermeil gold
The term Vermeil is used for gold-colored jewelry coated, as with the term gold-plated or gilded. But this gilding is on a base of Sterling Silver (so Gold on Silver) jewelry has a base of real Silver, over the silver a very thin layer of gold is poured / sprayed. An advantage of this is that vermeil jewelry, should the gold layer fade over time, the basic real silver is always retained. This layer is indicated in microns. The higher the micron, the thicker the layer, the higher the price.
Rhinestone
Strass or rhinestone is a diamond-like material based on glass. The rhinestone production process was developed by Georg Friedrich Strass (1701-1773), after whomever the material is named. The process that Strass discovered creates a glass with a different reflection of the light. The reflection approaches the reflection of the diamond crystal, making rhinestones sparkle much more than cut glass.
Sterling silver 925
This belongs to the group of precious metals. 925 silver or sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. The second metal is always added to avoid the bad properties of pure silver. Pure silver is a soft and flexible material. As a result, jewelry made of pure silver is prone to scratches and breaks quickly. The copper in 925 silver provides reinforcement and makes the jewelry more resistant to damage. Sterling silver is therefore a high-quality material.
A piece of jewelry of this silver content is provided with a 925 stamp, which guarantees quality at home. The ratio of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal is defined in the 1986 Warranty Act to protect consumers against fraud. There are also “lower” alloys such as 835 and 800, the second resp. third content of silver. However, these are not used or sold by us, but a lot in Belgium and England, for example.
Silver plated
The term “silver plated” applies to some parts. This means that the object is not made of silver, but is silver-plated with a very thin layer of silver. A layer of silver is applied to a ground metal, usually copper. With “silver-plated” the layer is very thin and applied by means of galvanization. With “silver-filled” the silver layer is thicker by dipping in a silver bath, a standard applies for the silver content. Silver-filled and silver-plated are a cheaper alternative to pure silver and it gives a stronger product.
Stainless steel or stainless steel
Stainless steel means stainless steel. It is a sturdy and hard metal and is increasingly being used in jewelry. The big advantage is that stainless steel is not only very hard and sturdy, but also does not discolour. The metal is therefore very durable. Stainless steel is gold plated or silver plated in jewelry. This layer can wear off over time. But the steel remains silver-colored gray. So not like metal black or green. The big advantage of stainless steel is that it is anti-allergic and therefore everyone can wear it.
Miyuki Delica’s / Rocallies
Miyuki is Japan’s oldest bead manufacturer. Their Delica Beads, also called cylinder beads, are world famous for their high quality. Miyuki beads are distinguished by their superior quality, uniformity in dimensions and a large number of beautiful colors. The gold and silver beads are of plated quality or galvanized and therefore have a real gold or silver layer. The Miyuki beads have a beautiful shine.
Natural stones or gemstones
Natural stones such as Amazonite, Jasper, Amethyst, Agate and Opal are only found to a limited extent. In general, the rarer, the more expensive. They are also called semi-precious stones, but actually this name is not the correct one for these stones. Since 1967, this name has actually not been used officially anymore. Popularly still. All stones in this category fall under the gem. The price is usually determined by the color, shape, beauty, durability and rarity. This partly determines the price of the jewelry in which they are processed.
Faceted glass beads
These are made of crystal glass. The glass is cut into facets, like crystal. Facet is a flat ground surface. A facet bead breaks and reflects light the same way as a prism. Many of these beads have a special coating such as AB. This stands for Aurora Borealis the Northern Lights. This coating is applied to the bead by heat and is usually only on part of the bead. We use the glass faceted beads AB and the Czech faceted bead of high AA quality.
Pearls
Anaisa jewelry mainly uses freshwater pearls. The natural saltwater pearls, which are also called ‘real pearls’, are extremely rare and therefore precious. The freshwater pearls are of beautiful quality and are cultured pearls grown in freshwater. Freshwater pearls are formed in mussels (instead of oysters), which are grown in lakes. In general, freshwater pearls are much more affordable than their salty sisters. This is on the one hand because the breeding method is considerably cheaper, on the other hand because an oyster can produce no more than 2 pearls during the harvest period.
The mussel can produce up to 20 – 60 pearls in the same period! There is also a difference in composition. Freshwater pearls consist entirely of mother-of-pearl, while their salty brothers consist of a round lime sphere surrounded by a layer of mother-of-pearl, which is often no thicker than half a millimeter.
Any questions? Do not hesitate to contact us!
