How to Care for Your Fine Gold Jewelry
Understanding What You're Wearing
Our jewelry is made of brass and coated with a thin layer of 24k fine gold through a gilding process. This technique gives the jewelry the warm luster and deep hue of gold at a price well below that of solid gold—but the gold layer, which is thinner than that found on a 3-micron gold-plated piece, deserves special attention.
This isn't a weakness to hide: it's the compromise that makes our creations accessible, and it's easy to manage with a few simple habits.
The Three Enemies of Gilding
Water and moisture. Prolonged contact gradually dulls the luster of fine gold. Remove your jewelry before showering, swimming in a pool or the ocean, or engaging in any physical activity that causes you to sweat.
Cosmetics. Perfumes, creams, hairsprays, and makeup products contain chemicals that cause the gold plating to wear away more quickly. The simple rule: put on your jewelry last, after you’ve gotten dressed and put on perfume, and take it off first at night.
Repeated friction. Wearing jewelry every day causes it to wear out faster than occasional wear—this is true of all gold jewelry, regardless of the brand. A ring that’s never taken off—not even for doing the dishes or cleaning—wears out faster than one reserved for special occasions.
How to Clean Gold Jewelry
All it takes is a simple interview:
Gently wipe the jewelry with a soft, dry cloth after each time you wear it—that's the most effective and simplest way to care for it.
If necessary, use a slightly damp cloth—never a wet one—and dry it immediately afterward.
Avoid all chemicals: no baking soda, no toothpaste, no commercial jewelry cleaner—these methods, which are sometimes recommended for sterling silver, damage the fine gold plating.
For semi-precious stones (rose quartz, lapis lazuli, malachite, magnesite, tourmaline, coral), use only a dry cloth—water and cleaning products can cause some porous stones to lose their luster.
For freshwater pearls, wipe them down with a soft cloth after each time you wear them—the mother-of-pearl is just as sensitive to damage as the gold plating.
How to Store Your Jewelry
Organization is just as important as cleaning:
Store them separately, in individual pouches or jewelry boxes—jewelry that rubs against other pieces wears out faster, especially openwork pieces and those with raised designs.
Keep away from moisture; never store in a bathroom.
Keep away from direct light, which can cause it to tarnish more quickly.
What to Remove, and When
What if the gold plating fades anyway?
This is a natural phenomenon that occurs on all gold coins and only becomes apparent after extensive and prolonged wear.
Why It's Worth the Effort
each piece of jewellery Volgara begins with a " brass stamping "—a design stamped onto a hand-engraved steel die—using a French process that has remained unchanged for nearly two centuries. It is these delicate reliefs—the veins of a dragonfly’s wing, the scales of a snake—that give our pieces their character and make them worth cherishing.
Discover the story of our brass stampings →
Can you wear this jewelry every day? Yes , as long as you follow the precautions listed above—many of our customers have been wearing their favorite pieces every day for years.
Does the gold plating contain nickel? No , all of our jewelry is guaranteed to be nickel- and lead-free.
Have another question? Check out our FAQ or contact us.