LA TARIFA MATERIALS & INFORMATION
At La Tarifa, we work with a variety of materials and finishes, from 925 sterling silver and gold vermeil to stainless steel, gold plated brass and natural gemstones. Below you'll find more information about the materials and finishes used throughout our collection.
Brass
Brass is an alloy made primarily from copper and zinc. It is strong, easy to work with and naturally has a warm, golden tone, making it a popular material for jewelry and jewelry-making components.
Brass may tarnish or oxidize over time. How quickly this happens depends on factors such as moisture, skin contact, cosmetics and how the jewelry is worn and stored.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a strong and durable material commonly used for jewelry. It has an attractive shine, is relatively lightweight and requires little maintenance.
Stainless steel is highly resistant to rust and tarnishing, although it is not completely unaffected under all conditions. Chlorine, chemicals and prolonged exposure to salt water may affect the material or any coating applied to it.
Please note that stainless steel is not automatically the same as surgical steel. When a product is specifically made from surgical steel, this will be stated in the product description.
925 Sterling Silver
Sterling silver consists of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. This is why sterling silver is commonly marked 925.
Pure silver is relatively soft. Combining it with another metal makes it stronger and more suitable for creating jewelry.
Sterling silver can naturally tarnish when exposed to air, moisture and skin. This is a normal process and the silver can usually be polished to restore its shine.
Gold Plated & Silver Plated
Gold plated and silver plated jewelry has a thin layer of gold or silver applied over another base metal, usually through an electroplating process.
The thickness and quality of the plating can vary between products. Wear, friction, moisture, perfume, cosmetics and skin contact can gradually cause the plated layer to fade or wear away.
To keep plated jewelry looking beautiful for as long as possible, we recommend avoiding contact with water, perfume, creams and cleaning products.
Rhodium Plated
Rhodium is a precious metal from the platinum group with a bright, silvery-white appearance. Rhodium plating is applied as a thin protective layer over another metal.
Rhodium itself is hard and resistant to tarnishing, although the plated layer can gradually wear with regular use and friction. How quickly this happens depends on the piece and how often it is worn.
Gold Vermeil
Gold vermeil is sterling silver covered with a layer of gold. Depending on the country, specific requirements apply to the thickness and purity of the gold layer for an item to be described as vermeil.
The main difference between gold vermeil and many regular gold plated pieces is the base metal: with gold vermeil, the base is sterling silver.
The gold layer can still gradually wear over time. To keep your vermeil jewelry looking beautiful, avoid unnecessary contact with water, perfume, creams and cleaning products.
Gold Filled
Gold filled consists of a relatively thick layer of gold that is permanently bonded to a base metal using heat and pressure. It is therefore different from standard gold plating.
For products made according to the US gold-filled standard, the gold layer typically accounts for at least 1/20 of the total weight of the metal material. Gold filled therefore contains considerably more gold than regular gold plated jewelry and is generally more resistant to wear under normal use.
Gold filled jewelry still benefits from proper care. Avoid harsh chemicals and store your jewelry in a dry place when you're not wearing it.
Gemstones, Minerals & Crystals
Gemstones are natural materials formed within the earth and may consist of one or more minerals. Differences in chemical composition and crystal structure create the wide variety of colors, patterns and characteristics found in natural stones.
Quartz, for example, is a mineral with several varieties, including rock crystal, amethyst and rose quartz. Small variations and inclusions are normal in natural stones and make every bead or stone unique.
The hardness of minerals is often measured using the Mohs scale, which ranges from 1 to 10. Diamond, for example, has a hardness of 10, while quartz has a hardness of 7. Hardness is only one of several characteristics used to describe minerals and gemstones.
The term “semi-precious stone” was traditionally used to distinguish certain stones from gemstones such as diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald. Today, this distinction is used less frequently, and at La Tarifa we simply refer to them as gemstones.
A crystal refers to an ordered structure in which atoms or molecules are arranged. Some crystal structures are clearly visible, while others can only be observed under magnification.
Because gemstones are natural materials, variations in color, pattern, transparency and shape are completely normal. These natural differences are part of what makes every stone unique.
