Overpriced Bangles - InStyle

18k Gold bangle on Blue Nile

Mwah ha ha…! I happened upon this yesterday on BlueNile, its the same size as the Vermeil ones featured in InStyle, and its Solid Gold. For $420.

I highlight this, not to bash InStyle, who pick great jewelry, but to highlight that if it sounds too expensive, it probably is.

Tarnished Earring (evil)

Someone I love very much, and who has excellent taste in jewelry bought me some gold earrings for my birthday.

And about three days later, they started turning darker. I gently shined them, but soon they developed these green spots. That is tarnish. Really bad tarnish. Evil tarnish, in fact.

So here’s the big question… how do you avoid evil?

You quiz your jeweler:

- Whats it made of? All of it? (Even if it looks like gold, that necklace or some of the components could be brass, which will tarnish and turn your skin green

- Is it Vermeil or Gold-filled? Gold-filled tarishes faster

- What karat is the plating? Higher karat plating is purer gold, so has fewer tarnish-prone metals in it. Higher karat gold is also more…gold-looking, so if the plating is kind of brown or dull, its not high-karat.

Plated in 22k gold (Good!)

[Shameless pitch, sort of...]

I was inspired to write about Good and evil this morning because of these earrings, which we just got in on LittlePretty. The designer, Victoria and I were discussing what to charge for them, and the topic of plating came up. Plating can cost a designer $5 for a pair of small earrings or $30, depending on the quality of the plating. These got a thick coat of 22k gold. And you can tell, because they’re shiny and yellow, the way gold should be.

Everything that isn’t solid gold will tarnish in time. But if the plating is good, it will take a while and the tarnish will come in nicely, creating depth, and a rich darker gold.

If it tarnishes after a wear or two, take it back. Good retailers accept returns, even boutiques.

Alexis Bittar Lucite Cuff

The moment I got excited about emerging designers was the moment i saw Alexis Bittar’s lucite work for the first time.

Abject. Product. Lust.

Now On sale on Gilt.com

and selling out fast, as per usual…
(They must pre-sell…)

Woo hoo! We finally added SHOP BY PRICE functionality on LittlePretty!

To be honest, I have been debating this one for a while - the price spread on the site is pretty narrow (nothing over $250) so its not hard to find something affordable. But, as I learned from my “male advisory panel,” that people who are buying gifts tend to shop by price. Or at least start there. And different occasions, recipients, levels of relationship call for different levels of expenditure, so why not make it easy?

I would never want anything to stand in the way of a lady and a lovely jewelry gift. There really isn’t a faster way to a woman’s heart.

My friend Emily recently revealed to me that she has unpierced ears. Travesty! Okay maybe not a travesty - she’s sensitive to some metals. So here’s the overview, for all you wary women who have been holding out:

Ear piercing hurts…for about two seconds. Just take your deep yoga breaths and it will be over before you can say boo. But some people are actually allergic or sensitive to metal. The most common allergen is nickel, which often used in costume jewelry - sensitive people should avoid the jewelry from H&M. People with nickel sensitivity should choose solid gold (at least 12 carat), sterling silver, or polycarbonate plastic for their jewelry. There are good options for getting your ears pierced if you have a nickel sensitivity. A doctor quoted in Milwuakee Sentinel (in 1985 no less) sums it up perfectly.:

“A spring-loaded gun is generally used for piercing today…The gun pierces the ear and inserts a special earring in one painless step. The special earrings are commonly referred to as “starter studs”…Generally, gold, platinum and sterling silver earrings are considered safe, as are those with surgical stainless steel posts. One item that has become popular in recent years is a plastic sleeve that fits over the post on a pierced earring so the metal doesn’t touch the skin.”

Which “starter studs” to pick? I looked at the Claire’s website - they pierced my ears and claim to have punctured more than 80 Million people. Options include 14k gold studs, but the backs arent guaranteed to be 14kt. They also offer stainless steel options. Avoid the palladium, which is apparently bad for people with nickel allergies. The Sentinel also warns to be wary of “hypo-allergenic” studs, as they could just be a thin layer of gold covering a nickel alloy. I also bet that Claire’s has more in stock than on the web…

Another option, which i would choose, is a professional piercing salon, like NYadorned. They are more likely to get it straight, are ruthlessly clean, and will probably have higher quality studs than the mall. Plus, they are usually also tattoo parlors, and there is no better way to distract yourself than watching someone get inked. Its also reassuring to know you will be on the boring, weenie end of their service menu. “Really? Just your ears?”

Aftercare: You thought i was kidding about “ruthlessly clean tattoo parlor” but this is from new york adorned.

“The purpose of cleaning a piercing is to promote proper healing. It is vital to remove any dead skin cells and discharge secreted by your body as well as external dirt and bacteria picked up during the day. Thoroughly wash your hands with an anti – bacterial soap before cleaning the piercing. Using a fresh Q-tip saturated in the cleaning solution (for brand names see below), gently remove any crusted matter from the openings of the piercing (this does not apply to tongue piercings). Apply a small amount of the cleaning solution to the outside of the piercing and gently move the jewelry up & down. This procedure should be done no more or less than 3 times a daily, as over cleaning can damage the regrowth of skin cells and cleaning less frequently may cause healing complications.”

By cleaning solution they mean: Bactine (diluted 50% with bottled water), Ear Care solution, Saline Solution.

Clean your earlobes twice a day for at least a month.
And only spin your studs after you wash your hands.

Tee hee.

This designer’s work on Etsy falls a little below our pricepoint, but i just love it. These $4 posts are made from rescued buttons. Mmmm…butterscotch bars! She has tons of cute items, including owlets and cowboy boots. So glad the 80’s revival has made it acceptable to wear plastic earrings…like we did when we were six.

Cleaning jewelry is my favorite procrastination activity. Here are two of my favorite techniques:

The SonicCare Toothbrush. So when you take your jewelery to a jeweler to clean it, they will often put it in a sonic basket cleaner, which blasts it with sonic waves that shake off the microscopic dirt. Most people dont have one at home, and i will admit that i tried my SonicCare toothbrush on my sapphire ring in a moment of laziness, but hey, it works. Do not use on delicate or antique jewelry - you dont want to loosen the settings. Also dont use on plated or vermeil jewelry - you will remove some of the gold plating. And if youre using the magic toothbrush in combination with a cleaning solution, Dont use it on your teeth after.

Silver polishing cloths. If you have any silver jewelry, you should have a “sunshine cloth” - they are gently chemically treated and require a little elbow grease, but they do wonders on silver. I wear gloves, pop in a DVD and go to town on my sparklies, but its also good for a quick wipe before you put something on. You can use them on vermeil jewelry, since the underlying silver will tarnish the vermeil, but be very gently and do it infrequently.

Always wash your hands after using polishing chemicals.

It doesn’t look pretty in your jewelry box, but THE EASIEST WAY TO PREVENT TARNISH IS TO KEEP YOUR JEWELRY IN ZIPLOCK BAGGIES. No, we are not kidding. It works on silver or gold vermeil (gold plated silver), because air causes tarnish. Baggies isolate the jewelry from air - Go Baggies! Also, anti-tarnish strips also work for about six months. (Hence, all jewelry from LP comes in little baggies with anti-tarnish strips).

So what to do when its already tarnished?

For light tarnish, you can use a treated polishing cloth (aka, rouge cloth, silver cloth). It takes a little rubbing, but the chemicals embedded in the are relatively gentle, but effective - the polish will last a long time. I like the ones with two attached cloths - an inner, chemically treated one and an outer one for buffing.

For heavy tarnish, there are a couple of options:

You can use a dip (e.g. Tarnex) which is available in most grocery stores - a fast option, but be aware that dips contain corrosive chemicals, and that some are metal specific - make sure to wash your jewelry before and after, and read the fine print before you dip!
For a more gentle, but labor intensive option, you can use a polish, such as Goddard’s or Wright’s. Just get some rags, stick in a DVD so you dont get bored, and follow the instructions on the back of the can.

Finally, there is the electrochemical method we learned in seventh grade. Get a cheepo aluminum pan, pour baking soda into the corners, put your silver in it, pour boiling water on top, and let it sit there for a few minutes. The baking soda transfers the oxidization to the aluminum, so throw the aluminum out after. You can also use a glass dish lined with aluminum foil.Take it out, RINSE IT OFF and buff it with a polishing cloth.

Finally, be very gentle on matte finishes and don’t polish silver thats been intentionally oxidized, like these earrings. You will lose all that pretty depth.

When in doubt, polish gently. Oxidization gives pieces dimension.

Sorry, faithful readers, for the delay in responding to your questions. In the last month, I finished my first year of b-school, watched my sister get married, visited friends and ecommerce experts in NYC, and made a bunch of changes to littlepretty.com. The biggest change: Noah Landow! this savvy designer from New York does beautiful organic (and ironic) work in silver. We are tickled to have him on LP, not only because his work is cool, but also because he sets his prices for us working schmucks. Love it. Anyway, back to answering your questions!

I discovered Abagail Percy on Etsy.com about a year ago, and her work just gets better and better. Elegant, organic, design-forward. I would wear anything on her site (even though i have no idea what a sweet horse chestnut is)!

Sweet Horse Chestnut Droop Studs

“Beautiful large stud earrings in the form of sweet horse chestnut leaves. These earrings have been hand pierced from silver sheet {that has been roll-printed with linen, adding a subtle texture and matt finish} and then 18ct gold plated to a delicate chalky ochre colour….These earrings are quirkily mismatched. They are lightly dished…so they sit
comfortable curving away from the ear…approx 3cm long, so a larger sized stud.”

Sweet Horse Chestnut Hoops

“The beautiful Sweet Horse Chestnut leaves that feature in these hoop
earrings create a striking yet delicate pair of earrings you will wear
again and again…. {I wear mine all the time, and they really are my
favourites!}

These best-selling earrings are perfect for the Summer season and their large wide size belie their lightness…making them a dream to wear in the ear!Just over 4cm at the widest point and hanging at around 4.5cm - each pair is hand-pierced so will be ever so slightly different, thus totally unique.Available for the first time in my online shop in Matt Sterling Silver - also available to purchase in Oxidised black and Gold Plated finishes.”