Gold-filled jewelry is a layer of gold bonded through heat to a brass core. This is different than gold plated which is a microscopic layer of gold dipped or sprayed over metal. Gold plating will wear quickly. Gold-filled, on the other hand, with proper care and handling, can last a very long time. When it comes to quality and durability, only solid gold can beat gold-filled jewelry. 

Gold-filled jewelry is much more wear resistant because:

1. The amount of gold.  The layer of gold on gold filled is thick!  Gold filled is legally required to contain 5% gold by weight.  Your gold filled piece has 100 times the amount of gold in it than your gold plated piece.
2. The process in which the gold is applied.  The layer of gold on gold filled is bonded through heat to the base metal. The act of bonding the gold to the brass means that the gold does not flake off and is more capable of resisting tarnishing.  

For durability, longevity, and affordability gold filled is your golden ticket!

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS!

So many variables contribute to the changes in metal composition but here are a few big ones:

1. Skin composure. Body composition is sooooo different, and whether or not your skin can happily enjoy years of wearing the same piece of jewelry has a lot to do with your individual body composition.  Genes and luck play into it.
2. Living conditions. Humidity, heat and moisture all contribute to the breakdown of metal.  Your jewelry will likely tarnish quicker if you live in a warm, humid environment over a cold and dry climate. (Might be the only time living in North Dakota is preferable to living in Hawaii?)
3. Exposure to water. Water will break down metal.  Gold filled and sterling silver are strong metals that can handle a lot of water exposure and are slow to tarnish.  That being said, water will always wear on metal over time so be aware of how much water exposure your jewelry has had.
4. Exposure to chemicals.  Similar to water, any exposure to chemicals will, with time, wear down a piece of jewelry.  Perfumes, lotions, chlorines, etc.  all take their toll over time.

We can not guarantee every piece of jewelry against every condition.  Metal will eventually wear, but we feel absolutely confident that you are getting the total sweet spot of high quality, long lasting metal and affordable price!

All Hey June jewelry is 14k gold-filled, sterling silver, or vermeil (gold over sterling silver). It is meant to last a long time! Here’s what you can do to make it last even longer.  

1. Keep jewelry in an airtight bag when you are not wearing it.  
2. Be careful about lotions and perfumes that come in contact with your jewelry.
3. Limit exposure to water and chlorine.
4. Be aware of your skin composition and how it may affect your jewelry.  Some skin will cause jewelry to tarnish more quickly.

We highly encourage you to clean your gold-filled and sterling silver pieces. Water and a mild dish soap (like Dawn) can help gold filled jewelry stay looking fresh. We also have soft anti tarnishing cloths that can quickly and easily clean up your gold or silver jewelry. You can get those here. It is also important to dry your jewelry after wear.  Water is powerful if left on metal for long periods of time.

Anklets and rings can especially get looking dirty.  If you have a line of black around your anklet, it is not the anklet turning it color, it’s a collection of dirt!  A little bit of soap and water will do the trick!

More air = quicker oxidation.  If you want your jewelry to reach its max max life, put it in an airtight bag when you are not wearing it.  When you purchase a necklace from us, it comes with a 1 inch x 2 inch plastic baggie.  Hold on to this and keep your necklace or earrings in it when not wearing it.  This is especially important for sterling silver as it oxidizes quicker than gold filled.   When you are not wearing it, keep it airtight!

Your huggie earring's effectivity depends on an exact fit in the latch and when this happens they are magic! But lots of things can loosen a huggie clasp so it is common to need to adjust your huggie latch!

The post on the huggie that clicks into the latch can be easily adjusted. If your huggie is too tight, the post of the earring needs to be pushed down a little and if the post of the earring is too loose it needs to be pushed up a little. Use a little pressure to move it up or down and then try clicking it into place. This has helped us obtain a better latch. Check out the video we made to help you fix your huggies.

Next to solid gold, gold filled is the safest and most affordable option for people with sensitive skin. Even if you have extremely sensitive skin, gold filled can still work for you.  It does mean you will probably want to be more careful, clean your jewelry more often, and store it in an air-tight bag when you are not wearing it. 

Sterling silver is also hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. We highly recommend you store your sterling silver  in an airtight container and clean often with an anti tarnishing cloth. Sterling silver  oxidizes more quickly than gold filled!

We love gold filled jewelry because you never have to take it off before bed. Our huggies and screwbacks are especially comfortable for sleep, and we have worn ours for months on end with very minimal wear. If you always sleep in your jewelry and notice that it starts to wear, take it off at night and store it in an airtight plastic bag for a longer life.

I’m as low maintenance as it gets with my jewelry. I sleep and shower in it every day, and I can still get months and sometimes years of wear out of it. The beauty of gold-filled and sterling silver jewelry is that it can go sooooooo much longer than gold plated without nearly the maintenance.

The more you care for and baby your jewelry, the longer it will last.  However, even without constant care, gold filled and sterling silver can give you lots and lots of happy wear.  

Yes! Aside from solid gold, gold filled is the most forgiving of metals. That means if you forget and hop into the pool, you will totally be ok!  Our jewelry is for the laziest women and for the busiest women. It is for women who don’t want to have to think about it. Yes, it lasts longer and wears better if you give it a little TLC. But if you ignore it for months on end, you know this jewelry will still hang in with you!