About Sterling Silver Jewellery

Silver has been used to make jewellery since ancient times. Pure silver is very soft so when it is used to make jewellery it is mixed with another metal. It is then referred to as 'Sterling Silver', which is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper.

Many sellers of jewellery refer to their items as Sterling or Silver. This does not mean that their items are Sterling Silver Jewellery. Usually it is just referring to the colour of the items. At Saulea we guarantee all of our silver items to be sterling silver jewellery with a silver content of at least 92.5%.

About Rhodium Plating

Sterling silver jewellery will tarnish over time when it comes in contact with gases in the air, such as, sulfur. You can clean the jewelry with a polishing cloth or a professional jeweler's buff. However, this can damage the piece and the tarnish will return after continued exposure to the air.

At Saulea we plate some of our Sterling Silver items with the precious metal called rhodium. Rhodium is a member of the platinum family and gives each of our jewelry pieces an expensive white reflective look that resembles platinum jewelry. The rhodium plating helps the silver jewelry resist scratching and gives them a natural barrier that protects them from exposure to the air and thereby tarnishing.

However, the rhodium plating does not last forever and can wear away depending how frequently the jewellery comes in contact with the acid in your skin or other elements.

About Cubic Zirconia

Most of our sterling silver jewellery is set with a synthetic gemstone called cubic zircionia (also referred to as 'CZ'). Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). It is durable, optically flawless and comes in a variety of colors.

CZ's provide an excellent alternative to real diamonds at a fraction of the price. They are so similar in appearance that usually only a trained gemologist can tell them apart.

CZ's, as with diamonds, come in different grades. At Saulea we only use top quality AAA or higher stones. This will give our sterling silver jewellery the look of real gold and diamond jewellery.