LET’S TALK SOLID METALS

WHAT IS GOLD?

Gold is a magnificent metal and something we absolutely love working with. Not only is it durable, but its colour is both spectacular and timeless - never rusting or tarnishing in any way. All our gold treasures are handcrafted using yellow, rose, and white gold.

WHAT WE DO: Gold that lasts lifetimes

Gold, in its purest form, is 24ct. Besides it being a very bright yellow colour, it is also incredibly soft and scratches easily. A main focus at Dear Rae has always been to create jewellery that you can wear every day and that will ultimately last lifetimes. 24ct gold is therefore just not durable enough for the long lasting treasures we take so much pride in making for you. 

To make pure gold stronger and way more suitable for everyday wear, alloys are added to make it tougher. The amount added will determine the carat and colour. For our standard collections we use 9ct gold and for custom designs you can choose what suits you best - ranging from 9ct to 18ct. Over and above its strength and durability, all our gold is hypoallergenic and perfectly suited for those with sensitive skin. 

WHAT WE DON’T DO: Gold plating or filling

Gold plating is the process of dipping a base metal into a bath of gold in order to coat it - the actual gold content of the final piece being less than 1%. The base metal is often brass, silver, or copper, and sometimes it will even contain nickel and tin. As the gold content is so low, the cost of this type of jewellery seems affordable at face value, but unfortunately you get what you pay for. Because the coating is so fine, it will inevitably wear off over time. Moreover, If you have sensitivity to certain metals, you will most likely experience a reaction when the coating starts to wear off and your skin comes into contact with the base metal. 

Gold filled is the process whereby a thick layer of solid gold is melted onto a base metal. This layer is a lot thicker than in plating and for a piece to be classified as filled, the overall gold content needs to be a minimum of 5%. Unfortunately the gold cannot ever be melted down and reused, and will also inevitably wear down with use - greatly affecting the colour and aesthetic  of your jewellery.

WHAT IS STERLING SILVER?

The silver used in jewellery is 925 sterling silver. This is effectively 92.5% silver, and 7.5% copper in alloy form. Sterling silver pieces are within the mid-range price point making it an affordable option should you find yourself on a tighter budget. It’s also a great choice for hypoallergenic skin types because of its high percentage of pure silver.

WHY WE ONLY WORK WITH SOLID METALS

For us, there is simply no way around this: Jewellery should last forever. And this is why we will never work with anything other than solid metals.

Solid metal pieces retain their value by lasting lifetimes. You can wear them every day of your life; they can be passed down for generations; and they aid in sustainability by supporting a longer wearing nature of fine jewellery pieces. 

At Dear Rae we have committed to meeting the need for premium - yet accessible - fine jewellery, in a market saturated by two extremes: fast fashion and unattainable luxury.

COMPARE YOUR GOLD