"Too Many People Miss the Silver Lining Because They're Expecting Gold"

Recently I’ve been getting a lot of inquiries for gold and rose gold jewelry…and I just wanted to share my thoughts.

I work with a fantastic silversmith of whom has a tremendous amount of pride in their work. This means using .925 sterling silver in all of our jewelry (minus the surgical grade steel ones which we offer as a hypoallergenic option). Silver is cool, smooth, elegant and timeless – it complements all skin tones and is a fantastic product to work with.

Now when people tend to think of silver, they think back to their grandparents silverware set…which coincides with the memory of being given the task of painstakingly spending hours polishing each fork and spoon before Christmas dinner. Silver has this bad reputation for tarnishing, as we all at some point remember the almost impossible to remove grubby spots and grandma pointing out the spoon wasn’t polished well enough.


I’m here to blow your mind! The reason grandmas spoons tarnished were because they were kept in a box all year and maybe only used once or twice. Silver is meant to be worn! The friction of daily wear prevents tarnishing. Now keep in mind, chemicals and products can damage silver so it’s always advised to remove your jewelry when cleaning, washing your hands, showering, working out, etc all while maintaining good care habits of the silver itself. The silver ring I initially made with my Nana’s ashes I wear every single day and it is just as beautiful today as it was then.

Now let’s talk gold. I’ve been looking for a reputable goldsmith since I started and I’ve yet to find one that wasn’t already contracted to another maker or that met my expectations. Gold is expensive, and incredibly soft, which is why 100% gold, or 24 karat gold is rarely seen on the market, unless you’re Bruno Mars. 18 karat – 10 karat gold are options, but they are mixed together with various alloys in liquid state to maintain their strength, but this could lead to possible tarnishing or skin sensitivity. Rose gold is literally gold mixed with copper. That natural pink luster isn’t found in nature – so those who might have their skin turn green with “cheap” jewelry are at higher risks of this happening with rose gold jewelry. 

Now we get down to affordable gold filled and gold plated options – this means the base of the jewelry itself is composed of zinc, copper, or silver and plated over with a thin layer of gold. Don’t let the phrase “gold filled” fool you, the base of the jewelry is still one of the different alloys, the layer of gold overtop is just slightly thicker. These are alternative ways to get a gold or gold look to a piece of jewelry, but you still risk tarnishing, thinning of the gold layer and again, skin sensitivities.

I personally have incredibly sensitive skin and have tested most of the products before I commit them to my shop. At the end of the day, it’s my name and business that’s leaving my studio and I want my work to speak for itself. I will continue to work with silver until I find the goldsmith that’s a right fit for me and for The Moon and Two Stars.

- Jess
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