Sterling tarnishes and vermeil wears. Both are normal, both are slow, and both are manageable.
Last updated 7 August 2026
Everything we make is built on 925 sterling silver — 92.5% fine silver, nickel-free, with an assay record on file. Pieces described as 18k vermeil are that same sterling base with a layer of 18k gold at least 2.5 microns thick. Vermeil is a legally defined term, not a synonym for gold: the gold is a real, measured layer over silver, and we describe it that way on every listing.
Silver reacts with sulphur in ordinary air and darkens. This is tarnish, not damage, and it comes off. Rub the piece with a dry silver polishing cloth until the shine returns. Don't use toothpaste, baking soda, or an abrasive — they scratch the surface and take metal with them.
Slowing it down is mostly about storage: keep pieces dry, apart from each other, and in a closed pouch or box rather than open air. Sealing them in a small zip bag helps a lot.
The gold layer is thin by nature, so treat vermeil more gently than solid metal. Never use a polishing cloth or any abrasive on it — that removes gold. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth instead.
Honestly: with regular wear, a vermeil finish will eventually thin at the points that rub most — the inside of a ring, the back of a hoop. That is the nature of plated jewelry rather than a defect, and 2.5 microns is a substantial layer that takes years of wear to show it. Anyone promising plating that never wears is selling you something else.
Jewelry goes on last and comes off first. Perfume, hairspray, lotion, and sunscreen all attack both the silver and the plating, so dress first and put your pieces on after. Take them off for swimming — chlorine and salt water are hard on silver and harder on vermeil — and for showering, sleeping, the gym, and cleaning with household chemicals.
Rainbow moonstone is softer than quartz and will scratch if it knocks against harder stones, so store it separately. Clean it with a damp cloth only: never an ultrasonic cleaner, and never a solvent.
Warm water, a drop of plain dish soap, and a soft toothbrush will lift grime from sterling. Rinse it and dry it completely — trapped moisture is what turns tarnish into a stubborn film. If a piece needs a proper refinish or a vermeil piece has worn through, write to us; we can often restore it at the bench.