About and Caring for your Pieces

Blended by Kalana
Jewelry Care Guide
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Built to be lived in. Here's everything you need to know about what your pieces are made of, why they hold up, and how to keep them looking exactly how they should.

Blended was created with the intent to live in — to blend into your everyday life. These are pieces meant to be worn to the gym, showered in, slept in, and everywhere in between. Don't baby it.

— The whole point

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Sweat & Water Proof
Shower, gym, swim. These pieces were made for your real life — not your shelf.
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Won't Flake or Chip
No flaking. No rubbing off. No surprises after a few wears.
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Hypoallergenic
Nickel-free. Skin-safe. Designed for sensitive skin and everyday wear.
Section 01
Gold-Filled
The gold that actually stays gold.

Gold-filled is not gold plating with a better PR team. It is a fundamentally different material — made by pressure-bonding a thick, solid layer of 14k gold to a base metal core under intense heat. The result is a piece that looks, feels, and behaves like solid gold at a fraction of the price, and holds up to real daily wear in a way that solid gold simply cannot.

By US law, gold-filled must contain a minimum of 5% gold by total weight. That sounds modest until you compare it to gold-plated, which contains as little as 0.05%. That's not a typo. Gold-filled has 100 times more gold than standard gold plating — bonded permanently, not painted on. You won’t find it fading or flaking off, but can be prone to scratches/indentations from other hard metals. 

Technical Specs
Gold Layer
14k Solid Gold
Minimum Gold Content
5% by weight
vs. Gold Plated
100× more gold
Why It Works
Bonding Method
Heat & pressure — permanent
Base Metal
Brass or copper alloy
Lifespan
Years with proper care
The alloy base gives the best of both worlds
The brass or copper core provides structural strength that pure gold simply doesn't have — gold is naturally a soft metal. So while fine solid gold bends and scratches easily, your gold-filled pieces hold their shape, their shine, and their color through everything you put them through.
✓  Do This
  • Wear it every single day
  • Shower and work out in it
  • Wipe with a soft cloth after wear
  • Store in your pouch when not on
  • Apply skincare before putting it on
✗  Skip These
  • Chlorinated pools & hot tubs
  • Spraying perfume directly on metal
  • Bleach & harsh cleaning chemicals
  • Scratching against other metals
  • Storing loose with other jewelry
The Breakdown
Gold-Filled vs. Vermeil vs. Gold-Plated
Not all gold is created equal. Here's the actual difference.
Gold-Filled ✦
Vermeil
Gold-Plated
100×
~2.5×
1×
Gold-Filled5% gold by weight. Pressure-bonded permanently. Lasts years.
Vermeil2.5 microns of gold over sterling silver. Looks great — for a while.
Gold-Plated0.05% gold. Electroplated thinly. Wears off. Every time.
Chart represents relative gold layer thickness. Gold-filled contains approximately 100× more gold than standard gold-plated jewelry by weight.
Gold-Filled
What we use. Built to last. Won't peel, chip, or fade under normal wear. The everyday gold standard.
Vermeil
Gold over sterling. Nicer than plated but still a surface layer — exposure to moisture and friction wears it over time.
Gold-Plated
Microscopically thin gold applied to cheap base metal. Looks identical on day one. Disappears by week four.
Section 02
Sterling Silver
The original. The classic. The one that never really goes anywhere.

.925 sterling silver means 92.5% pure silver alloyed with 7.5% other metals (typically copper) to give it the strength it needs to actually be worn, shaped, and lived in. Pure silver is too soft to hold its form — sterling is the version that can handle your life. This can be prone to scratches/indentations from other hard metals. 

It's a precious metal. It has real value, real shine, and real longevity when treated right. The bright, cool luster of sterling silver is one of the most flattering finishes against skin of any tone — and unlike trends, it has never gone out of style.

Tarnish isn't a flaw — it's silver being silver. A quick pass with a polishing cloth and it's back. Takes five seconds. Relax.
Technical Specs
Composition
92.5% pure silver
Alloy
7.5% copper / other metals
Hallmark
.925
In Real Life
Finish
Bright, cool-toned shine
Tarnish Rate
Moderate — easily reversed
Hypoallergenic
Yes — nickel-free
✓  Do This
  • Wear it daily — that's the point
  • Wipe with a soft cloth after wear
  • Use a silver polishing cloth for tarnish
  • Store in your pouch — away from air
  • Clean with warm water + soft toothbrush for detailed pieces
✗  Skip These
  • Chlorine pools & hot tubs
  • Bleach & harsh household cleaners
  • Storing exposed to air long-term
  • Perfume sprayed directly on silver
  • Abrasive scrubbing that dulls the finish
Section 03
Argentium Silver
Sterling silver, but it went to grad school.

Argentium is what happens when someone looked at traditional sterling silver and asked: what if it were better? It contains more pure silver than standard sterling (93.5–96% depending on grade) and replaces a portion of the copper alloy with germanium — an element that completely changes how the metal behaves in the real world.

The result is silver that is naturally more tarnish-resistant, harder, whiter, and more durable than traditional .925 sterling — while keeping the same bright, beautiful finish you expect from silver. It's hypoallergenic, firescale-resistant, and requires significantly less maintenance. This can be prone to scratches/indentations from other hard metals.  The upgrade you didn't know you needed.

Argentium is the reason your ring looks the same in January as it did in July. Germanium did that.
Technical Specs
Silver Content
93.5–96% pure silver
Key Alloy Element
Germanium (Ge)
vs. Sterling Silver
Higher purity, harder, whiter
What Germanium Does
Tarnish Resistance
Significantly higher than .925
Firescale
Resistant — stays clean longer
Maintenance
Lower — less polishing needed
✓  Do This
  • Wear it daily without overthinking it
  • Light wipe with a soft cloth is usually enough
  • Rinse with warm water if needed
  • Store in your pouch
  • Enjoy the fact that it basically takes care of itself
✗  Skip These
  • Same rules as sterling — avoid chlorine
  • Harsh cleaning chemicals
  • Perfume directly on metal
  • Abrasive polishing cloths not made for silver
  • Assuming it's indestructible — it's still metal
The Real Talk
Why Not Fine Gold or Pure Silver?
More precious doesn't always mean more practical.
Pure Gold (24k) & 18k
Pure gold is genuinely soft. It scratches, dents, and bends easily under daily wear. Most fine gold jewelry is 14k or 18k specifically to add hardness via alloy — and even then, it's typically reserved for pieces you take on and off. The higher the karat, the more beautiful and the more fragile. It was never designed to shower in.
Pure Silver (.999)
Pure silver is too soft to hold its shape in jewelry without constant reshaping. That's why sterling exists — the copper gives it durability. Fine silver also tarnishes just as readily as sterling. More purity doesn't solve the practical problems of daily wear; it actually creates them.
The Price Argument
Fine metals carry a price that reflects their purity — not necessarily their performance. You can pay 10× more for solid 14k gold and still end up with scratches, dents, and a ring you're scared to wear daily. Our gold-filled pieces cost a fraction of that and are built to perform better in real life.
What We Chose & Why
Sterling silver, Argentium, and 14k gold-filled hit the sweet spot: precious metal quality, alloy-enhanced durability, and real-world wearability. These aren't compromises. They're the right materials for jewelry you're actually going to live in — not save for special occasions.
"Other fine metals are more pure. They're just not more practical. We chose practical on purpose."
At a Glance
Quick Reference — All Metals
Metal Composition Shower Safe Tarnish Hypoallergenic Best For
14k Gold-Filled 14k gold bonded to brass/copper core ✓ Yes Minimal ✓ Yes Daily gold wear, stacking
Argentium Silver 93.5–96% silver + germanium ✓ Yes Very low ✓ Yes Low-maintenance daily silver
Sterling Silver (.925) 92.5% silver + copper alloy ✓ Yes Moderate — reversible ✓ Yes Classic everyday silver
Gold-Plated Thin gold layer over base metal ✗ No Wears off ✗ Often not We don't use this. Goodbye.
Fine Gold (18k–24k) High purity gold Technically yes None ✓ Yes Special occasions — scratches easily
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Still have questions about your pieces?

Reach out before or after your purchase. We'd rather answer your question than have you wonder. Every piece comes with care instructions included in your package.

Blendedbykalana@gmail.com