FAQ

We will refund or exchange unused, unworn, undamaged items within 30 days of purchase, or items with manufacturing defects within 90 days.  To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.  Please contact us to return or if your item has a manufacturing flaw.

We do not refund original shipping costs or return shipping costs, except for defective items.

Argentium silver is a brand of modern tarnish-resistant silver alloys, containing either 93.5% or 96% silver. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver, with the remainder primarily copper.  Argentium silver can reduce allergic reactions as it replaces some of the copper in traditional sterling silver with germanium.

So, Argentium contains a higher amount of silver and resists tarnish better than sterling.  Win, win!

NuGold resembles 14K gold but costs a fraction of the price. It’s an alloy of roughly 85 percent copper and 15 percent zinc.  Since it doesn’t contain nickel, it can be a good choice for those allergic to nickel.  Sometimes called “Jeweler’s Bronze” or “Merlin’ Gold”, NuGold tarnishes considerably slower than copper and will age to a deep golden shade.  Studio Celia generally seals NuGold with Protectaclear to slow tarnishing even further.

Most of our upcycled beverage can items are made with aluminum, which naturally forms its own protective layer of aluminum oxide and thus, doesn’t tarnish.

If your upcycled beverage can item looks dirty, wipe it clean with a little rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth.  Don’t scrub or use solvents, as these may damage the beverage can label.

As with all types of jewelry, treat beverage can items with care.  Handle them gently, keep away from solvents, salt water, hair spray, and other chemicals.  Please don’t wear jewelry in the shower or bath.

Titanium is generally easy care since it doesn’t tarnish.  If it begins to lose its bright colors, it’s getting dirty.  Finger oils, in particular, will dull its shine and colors.  Spray it with a little Windex and wipe clean with a soft cloth to keep it vibrant.

Like all jewelry, treat titanium gently.  While it’s strong and durable, it will scratch if not treated kindly.

Treat your Studio Celia items with care.  Keep away from solvents, salt water, hair spray, and other chemicals.  Please don’t wear jewelry in the shower or bath, as  soap scum or cleaners can affect your jewelry’s appearance or damage metals.

Handle your jewelry with care.  If you throw your jewelry in your purse/gym bag/suitcase without protection, it can bend, break, or dent.

Keeping items in sealed plastic bags or containers is a great way to keep them from tarnishing.  Tarnish is basically the metal reacting with oxygen in the air, so no air = no oxidation!

Hypoallergenic means something is relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.

That itchy, rashy allergic reaction from wearing jewelry is called contact dermatitis.  If you develop a sensitivity to your jewelry, the culprit is generally nickel.  Other causes may be cobalt, copper, or chromium, though these are far less common.  Your skin chemistry, lotions, cosmetics, hair products, soaps, etc.  may also react with your jewelry and, boom, you end up with an annoying irritation.

The US does not have any directives on how much nickel can be in jewelry, but the European Union does.  All of Studio Celia’s metals labeled hypoallergenic meet the European Union’s Nickel Directive, which regulates the amount of nickel in consumer products.

Hypoallergenic Metals

Argentium silver –This is 93.6% or 96% silver, with 1% germanium and 6.5% other metals, primarily copper.

Fine silver –Fine silver is 99.9% silver, so no nickel here.  It is also very soft, which limits its use for jewelry without combining it with “stronger” metals.  Note that fine silver does not react with oxygen so it doesn’t easily tarnish.  However, it will react with air pollutants to form silver sulfide – which is also a black tarnish.

Sterling silver –925 sterling silver is the most common.  It is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals that are used to strengthen it.  The other metals are predominantly copper, with possibly amounts of zinc.

Copper –No nickel.  Some people’s skin biochemistry may react with copper to create a green staining.

Niobium – No nickel.

Titanium –We use Commercially Pure 2 (CP2) and Grade 5 (aerospace) alloys that do not contain nickel.

Aluminum – No nickel here.  We use 5052 aluminum, the same alloy that’s used in aerospace, cars, and robots.  It contains 95.8 – 97.7% aluminum, 2-3% magnesium, and trace amounts of chromium, zinc, copper, iron, silicon, and manganese.

14K yellow gold – 14K must contain 58% gold.  The rest is typically 25% silver, 17% copper.  No nickel.  Note that white gold may contain nickel.

18K yellow gold – 18K must contain 75% gold.  The rest is usually 25% copper.

NuGold Brass –Nugold is alloy 230 and is composed of roughly 85% copper and 15% zinc.  No nickel.  We coat our NuGold with Protectaclear to deter tarnishing.

Rhodium  – Rhodium does not contain nickel.  It’s typically used as a plating to create a light, bright protective surface, especially on clasps, hooks, jump rings, and other findings.

Stainless steel –Studio Celia uses 304 stainless steel and 316L stainless steel.  Both contain small amounts of nickel but comply with the European Union’s Nickle Directive.  Per the directive, the nickel molecules are bound into the steel compound and do not migrate into the body.  304 stainless steel has slightly less nickel than 316L surgical stainless steel.

304 stainless steel –8-11% Nickel, 18-20% Chromium

Surgical stainless steel 316L –10-14% Nickel, 16-18% Chromium, 2-3% Molybdenum.

Anodizing means using electricity to increase the oxide layer on the surface of metal.  Titanium has a natural oxide layer — that’s why it doesn’t tarnish — but it’s a gray color.

To make titanium turn bright colors, we sand titanium to remove the oils and other contaminants from its manufacturing processes.  Then, to get the titanium  super clean, we soak it in a special acidic solution.

After the titanium is very clean, we anodize it.  This means we either immerse the titanium piece in an electrolyte solution (soapy water) and conduct electricity through the titanium, or use an electrified paint brush dipped in the electrolyte solution to get fine details.  The titanium is connected to the anode of the electric circuit, hence the name “anodizing”.  Varying the electric voltage creates a new oxide layer on the titanium so that it reflects light differently,  We see this new oxide layer as different colors.

Once the titanium is anodized, the color change is permanent.

See our FAQ on titanium care for more on how to keep your titanium pieces bright and colorful.