ophelia cuff

I've gotten so many questions about my cuffs. I L.O.V.E them. So I thought I'd share my thoughts on them and give you a link to the lovely Kristen Briggs Etsy shop.

These gorgeous cuffs are handmade out of recycled yellow gold fill. Yay for recycled but what is gold fill you ask.

So is gold filled the same as gold plated....no! 

(reference) Is gold-filled the same as gold plate?

No, gold plating is a miniscule layer of solid gold applied to a brass base. The plating does not compose any measurable proportion of the product’s total weight. It is estimated to be 0.05% or less of the metal product. Gold plating will wear off rather quickly and expose the brass base product. It does not stand up to heat, water or wear over time. By comparison, gold-filled contains 5% gold by weight; moreover, all the gold is on the surface which offers product protection from tarnish and wear.

Gold fill is a great less expensive alternative to solid gold.

(reference) Can gold-filled tarnish?

Yes it can, but it takes a rare set of circumstances. Gold-filled is usually a lifetime product because the gold layer bonded to the brass core is quite thick. However, in rare instances of extreme sulfide exposure the gold-filled can blacken. This has only occurred a handful of times over our decades of gold-filled use.

I bought my cuffs (actually my mama did :)  ) in 2013 and they look as shiny and lovely as they day Mr. Postman delivered them. I wear them pretty much everyday, swam in the salty sea wearing them every summer since I got them. These handmade hammered cuffs come in three sizes (the thickness) - wide, medium and thin. I have two wide and one medium and I want another one!

I blogged the first cuff I got.

These cuffs come in yellow gold, rose gold and silver. Kristen's shop is called 

Lotus Stone Jewelry. She's super friendly.

xo