Care

Sterling, gold fill, crystal, glass — we work with four very different materials, and each one earns your jewelry box in a different way. Here's exactly how to take care of what you own, material by material, no guesswork required.

Gold Fill (Steadfast Collection)

Let's clear something up first: no jewelry is truly waterproof — not ours, not anyone else's. The only materials that come close are fine, solid metals like 18k gold or platinum, and even those aren't invincible against chlorine or salt water over time. Gold fill is water-resistant, not waterproof, and that's true across every brand that makes it, not just us.

What that means in practice: gold fill is made by permanently bonding a real layer of 14k gold to a base underneath — not a thin plating that wears off, but a fused layer with real substance to it. That's what lets Steadfast go in the shower, the gym, and to bed with you without a second thought. Where we'd ask you to be more careful: pools, hot tubs, and the ocean, since chlorine and salt water are hard on every metal, gold fill included. A quick rinse and pat dry after a swim keeps it looking its best.

Crystal (Crystal Collection)

Our Crystal bangles are the most water-sensitive pieces we make, and we want to be upfront about what that means for care. Hand-set crystals rely on tiny prongs and settings to hold their sparkle in place, and those settings — along with the crystal's brilliance — are more sensitive to moisture and chemicals than metal alone.

Please take your Crystal pieces off before showering, swimming, or applying lotion, perfume, or hairspray. Soap and skincare products in particular can dull the sparkle over time, even with careful wear. Treat them the way you'd treat a beautiful pair of earrings you save for going out — not something you forget you're wearing.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is a genuine precious metal — 92.5% pure silver — and depending on the piece and the maker, it's often classified as fine jewelry in its own right, not a step below it. It wears beautifully, better than most people expect. Silver naturally oxidizes with air and moisture over time, which is simply what real silver does, not a flaw in the piece.

Worth knowing: silver has become significantly more valuable over the past year, with the metal itself rising sharply — some tracking sources put the increase at well over 100% since early 2025. That's not a fashion trend, it's the actual raw material costing more to source. Every sterling piece we sell reflects that real value, which is part of why we consider it one of the better long-term buys in the collection right now.

For everyday sterling, occasional exposure to water won't hurt it. But if you want a piece to keep its shine for years rather than months, the simplest habit is the most effective one: put it on last when you're getting ready, and take it off first before bed, exercise, or swimming.

What "gold plated" actually means — and why the fine print matters

Here's something worth knowing before you buy gold-plated jewelry from anyone, us included: the color on the surface tells you almost nothing about what's underneath it, and that's the part that actually determines how a piece wears over time.

Gold plating can sit over two very different foundations. Plated over a sterling silver base, a piece stays genuinely valuable and skin-safe even if the gold layer eventually wears thin — there's real silver underneath, not a compromise. Plated over brass or another base alloy, that same gold layer is sitting on a metal that isn't precious at all, and can tarnish, discolor, or irritate sensitive skin once the plating wears through. Two pieces can look identical in a photo and be genuinely different in quality, and that distinction is often left out of the fine print entirely.

Our plated pieces are built on a sterling silver base — we list it plainly on every product page, not just because it's the right way to build jewelry, but because we think you should be able to see it before you buy, from us or from anyone else.

Tila (Miyuki Glass Beads)

Tila beads are precision-cut Japanese glass, and glass doesn't fade — the color you see on day one is the color you'll see years from now. Where Tila bracelets actually show wear over time isn't the beads at all; it's the stretch cord they're strung on.

The single best thing you can do to make a Tila bracelet last: leave it on. Every time a stretch bracelet is pulled on and off over the hand, the elastic cord stretches and flexes at its most vulnerable point. Worn as a semi-permanent piece — the way most of our customers wear them — that cord rarely sees any stress at all. Taking it on and off frequently is really the only thing that shortens its life.

The simple version

Gold fill: shower and sweat in it, skip the pool. Crystal: take it off before water or lotion. Sterling: wears great, lasts longest if it comes off before bed — and it's a genuinely good value right now. Plated pieces: check what's underneath the gold, from any brand. Tila: the glass won't fade — just try not to take it on and off more than you have to.

Questions about a specific piece? Email us at customerservice@sugarbeanjewelry.com and we're happy to help.