Materials & Technical Information

PLATING
All NF pieces are plated in either STERLING SILVER, 14k GOLD, 18k GOLD or RUTHENIUM (gunmetal) plating. These are semi-precious metals and of the highest quality standard. Each piece is finished with a special protective coating designed to protect each piece. The plating is designed to last, however must be cared for as per the care instructions to ensure they remain shiny and vibrant for years to come!

METALS
Base metals are both SOLID 925 STERLING SILVER and BRONZE or BRASS. All stolid sterling pieces will be marked with a 925 stamp.

SEMI PRECIOUS STONES
Nicole Fendel use an assortment of semi-precious stones sourced from all corners of the globe that are tailored and cut to suite each piece.  As these are natural stones of the highest quality, colours and textures will vary slightly across each piece.

QUALITY
Every single NF piece must pass strict quality control procedures before it can be showcased and sold. Their production team has extensive experience within the industry and works hard to ensure r quality standards are the highest possible!

POUCH AND POLISHING CLOTH
Each NF piece comes with it’s own detailed care instructions, protective pouch and polishing cloth.

GENERAL CARE INSTRUCTION

Nicole Fendel Jewellery is handcrafted with the finest metals and semi-precious stones from across the globe and as such, requires equally superior care. Please follow these care instructions to preserve the longevity of your jewellery and to ensure you get the best out of your purchase!

• Avoid contact with liquids and chemicals (i.e. perfume, sea water, sweat, moisturiser and chlorine). Consistent contact with these liquids will damage your piece of jewellery over time.
• Do not expose your jewellery to humidity (bathrooms and sunrooms) and ensure it is not stored in direct sunlight (please polish your jewellery more frequently if in humid environments).
• Displaying your jewellery in humid conditions or in cabinets under strong or direct lighting will accelerate tarnishing. Please take care to polish these regularly while on display.
• To ensure your earrings do not fall out, gently squeeze the earring hooks together once they are in the ear. We have butterfly backs available to purchase separately if you feel you would like extra security.
• Store your jewellery in the Nicole Fendel pouch to avoid tarnishing. If storing for long periods use a zip lock bag for extra protection.
• Polish your jewellery regularly with your polishing cloth, especially after wear in hot, humid or wet environments.

• Cuffs and rings are made to be adjustable, but need to be treated with care. Even the highest quality materials can snap or break if they are handled aggressively. Please ensure when bending or adjusting each piece that you do not use too much force. These pieces are made to last, but will not handle extreme bending, force or rough handling! We will not be responsible for replacement of adjustable pieces broken due to mishandling.

All LIBERTÉ pieces are made from brass based metal finished with high quality micro plating.

100% nickel free. Hypo allergenic, no irritations. Earring posts are made from stainless steel.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR LIBERTÉ PIECE

Always keep your Liberté piece in a jewellery pouch or box.

Some pieces are quite delicate due to their design, so care should be taken when wearing & storing.

Avoid contact with perfumes, water, lotions/moisturiser, hairspray or any liquids.

Do not use harsh chemicals, jewellery cleaners or polishing cloths.

ry cleaners or polishing cloths.

Materials & Technical Information

Sterling silver

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver. It contains 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Sterling silver contains 925 parts out of 1,000 of actual ne silver. You can find the ‘925’ stamp on Sterling Silver jewellery. Because ne silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing functional objects, the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give it strength while preserving the ductility and beauty of the precious metal. Other metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating rescale, and increasing resistance to tarnish.

Stainless Steel (316)

Marine Grade Stainless Steel (316) is a stainless steel often used in marine environments because of its resistance to rust and corrosion. It is also commonly used surgically for piercings and implants. It is an anti-allergy and anti-tarnish steel. The AISI number grade is 316 and refers to the chromium content. The alloy is more resistant to rust than household stainless steels, and hence more expensive.

Ion plating

IP plating is one of the newest and most advanced surface finishing processes now available at Pastiche. It produces a harder and more durable coating with a higher brightness than that produced through traditional plating methods. Experiments have proved that the plating obtained through IP plating is five to eight times better than that obtained through conventional methods in terms of wear and corrosion resistance. Throughout the Jewellery industry IP plating is available in a range of colours, though most commonly used in black, brown, rose gold and yellow gold.

Bronze

While Bronze had its origins in militant uses like spearheads and arrows, it didn’t take the ancient world long to see the potential of bronze as a jewellery material. Today, bronze continues to be an ideal metal for the manufacture of beautiful jewellery; soft enough to work with easily, but hard enough to last a lifetime. When polished it has a lustre comparable to rose gold, but is more durable and cost effective. Our bronze pieces have a special epoxy resin coating that will prevent discolouration.

Zirconium

Zirconium is an extremely hard metal that is scratch and corrosion resistant. Its natural silvery colour is similar to titanium and it has the ability to take on a charcoal and even onyx. Therefore, your dark or two tone zirconium pieces won’t lose their colour as this is a structural change to the metal rather than a plating. With these properties Zirconium jewellery will maintain its ‘brand new’ look for a long period of time and is a tough alternative to titanium.

How to Care for your Jewellery

Our jewellery has been crafted with new materials and with good care can become a treasured piece for a long time to come. We encourage you to store your jewellery in a clean, dry, tarnish-resistant box or pouch.

Sterling Silver: Over time it is natural for sterling silver to tarnish. Salty air, sunlight, water, humidity and various chemicals can rapidly speed up this process. To prevent tarnishing, silver should be kept absolutely dry. Avoid contact with cleaning agents and chemicals. To clean silver, use a Pastiche cleaning cloth to gently rub over silver surfaces. From time to time sterling silver may require cleaning with products such as Silvo, Brasso or a small amount of bi-carbonate of soda. Particular care should be taken when cleaning plated jewellery. Harsh cleaning of jewellery can wear away plated coating.

Stainless Steel: While stainless steel does not oxidize, rust or tarnish it is beneficial to occasionally clean with a soft cloth and warm water to remove any grime build up. After cleaning, jewellery must be dried thoroughly with a dry cloth. Avoid contact with cleaning agents and chemicals.

Bronze: Our bronze products have a special epoxy resin coating which will last at least two years. This means that your items will not discolour and any buildup of dust or dirt can be wiped away with a dry, soft cloth and if needed, warm water. Avoid silver cleaning cloths and other abrasive silver cleaning products as these can wear away the protective coating.

Zirconium: Zirconium is highly scratch, corrosion ad tarnish resistant. In fact the black surface has what can be classed as healing properties and light scratches can simply be polished away with a cleaning cloth.

Always be careful with your jewellery when working with tools or in the garden as all metals will scratch against tough surfaces like stone.

Stones & Swarovski: Excessive water, light and chemicals can alter the colour and appearance of stones. When not in use, keep stones in a dark dry place. To clean stones, wipe over with soft, slightly moist cloth (avoid too much moisture). After cleaning, dry thoroughly with a dry cloth.

Enamel: Avoid contact with hard surfaces as enamel can chip or crack if reasonable force is applied.

Enamel is affected by uv light, which can cause discolouration, so when not in use store in a dark, dry place. To clean enamel, wipe over with soft, slightly moist cloth (avoid too much moisture). After cleaning, dry thoroughly with a dry cloth.

Murano Glass: Your Murano glass piece is a handmade product. Handle with particular care as contact with hard surfaces can cause chipping and cracking. To clean Murano glass, wipe over with soft, slightly moist cloth (avoid too much moisture). After cleaning, jewellery must be dried thoroughly with a dry cloth.

Leather: Avoid exposing leather to moisture. Do not wear in water. Leather may change colour due to exposure to the sun and oils in the skin. To keep the leather soft and extend its life, leather conditioner should be applied.

Rubber/Neoprene: Rubber is a hard wearing material and can be cleaned easily with a damp cloth. Heat and excessive moisture can cause rubber to become hard.

Wear & Tear

Like anything we use, our jewellery is subjected to wear and tear. The best advice for keeping any jewellery in top condition is this: We recommend that your jewellery should be the last thing that they put on before leaving the house, and the last thing that they take off at the end of the day.

Simple things, such as spraying on perfume, can affect some finishes.

Glass pieces are just as liable to damage from impact as any other glass product. If it is dropped, it may sustain a breakage.

Plated items should be worn as dress pieces and will show wear in a similar way to the plating on a dress watch. For example: if worn in abrasive situations such as in the garden, against other metal jewellery, or constant rubbing against a mouse pad, it will show wear quickly. If worn occasionally and with care, the plating will last for a long time.

Sterling silver is a relatively soft metal and should be treated gently to maintain top condition. Avoid bending earring posts, applying excess pressure, or straining the delicate hinges on a locket. Be respectful of the properties of the metal