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Collection: About GiraSole

The Story of GiraSole Jewelry:  Turn to the Sun

Nicole Van Luchene, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the artist behind GiraSole Jewelry.  She handmakes every piece in her Santa Fe studio.  “Girasole” is the Italian word for sunflower.  It is derived from the verb “girare,” to turn and “sole,” sun.  The jewelry is light-dependent, sparkling and coming to life under the light of the sun.

 

Jewelry Care

Please treat each handmade piece of jewelry with care.

To prevent damage and tarnishing:

  • Avoid wearing the jewelry when showering/bathing, exercising or sleeping
  • Store each piece individually in a dry, cool environment
  • Gently wipe your jewelry with a soft cloth after each use to prevent buildup of dirt, makeup, skin oils and oxidants that cause tarnishing


 

GiraSole Materials


GiraSole Jewelry only uses precious and semiprecious gemstones, as well as freshwaters pearls.  The following high-quality metals are exclusively incorporated in the collection:

Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% metal alloy (copper).  The copper alloy makes the metal more durable but also prone to tarnishing. 

Fine silver is 99.9% silver.  Because it lacks alloys, it is highly soft and malleable and does not tarnish like sterling silver.

Thai Karen Silver is 97.5 to 99% silver and thus is softer and shinier than sterling silver.  

14K gold-fill is 5% pure gold by weight.  It is comprised of a high-quality jeweler’s brass core with multiple, pressure-bonded outer layers of solid 14K gold.  The outer gold layer is up to 100 times thicker than that in gold-plate.  The mechanical bonding process used for gold-fill, rather than the dipping/electroplating process used for gold-plate, results in a resilient exterior that does not flake or crack.  People with allergies or sensitive skin generally respond well to gold-fill, due to its thick outer layer of gold.  

14K gold is 58.3% gold and 41.7% alloys.  Because 14K gold jewelry contains a high percentage of alloys, it can tarnish.  The tarnish is less noticeable with 14k gold than with sterling silver because it appears as a darker shade of reddish-gold.  

18K gold is 75% gold and 25% alloys.  It is softer and less durable than 14K gold but has a deeper, richer color and does not tarnish.

 


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