We believe that everyone should be able to find the ideal piece of jewellery for their lifestyle, look, and budget. That is why you will find With Bling designs in such a wide choice of materials and finishes.

To help you navigate our collections we have put together this comprehensive guide to the materials we use in our jewellery. Take a look at the options and decide which one is perfect for you.

SOLID GOLD (9K & 14K)

Naturally a soft metal in a golden yellow shade, pure gold is alloyed with other metals to make it the perfect strength and colour for jewellery. We offer solid gold jewellery in a choice of 9K and 14K in yellow and white gold.

Gold is hypoallergenic and is perfect for people with sensitive skin and ears. Solid gold is also less prone to tarnish and to scratches than sterling silver, and is easily repolished to restore its lustre – find out more about solid gold here.

Hallmarking

Any With Bling product in which the gold weight hits over 1g is hallmarked at the London Assay. Curious? Find out more about the process over in our hallmarking blog post.

Care Tips

• Put your solid gold pieces on after your beauty routine to minimise exposure to hairspray, creams and make-up, and don’t let them come in contact with cleaning or household chemicals.
• Give your pieces a clean before putting them away, as tarnish can develop during storage if there’s lingering oils or other substances on the surface.
• Always store your jewellery individually to avoid scratches in a cool, dark place away from extreme temperature or bright sunlight.

Cleaning Tips

• The easiest way to remove tarnish is by using a gold cleaning bath dip, such as the “Hagerty Gold Clean”. Pop your pieces into the included basket and submerge them into the cleaning solution. With a quick stir and a couple of minutes wait your pieces should look brand new again. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth.
• Always make sure to check the gemstones on the products. Some stones, particularly soft ones like pearls and opals, can be damaged by the chemicals in the gold cleaning bath dip. Check with your jeweller first that your pieces will be safe if used with cleaning chemicals. Always read the instructions on whatever cleaning dip, solution, or cloth you choose.
• Alternatively you can use a dedicated gold polishing cloth. Take care when cleaning stone-set pieces to be sure not to catch the claw settings with your cloth.

You’ll Love Gold If…

When you fall in love it’s forever, so you want jewellery that will stand the test of time. You wear your jewellery everyday and want precious pieces that will be beautiful always. You know fine jewellery is an investment and are happy to pay a little extra for pieces you’ll wear and love for years to come.

TITANIUM & 316L STEEL

Titanium and 316L Steel are the most common materials used for piercing and body jewellery. They are extremely hardwearing with a particularly high resistance to corrosion and rust.

If you have sensitive ears then titanium and 316L steel is a great option. They are hypoallergenic and incredibly durable – a perfect choice if you prefer to keep your earrings in day in, day out.

Things To Note

The hardwearing properties that makes titanium and steel so perfect for piercing jewellery has one drawback. These metals are hard, so it is not possible to craft small, dainty and intricate designs. You can expect to see bolder and simpler designs with Solid Titanium or Solid 316L Steel products.

That is why most of our piercing jewellery combines a titanium or 316L steel post with a plated brass design, to give you the best of both worlds.

Cleaning Tips

• Titanium and 316L steel jewellery can easily be cleaned with warm, soapy water. Create a solution with mild washing up liquid and soak your pieces for a few minutes, cleaning gently with a baby toothbrush if needed. Rinse clean in warm water and gently dry with a soft or microfibre cloth.
• If you have chosen a mixed metal piece, then keep the plated brass portion dry and away from chemicals and toiletries. Follow the plated brass care tips for this portion.

You’ll Love Titanium & 316L Steel If…

Your personal style hinges on a bold and original jewellery look and you are never without an ear full of piercings. Your style might be bold but you treat your piercings with care, choosing hypoallergenic posts. Affordable designs help you swell your jewellery collection.

STERLING SILVER

Sterling silver is predominately made of pure silver (92.5%), alloyed (mixed) with other metals to give strength and durability needed for jewellery. Sterling silver is a good option for those with sensitive ears and it can also be crafted into beautiful detailed designs. Although a precious metal, silver is more affordable than gold, ideal for larger and heavier pieces such as statement earrings.

Hallmarking

Any With Bling piece in which the silver weight is over 7.78g is hallmarked at the London Assay. Find out what the little row of stamps mean over in our hallmarking blog post.

Things To Note

Sterling Silver demands a little more care and attention than other metals. Silver is softer than gold, steel, or titanium, so earring posts are very malleable hence easily bent.

Silver is also prone to tarnish if exposed to moisture, oil or chemicals.Luckily, the tarnishing on silver can be easily reversed.

Care Tips

• Remove your jewellery if there is a chance of getting wet; showering, swimming, exercise that makes you sweat.
• Put your sterling silver pieces on after your beauty routine to minimise exposure to hairspray, creams and make-up, and don’t let them come in contact with cleaning or household chemicals.
• Give your pieces a clean before putting them away, as tarnish can develop during storage if there’s lingering oils or other substances on the surface.
• Always store your jewellery individually to avoid scratches in a cool, dark place away from extreme temperature or bright sunlight.

Cleaning tips

• The easiest way to remove tarnish is by using a silver cleaning bath dip, such as the “Hagerty Silver Clean”. Pop your pieces into the included basket and submerge them into the cleaning solution. With a quick stir and a couple of minutes wait your pieces should look brand new again. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth.
• Always make sure to check the gemstones on the products. Some stones, particularly soft ones like pearls and opals, can be damaged by the chemicals in the silver cleaning bath dip. Check with your jeweller first that your pieces will be safe if used with cleaning chemicals. Always read the instructions on whatever cleaning dip, solution, or cloth you choose.
• Alternatively you can use a dedicated silver polishing cloth. Take care when cleaning stone-set pieces to be sure not to catch the claw settings with your cloth.
• If you have chosen a mixed metal piece, then keep the plated brass portion dry and away from chemicals and toiletries. Follow the plated brass care tips for this portion.

You’ll Love Sterling Silver If…

You prefer precious metals for your jewellery. Not yet ready to invest in solid gold, but as a diligent jewellery owner, you are happy to take the extra care to keep your pieces perfect.

PLATED BRASS

Plated jewellery is an excellent option if you want to buy pieces that are on-trend or are on a much smaller budget. Most costume jewellery is manufactured from plated brass as it is not only more affordable, but also very durable and practical when it comes to manufacturing jewellery. The plating process starts with brass as a base metal, which is cleaned and prepared, ready to be plated with a thin layer of gold, rose gold or rhodium.

Things To Note

At first, plated jewellery can possess an almost identical lustre to solid gold pieces and may appear indistinguishable to the untrained eye. Unfortunately, plated pieces will eventually lose their lustre and the plating will wear off over time. Contact with water and chemicals can speed this process up. If you are worried about your jewellery tarnishing or wearing off, and you want to invest in a piece that you can wear every day and for every day activities, such as showering, then plated jewellery may not be the best option for you. (Read more about the difference between solid gold and gold plated.)

Brass isn’t hypoallergenic. While most people won’t have any problems, those with sensitive ears might need to be more cautious.

Care Tips

• Remove your jewellery if there is a chance of getting wet; showering, swimming, exercise that makes you sweat.
• Give your pieces a clean before putting them away, as tarnish can develop during storage if there’s lingering oils or other substances on the surface.
• Always store your jewellery individually to avoid scratches in a cool, dark place away from extreme temperature or bright sunlight.
• Put your plated pieces on after your beauty routine to minimise exposure to hairspray, creams and make-up, and don’t let them come in contact with cleaning or household chemicals.

Cleaning tips

• Avoid using cleaning chemicals and jewellery polishing cloth on plated pieces, as they can wear your plating. Instead use a soft, lint free cloth to gently rub the surface.

You’ll Love Brass If…

A true magpie, you can’t resist adding new jewellery to your collection. Choosing affordable pieces means you can stack, swap and experiment with your jewellery at will – but you’re not too busy to give your pieces the extra TLC they need.