Gold Information and Jewellery Care

 

What metals do we use to craft our jewellery?

L'Escalet's collections are crafted exclusively in 18 karat solid gold. A few pieces are also available in sterling silver.

Our precious metals are recycled in order to minimize our ecological footprint.

 

What is solid gold?

With its natural luster, hypoallergenic properties and resistance to tarnishing and rusting, solid gold is used when it comes to crafting quality jewellery.

Each piece is measured by karatage (K), which indicates the piece’s pure gold content and its proportion with other metal alloys.

All our pieces are marked with a "750" hallmark. It means that you have in your hands a jewel crafted in 18K gold. The alloy contains 75% of pure gold and represents the worldwide standard of high quality fine jewellery. It guarantees the strength and durability needed for everyday, long-lasting wear.

 

No gold-filling, no gold-plating, no vermeil

We do not produce gold filled, gold-plated nor vermeil jewellery.

These types of jewellery contain minutes traces of gold applied on other base metals and will tarnish and lose its value very quickly.

 

Quality of diamonds and gemstones

All the diamonds and gemstones used to embellish our jewellery are carefully selected and handpicked to guarantee the best quality, cuts and dispersion of light.

Our white diamonds quality is F-G / VS-SI.

For specific design we also use natural fancy colored diamonds, with a clarity always between VVS and SI.

We use natural diamonds and gemstones only. Please note that no two stones are perfectly alike. They can slightly vary in color and size, as well as contain small imperfections, due to their natural state. These characteristics make their beauty and uniqueness.


Does our jewellery come with a certificate?

L’Escalet delivers an authenticity certificate and a 12 months warranty with each jewellery piece purchased.

An independent laboratory certificate (GIA, IGI) comes with every piece of jewellery with diamonds with a minimum weight of 0.3 carat per stone.

 

Jewellery care suggestions for gold and diamond jewellery
Our jewellery is precious, delicate and handmade, hence it should be handed with care at all times. A very easy regular cleaning / maintenance is recommended to keep your jewellery shiny all year round and ensure a long life to your favorite pieces.

 

  • Avoid handling chemical and strong cosmetic products when you are wearing jewellery.
  • When travelling, store your jewellery pieces separately in soft pouches, to make sure they do not scratch by rubbing against each others.
  • As regular care, simply soak your jewellery for a few hours in a bowl of warm soapy water (preferably dishwashing liquid). Once out of the water, rinse it thoroughly with water and dry it in a soft cloth.
  • After having soaked your jewellery in soapy water for some time, you can clean the diamonds by brushing them and their setting very gently with an ultra soft toothbrush to avoid scratches on the surrounding metal. Rinse thoroughly with clear water and finish cleaning by polishing your jewellery with a soft cloth.
  • For your security and to avoid loosing your jewellery, we advise you to remove it when exercising and doing outdoors activities. For your comfort, you may also want to take it off before going to sleep.

Specific care suggestions for Emeralds


Emerald is a very sensitive and delicate gemstone and requires particular care. In order not to break it, weaken it or alter its luster and beauty, it is imperative to follow the below recommendations.

  • Natural emeralds typically and normally have inclusions. Inclusions help gemologists determine the geographical origin and real earth mined stones from synthetic. Emeralds are typically oil-treated to improve clarity.
  • Emeralds should never be cleaned with steam, any cleaning solution or solvent, since these methods are not compatible with the oil treatment and can remove or dissolve it, while tarnishing the appearance of the gemstone.
  • Make sure not to use an ultrasonic cleaner on emerald jewellery.
  • Emeralds are sensitive to chemical products, which can penetrate in their inclusions. Make sure not to wear emerald jewellery in the shower, pool, sea, hot bath, while washing dishes, bleaching, or gardening. Be careful also not to pour beauty products such as perfumes, lotions and creams on emeralds.
  • Emeralds are brittle and sensitive to shocks, hence it's recommended to shield them from physical impacts.
  • Emeralds are sensitive to heat; make sure not to wear them in the sauna, hot tub or while cooking (opening the oven)
  • To clean your emerald jewellery, fill a bowl with lukewarm water and put a very small amount of MILD dish soap in it. Place the jewellery for a minute in the mixture. Use a SOFT toothbrush to carefully remove the dirt accumulated on your piece (not directly on the top of the gemstone). Submerge your piece in a second bowl filled up with water to remove all soapy residues and dry the jewellery with a soft microfiber cloth.
  • Store your emeralds in a separate pouch to avoid scratching with harder stones like sapphire or diamonds.