Post Primadonna creates and curates a range of fashion-focused, unique and memorable pieces. Crafted to produce predominately semi-fine jewellery and fashion jewellery.
When it comes to fine, semi-fine and fashion jewellery, what is the real difference and which is the best? Trick question. They're all a fantastic option and should be considered based on personal factors like budget, trendy-vs-timeless and how much time, energy and money you'd like to contribute to maintenance.
WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT SHADES IN GOLD PLATING?
Your eyes aren't deceiving you, there are plenty of different shades of Gold, just like there are plenty of different shades of black. Depending on the base material, the gold percentage or the colours used in the individual piece – your gold can appear warmer, brighter, softer or neutral.
To combat the confusion this brings, we've created a colour reference to help you choose your piece more carefully.
WHAT IS FASHION JEWELLERY?
Fashion jewellery is usually made with predominately base metals and lab-created imitation stones to give you the look of a premium piece, for a fraction of the price. Materials like brass, nickel, copper, aluminium, acrylic, resin, leather, cubic zirconia, diamanté, glass, Swarovski crystals and even gold/silver plated metals also fall under this same category.
You may be tempted to presume that lower-priced items are more likely to be fashion jewellery, while higher priced items are made with genuine precious metals, but this is often not the case. You could visit a designer website now, and be surprised to find fashion jewellery for upwards of $1500. The brand, design, fabrication, production and skills required to produce the final item are all factored into the final quality, and then ofcourse, the price.
Fashion jewellery heavily factors in broader trends and modern design themes, and is not intended to mimic or replace "real" genuine gold and silver pieces. It has a reputation of being artistic, stylish, unique and a reflection of individual personal style. While it's not intended to last a lifetime, a bit of care, regular cleaning and safe storage practices can keep them in your collection for years to come.
For more tips, visit Post Primadonna's Jewellery Care Guide.
WHAT IS SEMI-FINE JEWELLERY?
For those who want a trend-driven, fashion forward piece, that is more durable and less likely to tarnish as easily. Semi-fine jewellery bridges the gap between fine and fashion, often using a small percentage of genuine gold and silver to fill or plate classic fashion jewellery metals like brass. Or, in best case scenarios, sterling silver, which is great for brass and nickel allergies as it is less likely to irritate skin.
Similar to fashion jewellery, semi-fine is often crafted with lab-created or enhanced gemstones and pearls that visually mimic the original at a far lower price point.
Semi-fine and gold plated jewellery requires maintenance to ensure longevity. It shouldn't be worn in water or exposed to excessive moisture and oils.
WHAT IS GOLD PVD COATING?
WHAT IS GOLD PLATED JEWELLERY?
WHAT IS GOLD FILLED JEWELLERY?
Gold-filled jewellery is crafted by using a solid layer of gold that is bonded to a base of another metal, such as sterling silver, copper or brass. While typically less expensive than solid gold jewellery, it is actually more durable, and manages to retain it's style and lustre even after years if wear.
WHAT IS GOLD VERMEIL JEWELLERY?
Not to be confused with traditional gold plating, vermeil (pronounced ver-may) is a thick layer of 18k solid gold on sterling silver, as opposed to brass. It mimics the look of genuine gold, with a higher quality than fashion jewellery.
WHAT IS RHODIUM-PLATED JEWELLERY?
Rhodium is the whitest and most precious metal used for jewellery and is often mistaken for silver. Similar to gold-plated, rhodium-plated jewellery is made from a base metal like brass, nickel, copper or sterling silver, then coated in a thin layer of rhodium for extra strength and shrine. Rhodium plating does not scratch, dent, tarnish or corrode and is said to be non-toxic and overall a safer choice for sensitive skin.
WHAT IS 925 STERLING SILVER JEWELLERY?
925 Sterling silver is a lightweight metal made of 92.5% pure silver. It’s highly durable and designed for everyday wear and sensitive skin.