MATERIALS
All our jewellery is ethically handcrafted using the highest quality materials and specially designed for everyday wear. We have put a lot of attention into the materials we use and designs to ensure that you can wear your beautiful pieces every single day and have it last a lifetime.
18K SOLID GOLD
Gold is measured by purity, and the amount of pure gold used in jewellery determines its karat value. The higher the amount of pure gold used, the higher the karat. Pure gold jewellery is 24K, signifying 100% pure gold. However, pure gold is extremely soft and malleable, meaning it changes shape easily and is it not suitable to withstand life and everyday wear.
At VANAOC, our pieces are made with 18K solid gold, meaning it is 75% pure gold, with the remaining 25% made up of alloyed metals to increase its toughness and durability, making it suitable for every day wear. By using 18K solid gold, it allows you as the customer to enjoy fine jewellery containing the highest amount of pure gold without compromising quality.
Our 18K solid gold pieces are made to be worn and loved every day, not just on special occasions. 18K gold is a precious metal that will not tarnish, oxidise, or discolour, therefore making it suitable for every day use and for every single lifestyle.
You will find that all our VANAOC 18K solid gold jewellery will be marked with ‘18K’ to represent the gold purity of the piece.
Due to its purity, 18K gold is on the higher end of the price spectrum, making it ‘fine jewellery’. However, its quality is unmatched and can last beyond your lifetime if properly cared for. We believe that VANAOC 18K gold jewellery is truly a worthwhile investment in the long run for your jewellery collection as it lasts forever – It does not tarnish, oxidise, lose its colour, or cause reactions. Your 18K gold VANAOC jewellery will stay with you forever and will always look as beautiful and polished as the day you got it.
WHY GOLD PLATED / GOLD VERMEIL /GOLD FILLED IS UNSUSTAINABLE
Gold plated, gold vermeil and gold filled jewellery are all made with base metals such as brass, copper, nickel, or sterling silver, which is then plated with a thin layer of gold. Most of the time, these pieces will lose their gold plating and reveal the base metals they’re made of. Many gold-plated jewellery pieces are composed of copper, which is why your skin may turn green as a response to the copper. Any gold-plated jewellery is inherently bad for the environment. This is due to the fact that cyanide, a highly toxic chemical, is commonly used in the plating process. Cyanide is among the worst of the various chemicals that are utilised.
As a society, we purchase a lot of inexpensive, gold-plated/vermeil/filled jewellery that we wear until it tarnishes, discolours, oxidises, or causes skin reactions and then is thrown away. Due to this, a lot of the gold-plated/vermeil/filled jewellery that we have, ends up in our landfills, with the toxic chemicals used in the plating process leaked into our water systems or into our atmosphere.
While purchasing gold plated/vermeil/filled jewellery may seem like a cost-effective option, you may find that you soon need to replace it since it won't remain as beautiful and polished as when you first got it – It becomes unsustainable as the cycle repeats.
BENEFITS OF 18K GOLD
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The highest practical purity – If you want a practical piece of fine gold jewellery with the highest amount of pure gold, 18K is as good as you’re going to get, as 24K is untenable.
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Never tarnishes/oxidises/discolours/reacts – At VANAOC, we have tested and trialled wearing our pieces every day for 1 year, including to sleep, shower, swim, apply creams, etc. We have found that other than getting a little dull from being dirty, after a proper clean, the pieces were as beautiful and shiny as before. Gold is a non-reactive metal and hence, when exposed to other elements, its quality is not compromised.
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Colour – 18K gold produces the most beautiful warm, rich, bright yellow shine, making it perfect for special occasions or statement pieces.
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Sustainable – 18K gold jewellery will last a lifetime if cared for properly and you will never have to replace it like other inexpensive fast-fashion gold jewellery.