Betty Jewelry Care FAQs

Here’s all you need to know about your silver & golden Betty treasures:

What is Betty Gold Vermeil?

Our gold vermeil designs are precious metal pieces made with a luscious and thick 24K gold coating over solid .925 sterling silver core. Each piece is hand-crafted in our Bali studio by our team of expert artisan smiths who have been creating our Betty gold jewelry since 2020.

Can REAL .925 sterling silver tarnish?

YES! Real .925 sterling silver can & will tarnish if it is left in areas where it can oxidize (AKA left out in air & not stored in a jewelry box, etc).

Sterling silver is made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals. We use copper! While pure silver is naturally resistant to tarnish, the small amount of copper in sterling silver reacts with sulfur and other compounds in the air, causing a dark layer to form on the surface over time.

This natural process is called tarnishing. Silver would be too soft to use if we used 100% sterling silver

Many everyday things can speed up tarnishing, including humidity, ocean air, perfumes, lotions, sunscreen, household cleaners, and even your body’s unique chemistry. 

The good news is that tarnish is easy to remove. A soft polishing cloth made for sterling silver will restore its shine in just a few minutes. Regular wear can also help keep sterling silver looking bright, since gentle friction naturally polishes the surface. This cloth is the best $4 you’ll ever spend!

There is unfortunately a lot of misinformation about tarnish out there!

At Betty Belts .925 sterling silver.  Like all real solid sterling silver jewelry, it may tarnish over time—but that’s simply a sign of authentic sterling silver doing what sterling silver naturally does.

On rare occasions we will see a piece of gold vermeil jewelry “tarnish”. This is because the piece got exposed to something to cause the silver underneath the coating of 24K gold to oxidize.

No worries though! Just take a polishing cloth to it and it will come right off.

Will they ever turn my skin green?

No. There’s a lot of poor-quality “gold” jewelry out there, so we worked very hard to perfect ours to the best possible quality with pure metals at a reasonable price.

Our Betty gold jewelry will stay shiny & golden for many moons– and with proper care– many years.

Our precious metal designs will NEVER turn brassy, dull, or green. This only happens with cheap base metals such as copper or nickel. etc

Can my gold vermeil jewelry get scratched?

Yes. Though our 24K gold layer is thick enough to outlast most thin gold-plated jewelry out there, we strongly advise avoiding any ABRASION, CHEMICALS, or DAMAGING WEAR to keep it from scratching, fading, or wearing out faster (i.e., beach combing or playing in the sand, kettlebells, or gardening, etc.) RINGS tend to take the heaviest beating in life, so that’s where you’ll want to be more careful.

How long will it stay gold?

This depends on how the jewelry is worn and how it’s taken care of when in storage. Over a good long time with normal wear, the gold layer will fade and the solid sterling base will begin to show…

And though we admit they won’t stay gold forever, especially for those who wear them 24/7– with typical wear, pieces will fade very gradually. But when the time comes, you’ll have two fantastic ways to keep that Betty golden and gleaming in your collection…

1. Simply take or send your piece back to us at Betty HQ for a partial recycling credit towards a brand new one!

OR

2. If you prefer, we offer a re-dipping service for a fee. This is an especially sweet option for any sentimental sea glass Bettys in gold vermeil. Here’s a link to how it works.

What happens when it fades?

After a good long while, after the gold vermeil layer fades, you have these options:

  1. Keep wearing it and let the silver show through over time, and enjoy it as a solid sterling piece.
  2. Redip it –  We can re-coat it in gold for half the original price.
  3. Recycle it – Send it back to us and get a small credit.
  4. Tarnishing? – Rare, but if it happens, a quick wipe with a soft or well-worn polishing cloth usually does the trick.

Top tips to keep gold vermeil gleaming:

  • Avoid ABRASION & HARSH CHEMICALS
  • Proper storage is necessary to keep gold vermeil looking shiny and bright– as it unfortunately can’t be cleaned or treated. Doing this would scratch or compromise the golden finish.
  • When not wearing your jewelry, store your special pieces in a place not exposed to open air– either a jewelry box or a dedicated drawer is great.
  • Although not the most glamorous, plastic bags with an airtight zip seal are the best thing to use. We’ve also discovered this is a great way to keep your jewelry organized and safe while traveling. Come by the shop, and we’ll give you as many as you need, plus a new sticker to add to your collection!
  • Get a super cute Betty Jewelry Box that has nifty features for our Bettys on the go, or to just keep your jewels safe and organized.

Have more care questions? Give us a buzz or text at 805-400-2188 or email [email protected]  , and we’ll be thrilled to help.

Can I wear my jewelry in the water?

For most items, the answer is yes; exceptions are all sea glass rings and pendants with a closed bezel on the back, which have the potential to get water trapped underneath the glass. It is less noticeable with our darker colored glass, but still possible.

Avoid underwater immersion due to potential water spotting under the glass. Don’t worry, though; showering and washing your hands is totally fine.

To prevent this from happening, take off your sea glass pieces before you go in the ocean or pools. You can absolutely still wear them in the water; it is just at your own risk if water spotting does occur. We CAN clean & reset them for you for a fee. Reach out to us if you have any repair questions!

Looking for a water-safe option? We recommend our Marion charms, Reversible Pendants, & Hope Collection! Those will not get water spotting due to their open backs.

As for rings, you could go with our .925 sterling silver stackers, shell rings, or darker pieces of glass if you don’t want the possibility of this happening.

Betty Buy Back Program:

Refresh your Betty collection by bringing in your gently worn Bettys and get up to 20-40% back on the base price of the item to spend on something new! 

So instead of becoming dusty clutter in your space, your pre-owned silver Betty jewelry becomes new treasure for someone else. Win, win, win. Happy trading, beautiful!

Learn more about our Betty Buy Back program here!

Recycling Program:

Say your piece was bought past its quality GUARANTEE, we still have options for you! 

If you’ve worn out your friendship bracelets,  accidentally stepped on your ring, or have other pieces that need love, we offer recycling shopping credit toward a new purchase when you return any of our designs made primarily with SOLID STERLING, GOLD VERMEIL, SEA GLASS, SURF RESIN, PEARLS, and/or GEMSTONES to our shop. 

Bring it back to us and receive 10% back on the base price of each item toward anything new in the shop. Learn more about our recycling program!

What services apply to me if I bought my Betty on Sale?

ALL SALE ITEMS ARE FINAL SALE (exceptions may apply)

  • Unfortunately, our 6-month manufacturing does NOT apply to sale items.
  • We CAN do repairs on Sale items for a small fee <3