About Your Jewelry

Solid 14k Gold

All of our metals are recycled or fairtrade from the Canadian Mint, so you know that your special pieces come from a good place. All of our fine pieces are made in Canada by expert goldsmiths. Our 14k gold contains 58.5% gold and is the perfect mix for a precious metal that has a beautiful, everyday color tone. It’s more durable than pure gold and doesn’t easily tarnish. 14k gold is a premium gold, and is hypoallergenic for those with skin sensitivities. We offer most pieces in our collection in 14k yellow, white and rose gold. If you have any questions about customizations, please email hello@foeanddear.com.

14k Yellow Gold-Plated

Our demi-fine pieces are made with 14k yellow 2.5-micron gold-plated brass. That's the heaviest gold-plating you can do! To maintain the beauty of your gold vermeil jewelry, it is advisable to remove it before engaging in activities such as swimming, exercising, or showering, as these can accelerate tarnishing and damage the delicate finish. Every so often polish with a cloth to remove dirt and oils. This will help extend the life of the gold-plating. Spot clean with lukewarm water, a mild soap, and a soft cloth as needed. Store in a cloth bag when not they are not being worn.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver can tarnish quite quickly when it comes into contact with oxygen or sulfur. However, the best measure to prevent this is wearing your jewelry often. Usually, the oils in your skin help prevent tarnish, however, this will vary depending on your own body chemistry.

If your silver jewelry is tarnished, you can gently clean it with a jewelry polishing cloth. 

There are also many great home remedies for cleaning and polishing online. Just remember that silver is very soft so use something like a very soft baby toothbrush to avoid scratching.

Diamonds
Diamonds are April's birthstone and one of our favorite gemstones to work with at Foe & Dear. They rank 10/10 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness so the only thing that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. By thinking with the environment in mind, we only partner with suppliers who are Kimberley Process Certified. The KPCS is an organization that supports suppliers who are committed to reducing the flow of conflict diamonds into the industry. By partnering with diamond suppliers who work closely with small mining companies, we are able to help and support their local communities by providing industry and employment opportunities. We offer a wide variety of diamonds on the site in our Fine Jewelry, Ready to Ship Ceremony and Create Your Own Ring collections. Some popular diamond sources are Canada, Australia, Russia, Africa, India and Brazil. If you're looking for white diamonds with origin certificates that aren't offered online, please email hello@foeanddear.com.

Sapphires
A gemstone that comes in a rainbow of colors (except red because those are rubies!) Sapphires rank 9/10 on the Moh's scale of hardness so they're a great choice for a piece that's meant to wear everyday. Like our diamonds, all our gemstones are sourced from suppliers that work with small mining operations and source only conflict-free materials. We offer a wide variety of sapphires on the site in our Fine Jewelry, Ready to Ship Ceremony and Create Your Own Ring collections. Popular sapphire sources are Australia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka,  USA, and Thailand. Lucky for you September babies, this is your gorgeous birthstone. If you're looking for sapphires with origin certificates that aren't offered online, please email hello@foeanddear.com.

Opals
Opal stones are widely regarded as one of the most beautiful gemstones. Opal colors are white, pink, red, blue and violet, but opal stones can also be brown or orange. Usually opals are rather small, and possess a glassy or plasmic glow. The characteristic color of opal comes from the interference of transmitted light. Popular opal sources are Australian (white with rainbow sparkle), and Ethiopia (beautiful glassy rainbow shine). They’re also October’s birthstone.

Opals are one fo the softer gemstones and require a little more care when it comes to wear and storage. 

Pearls
Freshwater pearls are the product of mussels that inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers. Freshwater pearls are beautiful, rare, and of the highest quality. They are naturally a creamy white and contain no dye. Each pearl has a lustrous, iridescent and rainbow hue. Pearls are June’s birthstone.