FAQS

Katrina LaPenne Jewelry is made of high quality materials and with minimal cleaning and care, will last a life time. Solid sterling silver, Brass and 14k gold jewelry is easily cleaned with regular dish soap and water. Gold plated jewelry can be gently cleaned with soap and water. But please be aware that any vigorous scrubbing will take off the layer of gold plating. If you plan on wearing your rings everyday, please consider ordering a solid sterling silver or 14k gold piece. They will withstand cleaning and constant wear much better than a plated piece.

Regular silver tarnish remover can be used on both solid sterling silver and 14k gold pieces to remove any oxidation (see section on tarnishing below). Tarnish remover should not be used on gold plated jewelry. If your piece is in need of repair, please email us at info@katrinalapenne.com to arrange shipping and repair charges. All pieces will be repaired free of charge within one year of purchase. After one year prices will vary according to the piece and the extent of damage. Please note, the customer will be responsible for all shipping charges.

Gold Vermeil is a thin layer of real gold plated over a piece of solid Sterling Silver jewelry. Gold Vermeil will eventually wear off, revealing the silver beneath. Earrings and necklaces will keep their plating longer than rings. Please note that plating will wear off quickly on rings that are worn everyday, that are worn while swimming or kept on in the shower. To minimize the wear of vermeil plating please avoid contact with water and rough surfaces.

Plated jewelry does not tarnish like silver.  If you would like to have your piece re-plated, please email us first. Re-plating may take up to three weeks. Customers are responsible for all shipping charges for re-plating. If you would like to wear your jewelry everyday or if you tend to be rough on your jewelry, please consider ordering a solid 14k gold option. It will withstand wear and tear, gold vermeil will not, and will need to be re-plated periodically in order to keep its gold color.

Tarnish or darkening of the metal, especially in recesses of the piece, is caused by oxidation of the surface layer of metal. It occurs over time with exposure to air and moisture. Wearing your jewelry in the water or during bathing will speed up tarnishing. Storing your jewelry in a dry airtight container will inhibit tarnish. Silver cleaner form the hardware or pharmacy is an easy way to clean the tarnish from your silver and gold jewelry. Please note, some people develop dark areas on their fingers when wearing sterling silver rings. This is a normal reaction between the silver and a person’s body chemistry. Both sterling silver and 14k gold tarnish. 14k gold will tarnish at a much, much slower rate than silver.

Some people can wear 14k jewelry for years without any tarnish or darkening at all. It depends on your body chemistry, the climate you live in and how often you wear your jewelry.

Rose cut diamonds are genuine, real diamonds. They have the same hardness and durability as more traditional brilliant cuts. Rose cut diamonds will withstand many years of wear and tear, making them ideally suited for engagement rings that can be worn everyday. Like any diamond however, they can chip or crack if subjected to intense pressure or force. They come in many different colors, from white and grey to black, pink, blue, yellow, green, etc. We usually have a large selection of white, gray, and black diamonds to choose form as well as some stones in other colors. If you have a specific color in mind, please contact us for availability.

The Rose Cut is an unusual antique style of diamond cutting first used in Europe in the 16th century. The stone is flat on the bottom and faceted on the top in varying patterns. Because of it’s shape, the Rose cut often has a much larger foot print (looks much larger) than a traditional brilliant cut of the same carat weight. The Brilliant cut first came into use in the 17th century and eventually eclipsed other cut styles in popularity starting in 20th century due to advances in diamond cutting technology. The Brilliant cut is now the most common and ubiquitous cut available and what most people think of as a ‘diamond’ shape. We at Katrina LaPenne Jewelry love the unusual and uncommon. Each rose cut diamond is unique in shape and color. That means your engagement ring will never be exactly the same as anyone else’s’. It is truly one of a kind.

All of our diamonds come from responsible suppliers who comply with Kimberley Process Regulations. This means that all of our supplier’s diamonds are exported and imported from conflict free sources. Please note, we do not offer individual diamond certification.