You've got Questions... We've Got Answers

How do I determine my ring size?

We offer full sizes from 5 to 11 (half sizes are not available). Use this handy guide to make sure you measure for the correct size.

What's the best way to care for my jewelry?

Do not wear jewelry when doing rough work; avoid exposing jewelry to household chemicals, chlorine and salt-water. Always handle a ring by its edges or shank, do not pull a ring off your hand by its prongs. Do not subject stones to excessive heat (only rubies, diamonds, and sapphires can withstand high temperatures). Put on jewelry after using hairspray, perfume, and cologne- as they may dull the gemstones. At home, clean your jewelry with a polishing cloth or home ultrasonic, but check that the gemstones can tolerate the chemicals used.

Caring for Sterling Silver

Silver requires more maintenance than any other metal because of tarnishing, which occurs when silver is exposed to pollutants in the air -- which are then exacerbated by moisture and heat. Tarnish can be removed easily with any chemical tarnish-removing solution.

Clean your sterling silver jewelry with a soft 100% cotton (nub-free) or flannel cloth and gently rub off any dirt or oils. Silver is a very soft metal and can scratch if not handled carefully, so make sure to use a soft touch. Never use anything but clean, 100% cotton or a special sterling-silver cleaning cloth or very soft bristle brush (like a baby’s toothbrush or a horsehair silver brush). Paper, polyester and coarse fabrics often contain wood fibers or synthetics that can cause tiny scratches in the surface of fine sterling silver jewelry. Dirt left over from previous cleanings can scratch the surface as well.

Caring for Gemstones

Emeralds, sapphires, rubies…everybody loves sparkling gemstone jewelry. Gemstones are literally hard as rock, but can be damaged by careless handling and negligence. A little caution goes a long way in keeping your gems and jewelry looking fabulous for years to come.

Even the hardest gemstone variety can be vulnerable to breakage if it has inclusions that weaken the crystal structure. Exercise common sense: if you have a ring set with a softer gem variety or an included stone, take it off before strenuous exercise. Even the hardest gem of them all – diamond -- can shatter in two with a single well-placed blow. Never remove rings by pulling on the stone: that habit may result in a loose, then lost, gem. Most importantly, store each piece of gemstone jewelry separately so that harder stones don’t scratch softer ones. Almost every gemstone is much harder than the metal it is set in. Gems can scratch the finish on your gold, silver or platinum so be sure to carefully place your jewelry in a drawer or jewelry box. Rings in particular tend to collect dust and soap behind the gem, especially if you wear them all the time. You need to clean them regularly to let the light in so your gems can shine. To clean transparent crystalline gemstones, simply soak them in water with a touch of gentle dish soap. (Use a bowl of water rather than the sink to eliminate the risk of anything going down the drain.) Think twice before putting genuine gemstones in an ultrasonic cleaner. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires will be fine but many other gems many not be -- in particular, emerald, opal, pearls and peridot; when in doubt, leave it out.

Caring for Cubic Zirconia

To keep your CZ brilliant, use a cotton or flannel cloth to wipe your jewelry clean; there are special jewelry-polishing cloths that will do the trick as well. Use straight back-and-forth strokes to remove any surface dirt and dust. Do not rub in circular motions; that can scratch the surface of your jewelry. Just like a diamond, a cubic zirconia can be cleaned with warm water and mild soap (you can use a soft cosmetic applicator to reach crevices) or a trusted jewelry cleaner.

Steaming your CZ jewelry: Using a tea kettle, or any other method that produces steam, hold your jewelry directly over the steam stream. Wear gloves and use tongs or needle-nose pliers to avoid burns. After steaming, use your polishing cloth to dry your jewelry.

Cubic zirconia can also be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner. These units are inexpensive and come in handy if you own a lot of CZ jewelry.

Store your jewelry in an airtight, sealable plastic bag. If this isn't possible, store your jewelry in a lined jewelry box, away from the outside air.

What is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver is often characterized as pure silver when, in fact, it’s a silver alloy. Pure silver, also called fine silver, is defined as 99.9% pure silver, but is too soft for most uses. Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver, with the remaining 7.5% being another metal, most often copper. The addition of the less costly metal - often called a base metal - serves to harden the resulting alloy so that the metal can be cast into shapes that it will retain with use.

What is CZ (Cubic Zirconia)?

Cubic zirconia is a synthetic crystalline substance that’s used as an affordable alternative to diamonds. Though much less expensive than diamonds, the brilliance and crystal clarity of CZ make it one of today's most popular stones for an attractive-yet-inexpensive diamond-like gem. Cubic zirconia isn’t a mineral; it’s a man-made substance, not to be confused with the natural gemstone zircon. The current synthetic version of cubic zirconia is a crystalline form of the metallic element zirconium dioxide. First produced in a laboratory in 1977, CZ crystals are made by melting powdered zirconium and zirconium dioxide together by heating them up to 4,982ºF.

Quality

Unlike diamonds, cubic zirconia is simulated to be flawless. CZ can be perfectly structured, free of inclusions, totally transparent and possess a brighter fire. Like with other gemstones, cut, size and shape influence how light is refracted and will affect the stone's brilliance. Similar to diamonds and other gemstones, cubic zirconia has its own grading scale to measure quality.

Cubic Zirconia vs. Diamonds

A colorless cubic zirconia is extremely difficult to distinguish from a diamond, and appears identical to the untrained eye. While a diamond is a naturally occurring gemstone, cubic zirconia is simulated. Diamonds are the hardest gemstone in the world, a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness (talc being the softest). Cubic zirconia is softer, but still considered a hard gemstone with an 8.5 rating. The denseness of cubic zirconia makes it about 75% heavier than diamonds. Cubic zirconia tends to contain more flashes of color than the typical diamond; its very high refractive index and transparency mimics the look of the most expensive diamonds in clarity and brilliance. Cubic zirconia does not have cleavages, making it less brittle and susceptible to chips and cracks than real diamonds.

What is Platinum?

Platinum is a precious metal and 35 times rarer than gold. It is one of the most expensive precious metals on the market. Platinum is hypo-allergenic and will not fade or tarnish because it is so pure. Due to its durability and strength, it is the perfect choice for everyday wear.

What does Platinum Plate mean?

Platinum plating is the process used to plate finished jewelry pieces to get a harder, more brilliant white, reflective appearance, as well as providing a surface that will resist scratches. Because of sterling silver's tendency to tarnish, platinum's remarkable anti-tarnish characteristics have made it the ideal coating for protecting the surface finish on objects constructed from sterling silver, like jewelry.

A platinum plated finish practically eliminates the need for frequent cleaning and polishing on sterling silver objects, and can dramatically increase the long-term durability, brightness and luster of the finish. Nevertheless, because it is a plating, it will eventually wear off over time. How soon depends on how much wear and tear the jewelry item takes. But almost any jeweler can quickly re-plate your jewelry to bring back the original shine and luster that only platinum can provide.

What is carat weight?

Carat is the term used to express the weight of a stone, with one carat equaling 200 milligrams of actual weight. Total Carat Weight (TCW) is used to express the total weight of multiple stones used in a piece of jewelry.

Carat Weight vs. Size
Carat weight is used as a measure for other gemstones, but different gems of the same weight aren't necessarily the same size, because some gemstones are more dense than others, meaning that they pack more weight into a smaller space.

Why is my sterling silver tarnishing?

That’s just the nature of silver. Silver is a metal that reacts to chemicals, whether in the air, or chemicals touching it. It’s best to avoid the following: wool, rubber bands, latex gloves, oils from your hands and fingers, ammonia, chlorinated water, carpet padding, air pollution, perfumes, hair sprays, and even foods like onions, mayonnaise, salad dressing, eggs or salty foods. In fact, simple humidity can cause silver to tarnish.

The good thing is that it's easy to buff and clean silver. With a polishing cloth or a jeweler's buffing wheel, it takes just a couple of minutes to make your sterling silver jewelry look new again.

The best way to store your silver jewelry is in individually sealed poly- or zip-lock bags. Store with silica gel packs to help remove any moisture from the air. It won't keep your jewelry from tarnishing, but it will delay the process.

Clean your silver jewelry with warm water and dry it with a soft cloth after you wear it to remove any oily residue. That will slow the tarnishing process as well.

Ordering

Do you process international orders?
At this time we cannot process international orders.

Do you accept mail orders?
Yes, we do. Please send check or money order to to:
Sterlington Collection
79 Two Bridges Road
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Please include item number and size (if applicable).

Payment Options

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover
We can only accept checks by mail.