At Sass & Co, our gold jewellery is made from 9ct and 18ct solid gold. We do not sell silver filled or silver infused gold products. 

-9ct gold is a metal composition made from 37.5% pure 24ct gold and a mix of other alloys. 
-18ct gold is a metal composition made from 75% pure 24ct gold and a mix of other alloys. 

Due to the higher content of pure gold, 18ct pieces have a slightly more bright yellow appearance, and is slightly softer than 9ct gold.

We stock solid 9ct and 18ct white gold. The metal composition differs slightly to yellow gold, with the same pure gold content, and different alloys mixed in to make the metal white. 

The final step in giving white gold the beautiful white shine is rhodium plating.

Rhodium is a metal that is used to brighten the surface of white gold. Rhodium is a harder material than gold, therefor it provides jewellery with a durable surface which is scratch and tarnish resistant. Rhodium is bonded onto the metal surface through electroplating. 

Rhodium plating is susceptible to wear and tear through exposure. The lifespan of the rhodium plating will depend on various factors. On average, white gold pieces will require re-plating every 12-18 months. Rings will generally require rhodium plating more frequently that other pieces that receive less contact when worn. After some time, your white gold jewellery piece may appear slightly yellow in some places, this is an indicator that your piece is due for rhodium plating. 

It is important to remember that everyone’s skin is different, and some skin is more acidic or oily than others which can cause rhodium plating to wear off faster.

As the nature of rhodium plating means it will wear down over time, Sass & Co are unable to cover degradation of rhodium plating under warranty.

YELLOW GOLD:
Yellow gold jewellery pieces can be cleaned using warm water with a dash of  dishwashing liquid. Jewellery polishing cloths can be used to improve the appearance and shine of the metal.

WHITE GOLD:
White gold jewellery pieces with stones can be cleaned using warm water with a dash of  dishwashing liquid. This process will only improve the appearance of the stones. The only way to improve the appearance of the metal and remove scratches is to have rhodium plating redone. 
If you would like one of your Sass & Co pieces rhodium plated, please email us here and we can assist you further. 

If you have jewellery pieces purchased from elsewhere, we offer a repair and refurbishment service at Sassano’s Jewellers store in Melbourne which includes rhodium plating. We can only assist with externally purchased pieces in store.

Sterling silver is a metal compound made up of 92.5% pure silver, and 7.5% copper. (stamped 925) 

Whilst minimal, the copper content can cause sterling silver jewellery pieces to oxidise, meaning the metal interacts with oxygen and can cause jewellery to tarnish. 

Sterling silver jewellery is best kept in a plastic zip lock bag, with as much air removed as possible to reduce the risk of tarnishing. 

Some jewellery boxes with felt or dark interiors can also contribute to tarnishing or darkening of the surface of sterling silver pieces. 

Sterling silver’s most fierce enemy is chlorine. Chlorine is a caustic chemical that will damage metal surface, turning it black, and with prolonged exposure can even cause pitting in the metal. Chlorine can be found in swimming pools, some body products such as hand sanitiser, and some cleaning products. Mineral pools or hot springs also contain sulphur that is incredibly harmful to the appearance of sterling silver, and cause a reaction that is sometimes irreversible. We recommend removing any jewellery before entering pools of any kind. 

Please note: Sass & Co are unable to cover tarnishing due to improper use or improper storage under warranty.

Silver jewellery can be polished, and in most cases, will return to it’s original condition if tarnished.

You can use a silver jewellery cleaning solution and polishing cloth to improve the appearance of the metal.

We are able to assist if at-home cleaning is not improving the appearance of the metal to a satisfactory condition. If your jewellery piece was purchased online at Sass & Co, please send us an email to inquire about polishing. 

For jewellery pieces purchased externally, we offer a professional polishing and cleaning service at our Sassano’s Jewellers store in Melbourne. We are unable to assist with externally purchased pieces via Sass & Co.

Our gold plated jewellery is electroplated with multiple layers of 18ct gold, onto sterling silver, meaning electrical currents bind the metals together for longer lasting colour. Gold plated jewellery is an affordable alternative to solid gold.

Please note; Sass & Co are unable cover gradual degradation of plating under warranty, we recommend following our care instructions as closely as possible to extend the life of your gold plated jewellery.

Whilst electroplating creates a chemical bond, plating can wear off over time. With proper care, gold plated jewellery can last for years to come. 

It is important to remember that everyone’s skin is different, and some skin can react with the metal causing the gold plated to wear off quicker than others.

To extend the life of your plated jewellery, we recommend removing your jewellery before submerging in water, such as swimming, washing your hands or showering. It is recommended you also remove plated jewellery prior to exercising of doing any heavy physical activity that will cause you to sweat. If you get your plated piece wet, gently wipe it down immediately. 

Avoid body products such as hand sanitiser, perfumes, creams and makeup to extend the life of your plating. 

The diamond pieces we stock online at Sass & Co, are all set with natural earth mined diamonds. Generally, the colour and clarity of the diamonds set in our ready-to-wear items vary between F/G and SI1/2. 

Diamonds are a very hard substance and can withstand heat and chemicals. Diamonds will never lose their colour or shine.

You can clean your diamond set pieces using warm water and a small amount of mild dishwashing liquid. If required, you can use a small childrens toothbrush or disposable mascara wand, to very gently clean behind the stones.

Please wear any diamond set pieces with extreme care. Whilst diamonds are extremely hard, each diamond is set using claws to hold them in place. In most cases, each claw that secures the diamonds are very, very tiny. If you drop your jewellery piece or knock it into something hard, you risk damaging or breaking claws, which can lead to loss of diamonds. We recommend always removing your diamond rings when washing dishes, or any other rigorous work where your hands may impact with hard surfaces.

Due to the vulnerability of diamond set jewellery, diamond loss or damage, and replacements cannot be covered under manufacturers warranty. 

In the event that you lose a diamond from your Sass & Co piece, we can assist you with repairs and replacements. Please email us here to enquire about our repair service.

For jewellery purchased externally to our store, we offer a repair service in store at Sassano’s Jewellers Melbourne. We are unable to assist with externally purchased pieces via Sass & Co.

The gemstones set in our solid gold jewellery pieces are all natural gemstones. We do not use any synthetic or glass stones. Our range of beautiful gemstone jewellery includes natural Pearl, Emerald, Ruby, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Topaz, Morganite and Sapphire.

To clean your gemstone jewellery, you can use a soft, damp cloth to wipe over the surface. Harsh chemicals or cleaning solutions should be avoided.
If you need to clean behind the gemstone, we recommend using a soft children's toothbrush or similar, soaked in a mild dishwashing liquid and warm water to gently clean dirt or debris from underneath the stone.
We strongly discourage the use of ultrasonic cleaners, as the vibrations can cause cracking in the stones.

Please note: Sass & Co are unable to cover incorrect or improper cleaning methods that do not follow our in depth instructions under warranty.

Natural cedar oil is often used to treat Natural emeralds to enhance the colour and lustre. Therefore, emeralds require more special care than other natural gemstones. 

We advise against soaking emeralds in any soap or water, as this may dilute or remove the oils from the stones subsequentially changing the stone’s appearance. We strongly discourage the use of ultrasonic cleaners, as the ultrasonic vibrations and chemicals can cause cracks and changes of appearance of natural emeralds.

Pearls are very vulnerable to chemicals, and in most cases, glue is used to help secure the pearl in jewellery pieces. Please keep any pearl jewellery away from chemicals including cleaning products, perfumes, hand sanitiser and chlorine,  and take care to not submerge these items in liquid. 

You can clean your pearls by gently wiping over them with a very slightly dampened soft cloth. 

Please note: Sass & Co are unable to cover incorrect or Improper cleaning methods that do not follow our in depth instructions under warranty.

A cubic zirconia is a super sparkly, internally flawless, lab created stone.
Whilst not as hard as a diamond, they are still a durable stone.
Unlike other synthetic clear stones, Cubic zirconia's do not change colour over time.

Avoid exposing cubic zirconias to any harsh chemicals or abrasive surfaces, as they can scratch or damage the stones.

Please wear any stone set jewellery with care. In most cases, stones are set using claws that are very, very tiny. If you drop your jewellery piece or knock it into something hard, you risk damaging or breaking claws, which can lead to loss of stones.

Please note: Due to the vulnerability of stone set jewellery, Sass & Co are unable to cover stone loss caused by accidental damage or improper use under warranty.

Cubic Zirconia pieces can be easily cleaned using warm water and a small amount of mild dishwashing liquid. If required, you can use a small children's toothbrush or disposable mascara wand, to very gently clean behind the stones.

Take care not to submerge gold plated jewellery in cleaning solutions.

Our rings are crafted from precious metals, and are often fine and dainty. Significant pressure applied to the metals can cause the ring to bend out of shape or to break.

We recommend removing your rings prior to the gym, lifting anything heavy, doing rigorous work, swimming and washing dishes.

Avoid any chemicals such as body products and hand sanitiser that may cause the metal to lose its shine, or any abrasive chemicals that may scratch the surface.

Please note: Sass & Co are unable to cover against accidental breakage, damage, or gradual degradation of rings due to improper use or improper storage that do not follow our in depth care instructions under warranty.

Our silver rings are stocked in NUMBERED USA sizes, from 5-9 (depending on style).

Our gold rings are stocked in standard LETTERED AUS/EURO sizes L, N & P. We offer a custom ring resizing service for our Gold, Diamond & Gemstone rings. Click HERE to read more about ring resizing.

To find your ring size, we recommend measuring the internal diameter of a current ring in millimetres, and converting it online.

There is very helpful IOS app called "Ring Sizer" that can assist in measuring rings and converting sizes.

Some of our chains are seamless, delicate fine chains, that require extra care to be taken to avoid stretching or accidental breakage. 

Links in chains can be stretched when caught or tugged, and the more a chain is stretched, the more likely it is to break.
We strongly recommend any chain or necklace be removed prior to sleeping, as extra weight on the chain can cause the links to stretch and/or break. 

Remove necklaces prior to playing sport, and take care when changing clothes, brushing hair or when spending time with small children. 

Please note: Sass & Co are unable to cover accidental damage or breakage due to improper use or improper storage under warranty.

Sass & Co sell a range of different style earrings such as studs, hoops and huggies.

Earrings are beautiful, small and delicate pieces of jewellery, therefore they should always be handled carefully. We strongly advise against sleeping with your earrings on, as excessive weight put on earrings and backings can cause breakage.
we recommend removing earrings before swimming to avoid loss, and taking care when changing clothes or if you have long hair.

As for all jewellery, we recommend keeping earrings out of reach for children & pets as earrings and their backings can be a choking hazard.

For cleaning instructions, please follow the above links specific to the stones included / metal of your earrings.

Huggie earrings are small earrings that clip into themselves at the back in order to close. Huggies are secure type of hoop earrings.

When putting your huggies on, take care not to put any excess pressure on the earring post, as this can cause the post to bend which will result in your huggies being loose.

To tighten loose huggies, you can very gently lift the end of the post upwards.
Please take care as Sass & Co are unable to cover breakage due to excessive force.

Butterfly backings are small earring backings with two circles that grip the post of an earring. Most of our stud earrings are sold with butterfly backings

Since the post of the earring is constantly separating the butterfly backings, they are susceptible to loosening over time. Silver butterflies are especially vulnerable to this as silver is. avery soft material. if your backing become loose, you can tighten them by putting one finger on each side and gently pushing each side toward eachother.
Please take care as we are unable to replace butterflied broken by excessive force.

A select few of our diamond earrings have screwback posts & backings. Screwbacks are incredibly secure, however still delicate. wW recommend taking extra care when applying the backings, and removing earrings prior to sleeping

Sass & Co is a stockist of LOX earring backings.
LOX are a secure locking earring backing that are universal, as can be used on most pairs of earrings with posts.

We recommend LOX on all stud earrings as when applied correctly, significantly reduce the likelihood of losing your earrings.

Lox are a replacement for regular butterfly backings, therefore other backings should be removed prior to applying LOX.