The Linea Nervenkitt Difference

What sets Linea Nervenkitt apart from many of the other independent designers out there is our absolute dedication to quality and details. We pride ourselves on our extensive knowledge of gems and pay extreme attention to the quality of the gems we buy for our designs to ensure that all of our gems are genuine. The thing that we love best about gems is that, like people, each one has its own little imperfections that sets it apart and makes each one unique. Often times, the sole characteristic that differentiates a real gem from a lab-created one is that the real one will have tiny inclusions or flaws.

COLOR ENHANCEMENT OF GEMS
We make an effort to use natural gems that have not been color enhanced. However, enhancements to achieve certain colors have become more and more common in the gem market. If we must, we use only those gems whose enhancements are tried-and-true, long-standing industry standards and stay away from any gem that is pigment-dyed (color will run and fade) or has been ground up and reconstituted with colored glass (this happens quite often in fashion jewelry so beware--if something looks too perfect or is surprisingly cheap, it probably is fake). If you are ever unsure about the authenticity of a gem, feel free to drop us a note and we'll be happy to clarify any issues for you as best as we can. Our email is service@nervenkitt.com.

14k GOLD-FILLED
Goldfilled can exist as 10K, 12K, and 14K (14k is the highest karat for goldfilled). All the goldfilled that we use is 14k. 14k gold-filled is produced by fusing a layer of solid 14k gold to a supporting metal alloy. The bond produced is a permanent one and will not rub off with wear. The karat gold content must be 1/20th of the total metal weight, whereas goldplate by definition contains less. We use mainly 14k gold-filled to create beautiful, yet durable and affordable jewelry. Much of the goldfilled we use is manufactured with a special Hamilton finish, which gives it a warm rich color.

GOLD PLATING
Though most of our designs are made with goldfilled materials, some pieces in the Linea Nervenkitt collection are goldplated. Unlike most other jewelry out there, which are plated with 0.5-1 micron of gold, Linea Nervenkitt jewelry is treated with heavy goldplate, with a thickness of 2.5 microns. With proper care, this heavy plating will last a long long time and prevents the underlying metals (usually brass or bronze) from tarnishing through.

GOLD VERMEIL
Gold vermeil describes any piece of jewelry or component that is made by heavy electroplating sterling silver with gold. By regulation, it is not vermeil if the plating is less than 2.5 microns thick, and if the piece is not made of sterling silver. All of our vermeil is true vermeil.

We hope that you, our customer, will appreciate our continuing effort to put the best ingredients into our jewelry!