Style Guides

What Does Gold Plated Mean? (And Why the Term Tells You Almost Nothing)

Gold plated is the vaguest word in jewellery. Here's what it actually means, the two numbers that decide whether a piece lasts, and what every other plating term is really telling you.

What Does a Pinky Ring Mean on a Man?

Wondering what it means when a man wears a ring on his little finger? From British signet tradition to American class rings, here's where that meaning actually comes from, and how to wear one yours...

The Most Expensive Jewellery Ever Sold

What does the most expensive jewellery in the world actually cost, and what are those famous rapper chains really worth? One of those questions has a verifiable answer. The other doesn't.

How to Clean Earring Holes (And the Earrings That Go In Them)

Sore or smelly earring holes are usually the earring's fault, not your ear's. Here's how to clean both properly, how to spot a metal reaction, and when it's a job for a professional.

How Much Is a Gold Ingot (Bar) Worth?

A gold ingot is worth its weight in troy ounces times the gold price times its purity. Here's how to do the sum, why gold uses its own ounce, and why you'll never get the spot price.

White Gold vs Silver: What's the Difference? (And the Cost Nobody Mentions)

White gold and sterling silver look nearly identical and age completely differently. Here's what each one actually is, the rhodium plating nobody mentions at the counter, and which is genuinely low...

How to Clean Gold Jewellery

Gold doesn't tarnish, so a dull gold piece is telling you about what's underneath it. Here's how to identify what you own and the right way to clean every type of gold.

What Does 925 Mean on Jewellery? A Guide to Silver Hallmarks

What does 925 actually mean, and should you worry if your jewellery doesn't have it? Here's what 925 means, how to read silver and gold hallmarks, and how to check if your jewellery is genuine.

How to Wear a Pocket Watch (Five Ways That Work)

A pocket watch is worn on a chain, anchored at one end, with the watch in a pocket. Here are the five arrangements that work, including the one for jeans, and how to read the hallmarks on an inheri...

Jewellery or Jewelry: How to Spell It in the UK

In the UK it's jewellery, with two Ls. Here's why the American spelling drops one, which spelling every English-speaking country uses, how to pronounce it, and the third version that genuinely is w...