Precious Metals

Premium Sterling Silver

RockLove is handcrafted from the finest nickel-free sterling silver (925), perfect for those with metal allergies and sensitive skin. It will not give you a base-metal allergic reaction, will not rub off on your skin, and will not turn green. We do create a few special items that are cast in artisan brass, which are always a strategic choice for design, affordability and durability. All RockLove items, sold here on the RockLove Website or by our valued retail and license partners, will always clearly state the precious metals used to create our premium products.

Precious Metals Market

Precious metals are rare and coveted metals that have a high economic value, such as gold, silver and rhodium. The costs of precious metals fluctuate with the global economy and continue to rise in value. RockLove is handcrafted in the highest quality precious metals and while our prices sometimes have to increase to reflect the current metal market, so does the innate value of your jewelry.

Made for Sensitive Skin

Founder & designer Allison Cimino began RockLove in 2007 after a traumatizing allergic reaction to a (quite expensive) gold and diamond nose ring.  It was that negative experience that inspired Allison to pivoted her career aspirations so that she might learn how to craft her own metals from scratch to ensure the purity could be trusted. After an old-world style jewelry apprenticeship in Florence, Italy, Allison return to New York City to create her own company, continuing to craft highest quality metals from scratch utilizing the lost wax casting method.

What is 925 Sterling Silver?

While some people assume they are allergic to silver, what most are actually allergic to is the base metal mixed into a lower quality mass-produced alloy.  Customers may experience the same negative reaction to even 14K and 18K gold!

This is because pure silver and pure gold is too soft and fragile to make into jewelry without mixing in some other metals as hardening agents.  '925' (the hallmark stamped into silver jewelry) means 92.5% silver plus 7.5% other metals that contribute strength and durability to the alloy.  For mass produced jewelry, this can often include nickel, zinc, even other lower-grade metals that can irritate the skin.  While it is significantly more expensive, RockLove only uses 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, which is considered the highest grade of sterling silver jewelry, and the most comfortable for sensitive skin.

Gold and Rhodium Plating

While RockLove is primarily a sterling silver brand, we love to enhance the storytelling by adding precious metal plating.  14K yellow gold, rose gold, and rhodium are precious metals that add color tone, durability and value to your jewelry.

The industry standard for jewelry to be considered true 'gold plate' (not just 'dipped' or 'flashed') is a minimum of 7-10 microinches.  RockLove's standard of quality includes a plating thickness up to FOUR times thicker than industry standard to ensure precious metal longevity and brilliance.

What is Rhodium Plating?

Today, rhodium is 17 times costlier than gold, 12 times than palladium and 25 times than platinum.

Rhodium is an extremely rare and valuable precious metal.  It is hard, corrosion resistant, and is a highly reflective silvery-white, which can be combined with other alloys to make a lustrous gunmetal and black. 

Rhodium is nickel-free and naturally hypoallergenic, making it a great option for those with nickel allergies. It adds significant durability, scratch resistance, and tarnish resistance to jewelry and due to its very valuable nature and protective qualities, nearly all white gold jewelry is plated with rhodium (especially engagement rings).

To keep RockLove's jewelry bright and durable, and safe for those with metal sensitivities, our silver-toned sterling jewelry includes a thick protective plating of white rhodium. While it adds complexity and cost to the handcrafting process, it's an important brand choice that sets our quality apart!

Try Risk Free!

Handcrafting trustworthy quality precious metals is the cornerstone to our business... and for many of our customers, we are the ONLY jewelry brand they trust and wear! RockLove has a limited-time 100% return policy for allergic reactions so fellow metal allergy sufferers can try our premium sterling silver risk free.