You'll transform your look with this charming butterfly pendant! Hanging from the 18" chain is a beautiful butterfly covered in shimmering chrome marcasite that's sure to catch the eye of everyone around you. The 3" extender will allow you to fine-tune the length of the pendant to perfectly suit any outfit in your closet. You can wear this piece with a casual outfit or a more formal look, and that versatility will make it one of your favorite accessories!
Please Note: Pendant cannot be removed from the chain.
All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. View Gemstone Enhancements and Special Care Requirements for important information.
Sterling silver, also called fine silver, is a beautifully lustrous cool-toned precious metal favored in fine jewelry among other products. The most reflective of all metals (excluding mercury), sterling silver looks stunning by itself and brings out the best hues in an array of colorful gemstones.
Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, Ag, the chemical symbol for silver, comes from a word that means “white and shining.” The surface of silver can boast that shiny, polished appearance, or can be brushed, satin, matte, sandblasted, antiqued or oxidized (chemically blackened).
In order to be called sterling silver, a metal must be made up of a minimum of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy (meaning other metals), including but not limited to copper and nickel. The alloy is added to pure silver to make the metal more durable, tougher and harder. Sterling silver is designated a fineness of “925.” Pieces with sterling silver may be marked “sterling.”
Finishes on Sterling Silver
Finishing, or plating, is a common treatment with sterling silver. Popular types of plating are rhodium plating, gold plating and anti-tarnish plating. Plating is used to extend the life and sheen of the jewelry. After sizing or buffing a piece of jewelry with a machine, it must be re-plated to restore the finish.
Caring for Sterling Silver
Sterling silver becomes tarnished as the result of a natural chemical process that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to chemicals in the air, rubber, wool and latex. Humidity also plays a role in accelerating tarnishing. It's easy to keep your sterling silver sparkling, though, by taking a few steps to prevent tarnish and other wear and tear.
Vermeil Plating:
Pronounced "vermay," vermeil is an electroplating process in which 14K gold or higher is coated over sterling silver. Officially designated by the jewelry industry, items may only be sold as vermeil if they have a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch (2.5 microns) of gold over the silver. Regular gold plating is less than 2.5 microns.
The "vermeil" technique of plating sterling silver with gold originated in France in the 1750s. It differs from "gold filled" or "gold plated" in terms of the thickness or thinness of the microns over sterling silver. "Gold filled" pieces have a much thicker layer, between 15 and 45 microns, which is mechanically bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure. Vermeil is a more expensive version of "gold plated". It does not wear off as quickly as gold plating does. However, over time, vermeil wears off and therefore will require re-plating.
Gold/Platinum Embraced Silver or Bronze:
Our platinum and gold embraced collections feature layers of platinum or gold over sterling silver or bronze for a lustrous, radiant finish everywhere you look and touch.
To care for your plated jewelry items:
Marcasite
Marcasite, a name derived from the Arabic word for pyrite, is the term applied to small polished and faceted stones inlayed in sterling silver. Their color is usually described is being pale bronze, looking rather gray with a greenish tint. A multi-colored tarnish may exist as a result of oxidation. With a metallic luster and opaque crystals, marcasite ranks 6.0-6.5 on the Mohs Scale. Occurrences are worldwide, especially in the United States, Mexico, France, Peru, China and Russia.
About the Collection
Available exclusively to ShopHQ, internationally-renowned designer Dallas Prince has created a jewelry collection that is by design, distinctly hers. Also a published artist for more than 35 years, her jewelry is yet another creative medium to share her passion for art.
Dallas is inspired by vintage collectibles, and reinvents antique patterns using a combination of dimensions, textures and architectural details. The Dallas Prince Designs® collection features timeless pieces steeped in romance, and inspired by the luxury and design of classic royalty. Discover the embodiment of idyllic elegance realized with vibrant gemstones and diamonds set in your choice of sterling silver, 14K vermeil or 14K gold.
About the Guest
Dallas Prince is a recognized artist and painter who has been creating contemporary-realist works of art since the early 70s. While working as an art director in film and television, she was introduced to the jewelry home shopping industry, where her art merged with creative accessorizing to form a lifetime passion. For Dallas, jewelry is the ultimate artistic medium.
As an on-air designer, Dallas has spent more than 15 years creating unique jewelry showcasing artistic elements, visionary mountings and unique color combinations. Each design echoes the same elegant sense of beauty as her paintings.
"I aim for subtlety in feminine style and elegance without sacrificing intricate details. While I'm my own best customer, I've always felt a profound responsibility to the women who wear my designs," says Dallas.
Based in downtown Los Angeles' jewelry district, Dallas continues to design and manufacture her private collection for adoring fans. Join Dallas on air as she expresses her passion for Creating Tomorrow's Collectibles for Today's Customers®.