Frequently asked questions
Recycled silver & gold
HANDCRAFTED IN ANTWERP IN RECYCLED GOLD & SILVER
The mining of new gold and silver is very damaging, both to nature and to the workers involved. That’s why we work with conflict-free, recycled silver and gold.
Our wedding & engagement rings are made out of 100% recycled silver or gold, sourced from old jewellery or from a metal refinery specialised in recycling precious metals in Belgium, which is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC); the leading standard authority in the global jewellery industry.
More information about our recycled metals
De Vree uses 'sterling silver', made out of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. The copper is added to strengthen the metal, as pure silver is too soft to be used for jewellery pieces. It’s the most commonly used silver alloy in the jewellery industry and completely nickel free.
Our golden jewellery is crafted in 14K and 18K gold, the 2 most commonly used alloys. The number refers to the amount of gold. Pure gold (24K) cannot be used for jewellery, as it is too soft.
Gold jewellery means the entire piece is made out of solid gold. At De Vree, we work with 14K and 18K recycled gold. Gold-plated silver means the piece is made out of solid silver and coated with a layer of 18k gold. Depending on the wear & tear, it’s possible the gold layer will fade in time. If this happens, we offer a gold-plating service to restore the piece back to its former glory.
Please note: this service is only possible with jewellery made entirely of metal. Jewellery in combination with glass cannot be gold-plated again. Wear and tear of the gold layer is especially applicable to rings and bracelets. These were therefore provided with a thicker gold layer (5 microns).
You are welcome to visit our studio and look at the pieces, without any buying commitment, after making an appointment
We work on appointment only to provide a personal, one-on-one experience for you to discover & try on our collections, discuss all options for our engagement & wedding rings or to create the personal jewellery piece you’ve been dreaming of. Enjoy a cup of coffee and discover our studio, where each design is handcrafted and made to measure.
To provide a personal experience, we decided to open up a studio, not a regular shop. Our studio and atelier is located in a 19th century building, in the heart of Antwerp, in the midst of ‘De gouden straatjes’.
In an ideal scenario, you should make an appointment about 3 months before the ‘big day’. Of course you can make an earlier appointment to get a better overview of all possibilities.
Our [engagement][2] or [wedding rings][2], can be engraved with your name(s), a date or a special message of your choice. This is always included in the price.
Our prices (in gold) start from around €440 (without diamonds or gemstones) and go up depending the design, gold, ring width, choice of lab diamond(s)/gemstone(s), etc.
Our prices (in gold) start from around €440 per ring (without diamonds or gemstones) and go up depending the design, 14 vs 18 carat gold, ring width, choice of lab diamond(s)/gemstone(s), etc.
You certainly can. If you are looking for a custom design for yourself or a loved one or you are looking for an engagement ring or wedding rings, you can contact us and we'll make it happen.
Lab grown diamonds and gemstones are created in a manmade environment, replicating their natural creation process. They are made in a lab, instead of mined, but have the exact same physical, optical and chemical composition as their natural equivalents. We made a page specifically dedicated to our diamonds & gemstones, which you can take a look at here.
We exclusively work with lab grown diamonds because of ethical & sustainable reasons, except if you have natural diamonds in your possession (e.g. from family jewellery). Then we would of course be happy to give it a new life.
Silver and gold jewellery is best kept in a dry, clean & safe place. Avoid storing it in e.g. your bathroom. You can keep De Vree jewellery in the box it came in. We advise you not to swim, exercise or shower wiith your jewellery to keep it in the best shape as possible. In general, it’s also best to keep your jewellery away from cosmetics and perfumes.
If you bought one or more of our designs and, after wearing it a couple of months or years, it needs to be cleaned, you can always swing by our studio, after making an appointment where we will clean it free of charge.
If you want to clean the jewellery yourself at home:
Gold-plated jewellery does not need to be cleaned, but wear and tear over time can cause the gold-plated layer to fade. When this happens, we offer a gold-plating service to restore the jewellery to its former glory.
Solid gold jewellery can be cleaned it by soaking it in warm water and a dash of mild detergent for 15 minutes, rinsing it with water and drying it with a soft cloth.