About Our Materials

We always want to be transparent about the jewelry we make, and that includes breaking down our materials. Our jewelry creation process is hands-on, straightforward, and we do our best to be as clear as possible with what we use.

.925 Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is a silver alloy which contains 92.5% silver - hence the name. The other 7.5% is comprised of metals which add strength to the otherwise delicate silver metal. .925 sterling silver is the best metal alloy in that it contains the most silver along with the smallest amount of other metals possible to keep the silver from scratching or breaking.

All of our sterling silver pieces are marked with “.925” to showcase their authenticity - we’re not about selling fake silver. In fact, all genuine sterling silver jewelry should have a .925 sterling silver stamp. After all, wearing jewelry that’s simply plated with silver can cause allergic reactions.

The majority of our jewelry is crafted with .925 sterling silver, and many pieces have a 18k white gold, 18k gold, 18k rose gold, or gunmetal vermeil. Vermeil refers to items made of high-quality silver which are plated with an additional thin layer - usually gold. In the U.S., to be considered gold vermeil, a piece has to be coated with gold that's at least 10 karats pure.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a metal compound made with iron, titanium, chromium, and carbon. It’s often used because of its durability and high resistance to corrosion and heat. Because of this, using stainless steel in jewelry will help it resist the scratches and general signs of wear that other metal alloys are prone to.

Overall, stainless steel is low maintenance, hypoallergenic, lightweight, and above all, it’s the most environmentally friendly metal which is typically used in jewelry making. Not only does stainless steel use less energy and create less waste, but it tends to last longer than other metals and it’s completely recyclable.

To find out how to take care of stainless steel jewelry, visit our official Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide.

Glass Jewelry

Our most popular glass jewelry collections are Mermaid, Galaxy, and Firefly Glass, although they’re each made quite differently. Our Firefly Glass Collection is made from lampwork glass, where small particles of silver-activated zinc sulfide are suspended within the glass while it’s being blown. Because the process is careful and very manual, each bead comes out unique and slightly misshapen - but that’s what makes them so beautiful. To find out more about our Firefly Glass, tap here.

Our Mermaid and Galaxy Glass jewelry are made with individually-blown authentic iridescent glass beads. Where some jewelry companies place a coating over the glass to make it iridescent, we do it differently. We insert thin iridescent disks into each bead, and these disks easily catch and reflect light. While Mermaid Glass beads are made with frosted glass, Galaxy Glass beads are made with clear glass.

The iridescent glass in our Mermaid and Galaxy Glass jewelry pieces reflect a rainbow of color, giving life to what would otherwise be plain glass.

To find out how to care for and clean glass jewelry, visit our Official Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide.

Semi-Precious Stones

Gemstones are rocks, organic material, and minerals that have been cut and polished into jewelry. They are divided into two categories - precious stones and semi-precious stones. These days, the scientific categorization of gemstones isn’t always consistent, but there are typically only 4 precious stones: diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.

Every gemstone we carry is therefore categorized as semi-precious. We carry semi-precious gemstones such as amethyst, aquamarine, garnet, agate, lapis lazuli, moonstone, pearl, turquoise, and howlite.

However, don’t let the categories fool you. Many consider the term “semi-precious” to be very misleading; in fact, some semi-precious stones can be just as valuable - if not more valuable - than precious stones. For instance, some natural pearls can accumulate a higher price than some low-quality diamonds and emeralds.

One distinction between precious and semi-precious stones is their hardness. Diamonds are well-known as the toughest stone, but emeralds, rubies, and sapphires also rank very highly on Mohs Scale. Accordingly, semi-precious stones are more vulnerable to cracks and breaking.

But at the end of the day, the value of gemstones isn’t up to anyone but the wearer.

Hematite

Hematite is an oxide mineral which forms the most important iron ore - hematite has a significantly high iron content (70%). "Hematite" is derived from the Greek word for "blood" due to the characteristic redness of hematite.

Throughout history, hematite has been recognized for its considerable healing and protective auras and abilities. Many ancient cultures had high regard for hematite - Ancient Greeks were obsessed with it, some Indigenous cultures used it for war paint, and hematite even decorated the tombs of pharaohs.

Due to the rich iron content of hematite, it's considered to be one of the best stones to encourage healthy blood circulation and detoxify your blood. Hematite has also been considered to boost self-esteem, mental strength, and positive energy.

To find out how to care for and clean hematite jewelry, visit our official Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide.

CZ Diamonds

While CZ diamonds and real diamonds may seem very similar at a passing glance, they are significantly different in value, beauty, and structure. CZ stands for cubic zirconia, and it’s a lab-created, colorless, synthetic gemstone. It’s often seen as a more inexpensive alternative to diamonds.

Due to the characteristic perfection of a synthetic, lab-grown product, a flawless cubic zirconia diamond is far less valuable and magnificent than a flawless natural diamond. Nevertheless, CZ diamonds come very close to the brilliance of a natural diamond - at a tiny fraction of the price.

Corded Jewelry

The majority of our jewelry nowadays is made with nylon cord, although we do have a few old pieces made with leather. Recently, we launched a sustainable and cruelty free Mermaid Glass Linen Wrap made with - you guessed it - linen cord. The future is eco-friendly, and it’s time we contribute to that. To find out more about how we make our Mermaid Glass Linen Wraps, tap here.

Since nylon cord is synthetic, it won’t stretch or fray overtime, meaning your jewelry will easily retain its original shape. On the other hand, our linen cord is made from organic materials (click here to learn more) and is prone to changing over time and consistent use.

To find out how to care for and clean your corded jewelry, visit our official Jewelry Care and Cleaning Guide.