Materials and Care
Each piece I make is shaped by the materials I choose — their history, their quirks, their beauty. Here's everything you need to know about what goes into your jewelry and how to keep it looking its best.
Sterling silver
Sterling silver is 92.5% fine silver alloyed with copper for everyday strength.
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- Wear it often, friction with your skin and environment keep it polished
- Store in an airtight bag or with an anti-tarnish strip
- Polish with a soft jewelry polishing cloth
Gold
Luminous, timeless, and genuinely a pleasure to work with. Gold is naturally resistant to tarnish and corrosion, making it one of the lowest-maintenance metals you can wear. The higher the karat, the softer and more richly yellow it becomes.
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- Wipe with a soft cloth after wearing
- Occasional soak in warm soapy water, rinse, and dry thoroughly
- Avoid chlorine, harsh cleaners, and abrasive materials
Gold Fill
All the warmth and visual richness of gold, at a more accessible price. Gold fill is far more durable than plated metals. The gold layer is pressure-bonded to the base metal and won't rub off with normal wear.
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- Treat like gold: gentle cleaning, avoid harsh chemicals
- Keep dry when not wearing
Brass
Brass offers gold-toned jewelry at a fraction of the cost. It is a reactive metal and contains nickel, which some people are sensitive to. The green tint it can leave on skin is harmless, though not always welcome.
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- Keep dry and store away from moisture
- Polish with a soft jewelry polishing cloth to restore shine
Copper
My personal favorite. Copper is soft, luminous, and endlessly expressive. It shifts color in response to your body's pH, your lotions, and your environment. Copper can turn vivid reds and pinks with a flame patina or mottled greens with verdigris. The warmth of naturally aged bare copper is such a lovely color.
- Embrace the evolution: color change is natural
- Keep away from water if you want to slow patina
- Do not get green patina pieces wet (this includes our jellyfish earrings)
Gemstones, Shells and Fossils
We source natural gemstones from sellers we trust. We seek out suppliers who prioritize ethical mining and fair conditions for everyone involved in the process. The earth offers extraordinary treasures, and we believe in honoring that.
Shells and fossils bring an ancient, organic quality to our pieces. They are inherently fragile and should be handled gently. Avoid submerging them in water or exposing them to harsh cleaners.
Many natural gemstones are sensitive to heat and chemicals. Always clean them with a soft, damp cloth after wearing. Never soak or use abrasive products.
Caring for your jewelry
WHEN WEARING
Avoid contact with body care products like lotion, sunscreen, perfumes, oils and hairspray, which can affect patina over time. Putting your jewelry as the last step of getting ready is generally a good move. Take jewelry off before getting in water- showering, swimming, hot tubs and steam rooms. Harsh chemical like chlorine can be especially damaging to your jewelry. Also remove jewelry before physical work like gardening or exercise.
CLEANING
Most pieces can be cleaned with a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle soap. Soaking pieces for 10-20 minutes before scrubbing can help loose stuck gunk.
Silver pieces can be revived with a polishing cloth. Be gentle around intentionally darkened areas, as aggressive cleaning can remove intentional patina.
Gemstones are delicate and should be treated with care. Wipe with a clean, damp, soft cloth. Avoid hot water and harsh cleaners.
Our red and green patina on copper is sealed with microcrystalline wax and an acrylic sealant respectively. The red patina can be rubbed with a soft cloth, but care should be taken to not abrade the green patina or it may flake off.
For a deeper dive, read our blog post on jewelry cleaning.
STORING
Please do not let your jewelry pieces all rattle around together in a box! Even if it is the most beautiful jewelry box, your pieces can get damaged from bumping into one another. Storing pieces in separate compartments is ideal. The boxes they arrived in, individual zip-lock bags, or anti-tarnish jewelry bags work well too. Moisture can cause your jewelry to tarnish more quickly, so store in a dry place like a cabinet, not in the bathroom.