Materials & Care

Ethical Materials and Responsible Sourcing

In honor and respect for our beautiful earth, we work to source the most ethical and sustainable materials for our jewelry as possible, keeping in mind the entire production chain and the people involved every step of the way. Our bronze, silver, and gold jewelry is hand cast here in New Mexico from reclaimed metals.

Our gold is 100% Certified Recycled and Sustainable by SCS Global. We use recycled gold over “ethically mined” gold so as to not cause further damage to the environment. While working conditions and extraction processes of ethically mined gold may be better than traditionally mined gold, ultimately, recycling is always the most sustainable option.

 

General Care

To maintain the shine and beauty of your bronze or silver jewelry, use a polishing cloth regularly to restore its luster and remove any surface tarnish that may accumulate. If you love a more rustic look, no extra care is needed.

Our ear cuffs and cuff bracelets are adjustable so you can find just the right fit. Some pieces are sturdy and require a little more strength, but once you find your fit, they should not need to be adjusted again. If you initially find it hard to adjust, we recommend gently warming the metal in a sunny spot or with warm water to make the metal more malleable.

Our rings and bracelets are made from solid metals and can be worn while swimming or showering. We do suggest keeping your gold vermeil chains dry in order to extend their longevity.

 

Our Bronze Jewelry

We love bronze for its ancient origins and history in jewelry and adornment. It carries a beautiful rustic look and feel. It is golden and shiny when polished, but it ages beautifully as well.

 

Bronze Leaving Marks on Your Skin

Every now and then we receive a message from some of our customers who find that our signature Ancient Bronze leaves a black or greenish hue on the skin it touches. We sometimes get questions about this, as at first it can seem strange, so we wanted to provide a bit of information about what it is, why it happens, and what to expect.

Why does this happen?

Bronze is mostly copper with a small percentage of tin, which gives it the soft and beautiful golden color. Because of the copper content, bronze jewelry can sometimes cause the skin it touches to turn a greenish hue. This is because of the natural acids in our skin. The acids mix with the bronze and can create a bit of tarnish that then rubs off on us.

Many other jewelry companies choose to coat their bronze and brass in a chemical coating to prevent this from happening. We choose not to do this for a few reasons. First and foremost, we love the ancient, raw properties of our bronze and want to keep that on full display. Additionally, most coatings available contain harsh, questionable chemicals, and because of our commitment to health and sustainability, we choose not to use them.

This reaction does not happen to everyone and is much more pronounced in the first few wears as your skin adjusts to our raw bronze and vice versa.

What can you do to lessen the hue?

Glad you asked. There are a number of ways to reduce and eliminate it.

  1. Keep it clean. This reaction is caused by the acids in our sweat. The simplest way to reduce it is to remove your bronze jewels when you know you might get a bit sweaty. Yet we know that is not possible for everyone, so for our customers who live in hot environments (or like to get sweaty, like us), we recommend keeping your bronze washed with mild soap and polished. A jewelry-specific polishing cloth is perfect. This will prevent tarnishing and thus discoloration.

  2. Coat it. We have heard from some of our customers that painting the inside of the ring band with clear nail polish works wonders. There are many non-toxic options available, and this method only needs to be reapplied every few months.

  3. Stay hydrated. As silly as it seems, bronze can be an excellent reminder to hydrate. Our sweat becomes more acidic the more dehydrated we become. The more acids, the more tarnishing, and the more green marks we can get. We love using our bronze rings as a reminder to drink a bit more water.

  4. Choose gold or silver. Choose a different metal. We offer both 10K and 14K gold options for all of our pieces, and 925 sterling silver in almost everything. We understand that gold is an investment, but it is an excellent option for those who are bothered by discoloration or want a more luxe piece.

 

Our Sterling Silver Jewelry

Sterling silver is a great option if you have more sensitive skin and want a higher quality, low-maintenance metal, or if you simply love the look of silver.

Tarnishing can happen to sterling silver when it comes into contact with an array of different chemicals, but the most common culprits are sweat, sulfur, and chlorine. Chlorine, sulfur, and sweat especially can be hard to avoid in everyday life. The good news is that sterling silver polishes back to its original luster with ease, just by using a jewelry-specific polishing cloth.

 

Our Gold Jewelry

Gold is literally stardust, forged in the explosions of supernovas or colliding neutron stars. It traveled to earth on meteors and debris millions of years ago and has been hidden within our lands ever since. Because of this, it is a finite precious metal.

10K or 14K gold are great options for a more active lifestyle because they are stronger and scratch and bend less than 18K or 24K gold. Gold is a precious metal that should be cared for to maintain its value and beauty. Gently clean your gold jewelry with a soft cloth and warm water, or a jewelry polishing cloth to restore its glow and remove light buildup from daily wear.

 

Our Chains and Findings

Our 18K to 22K vermeil necklace chains are made with care in Italy and are of the highest quality, using 50% to 70% recycled silver and gold. Vermeil is a higher quality form of gold plating, made with gold over sterling silver.