Ethical jewellery

We love making jewellery, but only if we can do so in a responsible way. Mining for gemstones is damaging to the environment and on top of this, the processing of gemstones to make them into beads can be dangerous, and sometimes lethal, if the proper safety equipment is not used. Many gemstones are cut and ground in parts of the world that do not always enjoy the same standards of health and safety that we do and for these reasons, we have decided to stop using gemstones in our designs. We now focus on using handmade beads made of glass, crystal and freshwater pearls.

Our jewellery is made using the best quality materials we can find. As a consumer, I value beautifully handmade products that have been made with care from the design stage, right through to when the item is packaged up and sent off to me. I want the item that I have bought to be of good quality - to feel good as well as look good and to be made to last. I feel the same way about the jewellery I design and I know that our customers do too.

Below is some information on the materials that we use. Please feel free to email us if you have any queries.

Swarovski crystal

Swarovski is the luxury brand name for the range of crystal glass beads and other crystal products made by the company, which was founded in 1895 and is based in Austria.

All of the crystals that we use are made by Swarovski and some of the beads are covered in a coating which allows light to refract in a rainbow spectrum. Aurora Borealis, or "AB", is one of the most popular coatings, and gives the surface its iridescence. The coating is applied to part of the bead, so your jewellery can change its appearance, according to how it catches the light. It is fascinating and beautiful to see.

The crystal drops that we use for our range of crystal earrings and necklaces are not coated and have a very pure and clean sparkle to them. These are subtle enough to wear during the day and in the evening take on a very sophisticated, glamorous look as they catch the light.

Swarovski crystal pearls

Swarovski also make crystal pearls, which have a crystal core and are coated in the Swarovski pearl coating. The crystal gives the bead an ideal weight and the result is a pearl that looks like a freshwater pearl, but is perfect in its shape and colour.

We use crystal pearls in designs where symmetry is important and a perfectly round pearl is required. We also use them is we want a more unusual shape that is not available in nature, such as with our pearl drop earrings for example.

Silver

All of the silver that we use is sterling silver and much of it is fair trade silver from Thailand. In some pieces, we also use fine hilltribe silver, which has a higher silver content (usually 97% or more).

Silver will tarnish over time, and is best stored away from direct sunlight, when it is not being worn. Tarnishing will not harm your jewellery, just give it a gentle clean with a soft silver polishing cloth to make it look as good as new. Do take care not to clean it with an abrasive material as this could scratch and damage it.

Freshwater pearls

Freswhwater pearls are the pearls that come from freshwater mussels. These pearls are produced on a limited scale in Japan and America, but nowadays, China is the world's main commercial producer.

Pearls come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and vary hugely in their quality. You can buy pearls very cheaply, but these tend to have a dull surface, and are often marked and irregular in their shape.

We only buy high quality pearls, mainly "A" grade and some of our designs have "AAA" grade pearls, which are really beautiful with a stunning, creamy lustre and very few (if any) flaws.

Lampwork beads

We love lampwork beads and think they make stunning pieces of jewellery - each bead is individually made by hand and is like a little piece of art in itself. All of the lampwork beads that we use are made by our favourite bead artists in the UK and Canada.

Lampwork beads are made from rods of glass, which are available in a huge range of colours, both transparant and opaque. The glass is heated in a flame using a propane/oxygen torch. Molten glass from the end of the rod is wound around a mandrel and shaped in the flame to create a bead. Surface decoration can then be added using a variety of techniques – by applying narrow threads of glass (called 'stringers'), granulated glass (frit), enamel or metal foils. Tools or gravity can be used to manipulate the glass – the only limits to the intricacy of the bead are the artist's imagination and expertise!

Depending on the complexity of the shape, size and design of a bead, and the techniques used to make it, a single bead can take anything from a couple of minutes to an hour to make. Individually crafted in the flame, each bead is, quite simply, unique.

The beads are then kiln annealed for lasting strength, so are not at risk of cracking. Each bead has been carefully cleaned of bead release, ensuring that the holes are dust-free. (Text (c) Rebecca Weddell)

Some of our designs using lampwork beads are one-of-a-kind pieces.

Gifts

We have sourced a small range of gifts that have been beautifully handmade in the UK. We seek to support independent artists and crafts people and the gifts that we have selected for you are made by hand, in small batches.