I conducted a poll on my Instagram,👉🏻 @ivjewelry, asking people if they knew the origin story of the diamond engagement ring. I was surprised to see how few people are familiar with it! The truth is, the beginnings of this tradition aren't as romantic as one anticipates. Here are the results...
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The Engraved Initial Necklace and Mini Letter Charm is my all-time favorite charm pairing! The contrast between the two is perfection.
This duo also makes for a thoughtful gift to a parent of two. The difference between the charms is a lovely representation of how each child is their own little person...
10k gold is technically the lowest karat of gold that's still considered "fine" so marketing it as fine jewelry is fair. However, if you don't know that karat gold is, then it's hard to be an informed shopper...
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Tarnish, ugh. The culprit behind dull grey silver jewelry and many frowny faces, but did you know it's just a simple reaction between silver and sulfur in the air?
Silver + Sulfur → Silver Sulfide
When you put tarnished jewelry into an aluminum foil bowl and add baking soda + boiling water you trigger a reaction between...
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Updated May 11, 2022
The stories of an earth-grown diamond and a shiny 14k gold band both begin in a mine. Mining is the extraction of minerals and other geological materials from deposits far beneath the earth’s surface. Gold, diamonds, and other gemstones are mined worldwide, with the vast majority coming from small-scale “artisanal” operations, often within the informal sector.
It’s estimated that about 90 million carats of rough diamonds and 1,600 tons of gold are mined for jewelry every year, generating over $300 billion in revenue. When sustainability is a top priority for a consumer...
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Sustainability is a hot topic. Scientific facts, accessibility, financial privilege, personal opinion, you name it and there’s plenty to read about on the internet. If you’re like me, time spent learning about climate change has shocked and motivated you to voluntarily make changes in your own life.
In the span of five years I've done a lot to re-adjust my mindset and habits, but I still feel like there's so much to do. One thing I know for sure though,...
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The word is out and corporations are taking notice that consumers are making sustainability a top priority, and that is a powerful thing. According to Nielsen's Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 66% of consumers would spend more money on a product coming from a sustainable brand and among millennials that number jumps to 72%. You know what that means? That means when consumers talk, big business listens...
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Embrace slow fashion. We’re all familiar with the cheap prices, high volume sales, quick turnover and wasteful model of fast fashion, right? Well let us introduce you to Slow Fashion: it prioritizes craftsmanship, quality, customer service and low-waste practices. We intentionally create our jewelry made-to-order or in small batches (no more than 10 pieces) to decrease the amount of “stuff” we accumulate and waste we produce. Designs are priced to reflect the fair market value of materials, living wage labor and the care that is put into each piece...
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The one difference between the two is origin. One is grown in a lab and one below the Earth’s surface.
A lab grown diamond is made with technology that replicates the process of a naturally made diamond by simulating the conditions of extreme heat and pressure. The result is...
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Solid gold is a term used to refer to various designations of karat gold. Pure 24k gold is actually too soft and weak to be used for jewelry production, thus the creation of gold alloys. Technically speaking an alloy is a mixture of metals (ex.: gold + silver + copper).
14k and 18k are the most commonly used in jewelry production. 14k gold is comprised...
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