MATERIALS
ATA
Ata (also known as ‘Ketak’) is a kind of reed vine for making fine and beautifully woven handmade goods. Scientifically known as Lygodium circinnatum; it is a family of wild vine that grows in the highland region in Indonesia. They are mainly found in West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and in Bali Provinces.
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RATTAN
Eighty percent of all rattan species in the world can be found in Indonesia.
As it is a fast-growing plant and will grow again if cut the right way, rattan also serves as a sustainable and ecofriendly option.
As long as there are rain forests, there’s rattan, which is a win-win situation for the ecology.
It’s also light, can bend in many forms and leave no waste as all parts of it are used.
t’s also processed without any machines since all parts are basically handmade, so it’s a very low carbon-footprint goods.
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BATIK
Its origins can be traced back to Asia, India and Africa. Some say the word is of Indonsian/Malay roots and translates "to write" or "to dot".
Batik is an art medium and methodology for creating design, usually on cloth, by applying wax to portions of the material and then dyeing it, then removing the wax.
Natural materials such as cotton or silk are used for the cloth, so that it can absorb the wax that is applied in the dye resisting process. The fabrics must be of a high thread count (densely woven). It is important that cloth of high quality have this high thread count so that the intricate design qualities of batik can be maintained.
The cloth that is used for batik is washed and boiled in water many times prior to the application of wax so that all traces of starches, lime, chalk and other sizing materials are removed. Prior to the implementation of modern day techniques, the cloth would have been pounded with a wooden mallet or ironed to make it smooth and supple so it could best receive the wax design. With the finer machine-made cotton available today, the pounding or ironing processes can be omitted. Normally men did this step in the batik process.
Strict industry standards differentiate the different qualities of the cloth used today, which include Primissima (the best) and Prima. The cloth quality is often written on the edge of the design. A lesser quality cloth which is often used in Blaco.
Its origins can be traced back to Asia, India and Africa. Some say the word is of Indonsian/Malay roots and translates "to write" or "to dot".
Batik is an art medium and methodology for creating design, usually on cloth, by applying wax to portions of the material and then dyeing it, then removing the wax.
Natural materials such as cotton or silk are used for the cloth, so that it can absorb the wax that is applied in the dye resisting process. The fabrics must be of a high thread count (densely woven). It is important that cloth of high quality have this high thread count so that the intricate design qualities of batik can be maintained.
The cloth that is used for batik is washed and boiled in water many times prior to the application of wax so that all traces of starches, lime, chalk and other sizing materials are removed. Prior to the implementation of modern day techniques, the cloth would have been pounded with a wooden mallet or ironed to make it smooth and supple so it could best receive the wax design. With the finer machine-made cotton available today, the pounding or ironing processes can be omitted. Normally men did this step in the batik process.
Strict industry standards differentiate the different qualities of the cloth used today, which include Primissima (the best) and Prima. The cloth quality is often written on the edge of the design. A lesser quality cloth which is often used in Blaco.
PANDANUS LEAF
Often called pandanus palms, these plants are not closely related to palm trees. The species vary in size from small shrubs less than 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, to medium-sized trees 20 m (66 ft) tall, typically with a broad canopy, heavy fruit, and moderate growth rate.
These plants grow from sea level to 3,300 m (10,800 ft). Pandanus trees are of cultural, health, and economic importance in the Pacific, second only to the coconut on atolls. They grow wild mainly in semi-natural vegetation in littoral habitats throughout the tropical and subtropical Pacific, where they can withstand drought, strong winds, and salt spray.
Pandanus leaves are used for handicrafts. Artisans collect the leaves from plants in the wild, cutting only mature leaves so that the plant will naturally regenerate. The leaves are sliced into fine strips and sorted for further processing. Weavers produce basic pandan mats of standard size or roll the leaves into pandan ropes for other designs. This is followed by a coloring process, in which pandan mats are placed in drums with water-based colors. After drying, the colored mats are shaped into final products.
> Find our "Pandanus Leaf" product.
PANDANUS LEAF
Often called pandanus palms, these plants are not closely related to palm trees. The species vary in size from small shrubs less than 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, to medium-sized trees 20 m (66 ft) tall, typically with a broad canopy, heavy fruit, and moderate growth rate.
These plants grow from sea level to 3,300 m (10,800 ft). Pandanus trees are of cultural, health, and economic importance in the Pacific, second only to the coconut on atolls. They grow wild mainly in semi-natural vegetation in littoral habitats throughout the tropical and subtropical Pacific, where they can withstand drought, strong winds, and salt spray.
Pandanus leaves are used for handicrafts. Artisans collect the leaves from plants in the wild, cutting only mature leaves so that the plant will naturally regenerate. The leaves are sliced into fine strips and sorted for further processing. Weavers produce basic pandan mats of standard size or roll the leaves into pandan ropes for other designs. This is followed by a coloring process, in which pandan mats are placed in drums with water-based colors. After drying, the colored mats are shaped into final products.
> Find our "Pandanus Leaf" product.
PRECIOUS METAL
SILVER
What you need to know about .925 Sterling Silver :
If you’re considering buying 925 Sterling Silver, you will no doubt want to know the difference between pure silver and 925 sterling silver. Well, pure silver is not really made up of only silver. It has 99.9% of silver, and a small content composed of other metals such as copper.
Sterling Silver, on the other hand, consists of 92.5% silver, and the remaining part consists of copper – mostly copper. This is the reason why Sterling Silver is popularly referred to as 925 Sterling Silver or just 925 Silver.
The reason silver needs to be combined with other metals is that it is very difficult to make great designs with just pure silver, which is very soft and malleable. A bit of hardness has to be introduced, by adding other metals such as copper. That’s why jewelers are capable of making the most intricate and complex designs with 925 Sterling Silver.
> Find our "925 Sterling Silver" product.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
SILVER
What you need to know about .925 Sterling Silver :
If you’re considering buying 925 Sterling Silver, you will no doubt want to know the difference between pure silver and 925 sterling silver. Well, pure silver is not really made up of only silver. It has 99.9% of silver, and a small content composed of other metals such as copper.
Sterling Silver, on the other hand, consists of 92.5% silver, and the remaining part consists of copper – mostly copper. This is the reason why Sterling Silver is popularly referred to as 925 Sterling Silver or just 925 Silver.
The reason silver needs to be combined with other metals is that it is very difficult to make great designs with just pure silver, which is very soft and malleable. A bit of hardness has to be introduced, by adding other metals such as copper. That’s why jewelers are capable of making the most intricate and complex designs with 925 Sterling Silver.
> Find our "925 Sterling Silver" product.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
What Is Rhodium?
First things first. Let’s clear up what this mysterious rhodium is. Rhodium is a precious metal – like gold, silver, or platinum – only more expensive! In fact, it is the most expensive of all the precious metals. Why is that? Well, because it is very rare in nature, it is only found as a by-product of mining for other metals, such as platinum. This, unfortunately, affects the price of rhodium making it very volatile as its availability is connected to platinum supply and demand.
Why Not Make Solid Rhodium Jewelry?
As we’ve said, the price of rhodium has huge ups and downs. Sometimes it can skyrocket to ten times the price of gold – usually when platinum is not mined as much because of a drop in demand. Other times, rhodium prices drop much closer to the price of gold or platinum. Because of the complexity of the situation, rhodium is not the most stable of investments. Another reason why it’s not used for much more than plating is that, when pure, it is brittle and not very malleable.
Why Is Rhodium So Great?
While rhodium is both too expensive and too brittle to make jewelry out of, it makes an excellent plating material. It is often used to hide imperfections and lend a higher sheen to silver or white gold pieces. Being harder than both silver and gold, it also makes an excellent protective coat that shields jewelry from scratches. One of its greatest advantages is that it doesn’t tarnish and requires no particular cleaning procedures.
Rhodium plating is also a good recommendation for customers who are allergic to silver, as it will protect them from direct contact.
While rhodium is both too expensive and too brittle to make jewelry out of, it makes an excellent plating material. It is often used to hide imperfections and lend a higher sheen to silver or white gold pieces. Being harder than both silver and gold, it also makes an excellent protective coat that shields jewelry from scratches. One of its greatest advantages is that it doesn’t tarnish and requires no particular cleaning procedures.
Rhodium plating is also a good recommendation for customers who are allergic to silver, as it will protect them from direct contact.
GOLD FILLED
It has 100 times more gold than gold plated jewelry.
Gold filled is created by taking a sheet of 14 karat gold and bonding it through extreme heat and pressure to a core of semi-precious metal (brass).
This is a very sophisticated process and only a few mills in the world do it.
Gold Filled is much more valuable than gold-plated. In fact, there is almost 100 percent more gold in gold-filled items than found in gold-plated items.
Just as gold-plated jewelry is plated with gold, gold-filled jewelry is as well, but there is a big difference between the ways these products are made.
Gold-filled is legally required to contain 5% or 1/20 gold by weight.
Gold-filled is constructed in two or three layers. The core metal is jewelers’ brass. Single clad gold-filled has all the gold content in a single layer on one side. Double clad gold-filled splits the gold content into surface layers on both sides of the material. The gold alloy is then bonded to one or both surfaces of the brass core with heat and pressure. The bonded raw material is then sold as sheet or wire to jewelry manufacturers for use in designs.
Gold filled jewelry is safer with water and sweat, although we recommend to take off your jewelry especially when working out, swimming, in hot tub and the ocean.
> Find our "Gold Filled" products.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
It has 100 times more gold than gold plated jewelry.
Gold filled is created by taking a sheet of 14 karat gold and bonding it through extreme heat and pressure to a core of semi-precious metal (brass).
This is a very sophisticated process and only a few mills in the world do it.
Gold Filled is much more valuable than gold-plated. In fact, there is almost 100 percent more gold in gold-filled items than found in gold-plated items.
Just as gold-plated jewelry is plated with gold, gold-filled jewelry is as well, but there is a big difference between the ways these products are made.
Gold-filled is legally required to contain 5% or 1/20 gold by weight.
Gold-filled is constructed in two or three layers. The core metal is jewelers’ brass. Single clad gold-filled has all the gold content in a single layer on one side. Double clad gold-filled splits the gold content into surface layers on both sides of the material. The gold alloy is then bonded to one or both surfaces of the brass core with heat and pressure. The bonded raw material is then sold as sheet or wire to jewelry manufacturers for use in designs.
Gold filled jewelry is safer with water and sweat, although we recommend to take off your jewelry especially when working out, swimming, in hot tub and the ocean.
> Find our "Gold Filled" products.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
WHAT IS GOLD VERMEIL?
Gold thickness is the biggest difference between vermeil and gold-filled jewelry. Both gold-filled jewelry and vermeil jewelry can have a layer of solid gold over a sterling silver base, but gold-filled jewelry has a much thicker gold sheet rolled onto brass. Unlike other gold jewelry, vermeil is usually thinner, and the gold layer is achieved by using gold leaf or powder instead of a sheet of gold.
Vermeil jewelry, on the other hand, must have a sterling silver base. Gold plating comes in a variety of thicknesses, whereas vermeil must be at least 2.5 microns thick.
The term vermeil cannot be used if the sterling is covered with a base metal before being coated with gold unless the presence of the base metal is disclosed.
HOW TO CARE FOR VERMEIL
This is an important part when answering the questions: what is vermeil?
Now that you have some clarity on the question "what is vermeil?" it helps to understand how to care for your vermeil pieces.
Dust, pollution, perfumes, and cosmetics can affect the surface of your pieces. This might affect the gloss, something that you certainly don't want to happen.
First, you should always apply perfume before wearing your pieces. Also, remember to remove them before taking a shower, washing your hand, going into chlorinated water or salt water.
Substances, such as chlorine, can permanently damage the surface of your piece. Bear this in mind when using chlorine bleach or before diving in the pool.
Try as much as possible to avoid exposing your jewelry to cleaners, hot water, and harsh chemicals. Ideally, you want to remove them before handling such solutions.
When not using your vermeil pieces, remember to store them in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.
To clean your jewelry, use a clean cotton or microfiber cloth to buff it gently. Don't be tempted to use chemical cleaners as they can easily strip the gold finish.
The rate of wear depends on care, climate and individual body chemistry, and may vary greatly on a case by case basis. As rings are worn on the hand, and are exposed to more frequent rubbing, they will often age more quickly than necklaces or earrings.
Over time, the gold layer is likely to tarnish. This is a common and natural property that adds a unique sense of character to the piece. Don't worry when that happens.
We do not offer re-plating of our gold vermeil designs and all sales of gold vermeil jewelry are final.
> Find our "Gold Vermeil" products.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
Gold thickness is the biggest difference between vermeil and gold-filled jewelry. Both gold-filled jewelry and vermeil jewelry can have a layer of solid gold over a sterling silver base, but gold-filled jewelry has a much thicker gold sheet rolled onto brass. Unlike other gold jewelry, vermeil is usually thinner, and the gold layer is achieved by using gold leaf or powder instead of a sheet of gold.
Vermeil jewelry, on the other hand, must have a sterling silver base. Gold plating comes in a variety of thicknesses, whereas vermeil must be at least 2.5 microns thick.
The term vermeil cannot be used if the sterling is covered with a base metal before being coated with gold unless the presence of the base metal is disclosed.
HOW TO CARE FOR VERMEIL
This is an important part when answering the questions: what is vermeil?
Now that you have some clarity on the question "what is vermeil?" it helps to understand how to care for your vermeil pieces.
Dust, pollution, perfumes, and cosmetics can affect the surface of your pieces. This might affect the gloss, something that you certainly don't want to happen.
First, you should always apply perfume before wearing your pieces. Also, remember to remove them before taking a shower, washing your hand, going into chlorinated water or salt water.
Substances, such as chlorine, can permanently damage the surface of your piece. Bear this in mind when using chlorine bleach or before diving in the pool.
Try as much as possible to avoid exposing your jewelry to cleaners, hot water, and harsh chemicals. Ideally, you want to remove them before handling such solutions.
When not using your vermeil pieces, remember to store them in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.
To clean your jewelry, use a clean cotton or microfiber cloth to buff it gently. Don't be tempted to use chemical cleaners as they can easily strip the gold finish.
The rate of wear depends on care, climate and individual body chemistry, and may vary greatly on a case by case basis. As rings are worn on the hand, and are exposed to more frequent rubbing, they will often age more quickly than necklaces or earrings.
Over time, the gold layer is likely to tarnish. This is a common and natural property that adds a unique sense of character to the piece. Don't worry when that happens.
We do not offer re-plating of our gold vermeil designs and all sales of gold vermeil jewelry are final.
> Find our "Gold Vermeil" products.
> Read more "Care Instructions"
