Our Materials
EXPERTLY CRAFTED &
RESPONSIBLY SOURCED
We founded Degaruda on the belief that making fine jewelry doesn’t have to come at the cost of our values. In partnership with our trusted suppliers, we consider quality, durability, and longevity when carefully selecting our materials.
- DIAMONDS
- A YEAR OF ACTION
- CHARITABLE INITIATIVES
RESPONSIBLY SOURCED DIAMONDS
Diamonds are one of the hardest natural substances found on earth. All of our diamonds are within the GHI color range and SI-I 1-2 clarity. In addition, our trusted partners only use Kimberley Process-compliant diamonds.
The Kimberley Process (KP) is a multilateral trade regime established in 2003 with the goal of preventing the flow of conflict diamonds. The core of this regime is the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) under which States implement safeguards on shipments of rough diamonds and certify them as “conflict free”. Today, participants actively prevent 99.8% of worldwide trade.
PRECIOUS METALS
14K GOLD
Solid gold is a precious metal that will not oxidize or discolor. 14k gold has a higher percentage of alloyed metal making it more durable and resistant to everyday wear than 18k gold. Our 14k white gold pieces are finished in rhodium plating, which gives them extra shine and durability.Â
To help reduce our impact on the environment while still supporting local communities that rely on mining, all our pieces are made from 95% recycled gold and 5% newly mined gold (including 14k gold and 18k gold vermeil). There is no difference in quality between recycled and newly-mined gold.
We aim to prioritize certified recycled gold across our collections while ensuring any new, responsibly mined gold is traceable to suppliers who are certified against international sustainability standards and best practices such as the Responsible Jewelry Council.Â
Not to be confused with regular gold plating, gold vermeil is a thick, long-lasting layer of 18k solid gold over high-quality sterling silver. We use 18k gold that is 2.5 microns thick, as required by the Federal Trade Commission to classify vermeil, layered over 925 sterling silver.Â
MORE MATERIALS
All of our gemstones are genuine mineral stones that are highly valued for their beauty, longevity and rarity. We use an array of high-quality, natural gemstones.
We use cultured pearls from oysters and freshwater mussels that we carefully select for our pieces. Pearls are sensitive in nature, so be sure to treat them with love.Â
Enameling is a technique where a glossy substance is applied to the surface of metal. To ensure our pieces are more durable, we use cold enamel, a.k.a epoxy resin enamel, that doesn’t contain glass.
