Precious and Semi-Precious Gemstones

Our precious and semi-precious gems are sourced from around the world. We only use well-cut gemstones with high clarity and genuine color. When selecting gems, our San Francisco Bay Area artisans seek out the most beautiful precious and semi-precious gemstones in a variety of intriguing cuts and shapes.

Hand-cut gemstones sometimes vary slightly in color and shape-this is part of what makes our handmade jewelry unique and stunning.

Historically, gems were put into two categories: precious gemstones (cardinal gems) and semi-precious gemstones stones. Today, nearly all gemstones are considered precious. However, cardinal gems like diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires are usually the most valuable.

At Dasha Boutique, we use precious and semi-precious gems in all of our handmade jewelry designs. We keep our prices low by selling directly to you!

Enhanced and Synthetic Gemstones

Many gemstones are treated or "enhanced" to make the colors of the stones more radiant and eye-catching. Synthetic gemstones are lab-created gems that share their natural counterpart's physical and chemical features. It can be difficult to tell the difference between high-quality synthetic and natural gemstones. Synthetic gemstones are used in less expensive fashion jewelry.

• Read about gems in our Gemstone Chart.
• View jewelry by color.

Gold Metals

Vermeil:  

Gold vermeil is created by electroplating a karat gold with sterling silver. It must be least 2.5 microns thick. Gold vermeil is characterized by a matte finish.

14k Gold fill:

We use 14k gold fill, which is solid 14k gold fused over metal alloy (usually sterling silver). In addition to its beauty, a benefit of 14k gold fill is its durability-it won't rub off like gold-plated metal.

18k Gold:

Because 100 percent gold is too soft to be wearable as jewelry, it's mixed with metal alloys like silver, copper, nickel and zinc. 18k gold is 18 parts gold and six parts other metals. Therefore, 18k gold is 75 percent pure gold. 18k gold is prized for it's rich yellow hue and warm glow.

Sterling Metals

Sterling Silver:

We use high-quality sterling silver in our handmade jewelry. Sterling silver is a white metal that contains 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. Because sterling silver tarnishes easily, it is important to follow certain care and storage guidelines, such as:

• Protect your sterling silver jewelry by storing it in an airtight Ziploc bag.
• Clean your sterling silver jewelry with a soft cloth or toothpaste-avoid harsh chemicals.

Oxidized Sterling Silver:

Oxidized sterling silver is treated in our studios for a dark antique look. Its distinct look makes the attached gemstones "pop" on our unique designs.