Materials and Care Guide

Dakatta jewelry is crafted from a range of techniques including traditional metal-smithing, lapidary work, electro-forming, wire-wrapping, and precious metal clay, feather and bead work.

We love to use sterling silver, copper, and handpicked cabochons, gemstones, and rock slabs. We lovingly practice the art of craftmanship in every piece we create.  

Daily Care | Jewelry will naturally show wear and tear with age. If you enjoy the natural rustic look, no extra care is required. To maintain the original beauty of your jewelry, we suggest: 

  • Regularly use a polishing cloth to clean jewelry to restore its lustre.  
    • If your piece has a patina finish (patina is what creates the natural dark contrasts in the designs), avoid going over areas with the patina (if possible), as this will lighten or remove the oxidized finish.
  • Remove jewelry before showering, washing, and/or swimming.
  • Avoid chemicals coming into direct contact with jewelry. Remember to apply perfumes, lotions, makeup, and creams to hands, face, and body prior to putting on jewelry. Take off jewelry while cleaning to avoid exposure to substances with additional sulfur such as household cleaners, chlorinated water, perspiration, and rubber. These chemicals will accelerate corrosion and tarnish. 
  • Store jewelry properly in a safe, clean and dry location. You may also keep jewelry stored in your Dakatta cloth bag. The bag contains a black tarnish-free tab to help prevent tarnish.  

Sterling Silver | The sterling silver we use, also known as 925 silver is comprised of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Our sterling silver is nickel-free making it hypoallergenic for most people. For simple daily maitenance, rinse jewelry with warm water and gentle soap. Immediately dry with a soft towel or polishing cloth.

Copper  | Copper's natural reddish-brown color delivers an earthy, rustic tone to jewelry, however copper can cause contacted skin to turn green for some people. Not everyone experiences discoloration or reactions. The acidic nature of human sweat and other chemicals on the skin (such as soaps, lotions and makeup) react with the copper. This reaction causes a green patina or surface coating to form on the copper, and that color gets transferred onto the skin. The reaction varies according to individual body chemistry. Each person has a different body chemistry which creates a variety of effects when wearing copper. Copper will naturally oxidize over time. We recommend keeping copper jewelry polished to maintain it's original color.  

Stones | Our stones are carefully handpicked and chosen for its quality and beauty. The durability of a stone depends on its hardness and internal structure such as natural inclusions within the stone. The hardness of a stone will vary depending on the type of stone. We recommend learning about the stones in your jewelry to understand proper care and cleaning to prevent damaging or scratching them.
 
Vermeil/Gold-Plating | Gold-plating is the process of applying a thin layer of gold (.5 - 2.5 microns thick) to a base metal such as copper or brass. Dakatta designs are made specifically with copper or sterling silver as the base metal only (we do not use brass or nickel). Vermail is a high quality version of gold-plating and contains a thicker layer of gold (2.5 microns or greater) over sterling silver. With the added thickness to a precious metal, gold vermeil is more durable than traditional gold-plating. Plating will fade and tarnish over time, however can last up to five years with proper care. To extend the life of gold-plated and vermeil jewelry:
  • Avoid wearing when washing hands, showering, applying lotion, hairspray, sunscreen, using harsh cleaning supplies or working out.
  • To clean, buff gently with a soft and dry 100% cotton cloth or a microfiber cloth. We suggest cleaning every day for daily worn pieces. 
  • Only use jewelry cleaners that are safe to use on gold-plated/vermeil jewelry.
  • When storing, place it in an air tight bag and keep pieces separate from other jewelry.

Infinity Bracelets | Our bracelets are beaded on a strong, durable, high tensile strength elastic cord that is nickel, lead and latex free. Proper care includes rolling the bracelet on and off the wrist to prevent over-stretching the cord, which eventually cause the bracelet to lose its elasticity and resiliency. Our infinity strech bracelets, when cared for properly, last a very long time. 

Organic Materials |  Jewelry made with butterfly wings, feathers, and other organic materials should be cared for by not exposing them to water, other liquids, chemicals, and extended periods of direct sunlight. These earthy materials require being handled with extra love. We recommend following the care card instructions given with your purchase. 

We care about animals and strive to use their gifts, such as feathers and butterflies, obtained in sustainable and ethical processes. our butterfly wings come from butterfly farms. We purchase our feathers from farmers who raise the birds for their meat. The feathers are a byproduct. We use feathers that otherwise would have been wasted. We use the highest quality of feathers & butterfly wings we receive to create your jewelry pieces.