Scandinavian Minimalism that Stands the Test of Time
Dinot Curated is a woman-owned, San Diego based brand founded upon Scandinavian minimalism and sustainability. Our jewelry is designed to stand the test of time both in terms of style and materials used while staying clear of harmful chemicals and hazardous waste production.
We believe that jewelry elevates any outfit and gives you that extra boost of confidence, regardless of occasion. Whether you are attending the met gala, if you are at the beach, the gym, or lounging around in comfiest sweats - jewelry is often the frosting on the cake that can help you express your personality and style. Since we are all about self-expression, we wanted to create and design jewelry that can be worn at every occasion and location without breaking the bank, and literally without breaking or tarnishing.
For that reason, our founder never leaves the house without her jewelry on, but she was getting tired and frustrated of her "high quality" jewelry tarnishing after wearing them to the beach or at the yoga studio, and felt ashamed to donate them in such bad condition, which just seemed like a big waste. With jewelry, low price and fast-fashion is almost certain low quality, but higher prices does not necessary equal higher quality. So we learned...
Our founder studied Sustainability at UCLA Extension, and specialized in the fashion industry. During her studies, she realized that the consumer use and end phase is more harmful to the environment and the planet than both the sourcing and production phase in the fashion industry.
You may be thinking, what is the consumer use and end phase? As simple as, the moment the product is purchased until its no longer wanted and dispatched.
All that Glitter Isn't Gold
While metal based jewelry is recyclable, such as sterling silver and stainless steel, most will end up in a landfill, or in our water-streams such as rivers and oceans. Yeuk. Broken, tarnished, and fast fashion jewelry will most definitely end up in a landfill. Solid gold rarely does due to its price point, yet solid gold is a luxury most people cannot afford.
To solve this huge waste problem we were determined to create and design jewelry that is timeless and mimics the look and durability of fine jewelry such as solid gold; jewelry you can shower in, swim in, and workout in – without tarnishing or losing color; however, we did not want the price-tag of solid gold. The answer? Surgical stainless steel with PVD plating.
Our founder Sofia explains our main material and plating process,
Dinot Curated Essentials Collection is made of surgical steel, also called 316L stainless steel. It is the strongest and most durable metal one can make jewelry in, stronger than both gold and silver. While some 316L stainless steel contain small parts of nickel, ours don't. I am, with the company of millions of people, extremely allergic to nickel. All our jewelry free is from hazardous materials such as lead and cadmium, making them hypoallergenic. Stainless steel in itself does not contain any copper, which is what makes metals turn green or blue when oxidized.
For that yellow gold sparkle that we all love, our 18k yellow gold plating method is called PVD (Physical Vapor Depositions) or ion plating. Rather than just dipped, the gold is evaporated and condensed onto the jewelry in a vacuum chamber using electrical voltage. PVD makes the plating far more durable and waterproof compared to other plating methods, meaning we can live our lives and be active without worrying about our jewelry tarnishing. Furthermore, PVD produces no hazardous waste and is 100% free from hazardous materials. Pretty cool if you ask me!
So, that's the shortened version of our story to create our waterproof jewelry.
Ps. All our stainless steel jewelry has a two-year color warranty, if any were to tarnish for some imaginable reason.
You can read more about our materials and sustainability here and our warranty here.