How and where is DEAR DARLING BERLIN jewelry made? We'll tell you all about it in this exciting article. In February 2022, we visited our production facility in beautiful Tuscany (Italy) and documented the entire process for you – from the raw material to the finished piece of jewelry. Did you know, for example, that a single earring is lovingly crafted by up to nine different people before it finally ends up in your jewelry box?
We speak openly about our values – and we live by them: sustainable practices, a family-like working environment, and transparency. That's why we work exclusively with trusted manufacturers, family businesses, and long-standing jewelry experts who – just like us – strive for excellent quality, unique designs, and responsible production.
Where is our jewelry produced?
Our jewelry is handcrafted locally in Italy and Germany. It's important to us to know the people who make our pieces and to know that they work under fair conditions and with a love for their craft. Because we pass that love on – and send it to your home in small, high-quality boxes.
Our production facility, located in the romantic heart of Italy – Tuscany – employs around 40 people. The majority of management and staff are women. For 30 years, we have been crafting high-quality silver jewelry here in a family-like atmosphere. Walking through the factory, you can feel the passion and expertise for the art of jewelry making everywhere you go.
How is a piece of jewelry made?
Once the designs and models for our collection have been finalized (from the initial sketch to the finished 3D model), we go into production! This means the jewelry pieces are cast or cut at very high temperatures, creating a blank.
Each of our jewelry pieces contains a lot of love and many hours of handwork, because a Dear Darling piece of jewelry does not come 'finished' from the machine, but is individually and lovingly assembled with attention to detail.
For example, the blank for our popular Twisted Creole earring is ... Initially completely 'round', it is first cut into shape.
The blank is then transformed into an earring! The open ends are closed for a high-quality look, and the post with the clasp is soldered in place. Whether a piece of jewelry is hollow or solid depends largely on the size and design. Wider earrings are usually hollow because they are lighter and therefore more comfortable to wear.
Once the pin is secured, it's time for polishing. Each of our jewelry pieces is carefully polished by hand , assisted by a professional polishing machine. This is where the slightly rough surface of the raw silver acquires its unique shine. Delicate pieces are polished by hand. For thicker chains, a vibrating machine is used, in which small ceramic particles polish the surface.
Last but not least: Our jewelry now receives its high-quality, durable 18-karat gold plating or rhodium plating . For this, each earring is attached to a special hook, which then undergoes a complex finishing process until you finally hold the finished piece of jewelry in your hands. The finishing process, also known as electroplating , is carried out under the strictest quality and safety standards by a maximum of one or two people who have completed specialized training.
Our production facility also features a state-of-the-art process and cleaning system.
For us at DEAR DARLING BERLIN, it's important to give you transparent insights into our production process. We believe you deserve to know how and where your jewelry is made. And we are incredibly proud to work with such wonderful partners! That's why we regularly visit the production facilities ourselves to ensure workplace safety and product quality.
Finally, our beautiful jewelry needs to be dried before it makes its way to us, where it is lovingly packaged in our DEAR DARLING BERLIN jewelry boxes. We use special drying ovens for this – basically like a regular oven for jewelry! This process can take several hours, depending on the complexity of the design.
Before the jewelry makes its way from Italy to us, the quality is checked once again by the wonderful team on site . On our necklaces, for example the pearl choker, our logo tag is also attached by hand.
We hope we've given you some exciting insights! Do you have any further questions about us or our production? Feel free to contact us anytime. Also, check out our Instagram channel for even more behind-the-scenes glimpses!
♡ Your DEAR DARLING Team