Jewelry Care & Materials

Runako Designs is serious about the quality of our handcrafted jewelry. We take special care in selecting materials and vendors, to ensure that any piece you order will last a lifetime. In this section, you'll find more information about the materials used, as well as how to care for your jewelry.  If you have any questions, that we have not answered here, please feel free to contact us directly by email.

Featured Materials
All About the Materials
Cleaning and Care

Featured Materials

Some of our designs feature handmade Fair Trade jewelry components from Africa, Indonesia and Thailand. Below is more information on these materials.   

Kazuri Beads
These hand shaped, hand painted ceramic beads are made in Kenya and are crafted using clay from the base of Mt. Kenya.  Each bead is unique and special made by skilled Kenyan women from the village of Nairobi.  The workshop started as a refuge for women to learn a trade to support their families. Many of them were nearly destitute, abandoned by their men or widowed by the Aids epidemic that is ravaging Kenya.  Today, the group has grown to over 200 women and a few men and their products are being recognized all over the world. Some of these beads are embellished with14kt Gold or Platinum paints, making them even more valuable.  

Hill Tribe Silver
Hill Tribe silver components are crafted in Thailand. Each component is handcrafted, using .995 silver, by a skilled family of artisans, working to support their families.  The few villages that have created these astonishing silver products have slowly improved their standard of living; from wooden huts with grass shingles and open-air toilets to wooden homes on stilts to brick with cement floor tiling-homes and an indoor-toilet. Needless to say, these homes are often shared by several generations of fathers, mothers and siblings that all have or eventually will take part in creating these wonderful silver beads, pendants, charms, toggles and many more unique silver accessories to worldly desire.

Bali Silver
These beads and components are handmade (not cast) with unique design and intricate detail. Bali silver is sterling silver made on the island of Bali, in Indonesia in the Indian Ocean.  The Balinese are highly skilled silversmiths, known for their granulation and wirework decoration. Every bead is special, and every bead has it own.

All About the Materials

Sterling Silver
Silver has been used in jewelry as far back as Egyptian times. To be considered "sterling silver," an article must contain at least 92.5 percent silver; that is why sterling silver is marked "925." Although rich in luster, silver does tarnish when exposed to the elements, but with proper care and cleaning your silver jewelry will last a lifetime. Silver used in our designs is either .925 or .999. 

14kt Gold Filled
Gold-filled describes when a layer of 14kt gold is mechanically bonded with heat and pressure to one or more surfaces of the supporting base metal, then rolled or drawn to a given thickness. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product. Gold-filled items will remain gold for a lifetime if cared for properly. Unless you are using harsh chemicals or abrasives, the gold layer will stay gold for years to come, unlike plated gold.

Vermeil
Vermeil is essentially .925 sterling silver jewelry layered with gold. The result is long life, gold jewelry with the exact same shine and richness of real 14 or 18 karat gold that won't wear down like regular plated gold jewelry.

100 % Natural Brass
We only use 100% Brass components. The Brass used is hand embellished, not antiqued plated or chemically treated and are nickel-free. Brass has a rich distinctive color and will last a lifetime. Also easily cared for. 

Bronze
A few of our products contain Bronze components as accents. Bronze has become a nice quality alternative to Gold, as the prices continue to increase.  For ages, cultures have been using bronze to make many beautiful pieces of jewelry It's high copper content allows the metal to develop a patina over time. Earthy golden tones will mature into a rich chocolate color with turquoise highlights.

Semi Precious Gemstones/Beads
The gemstones and beads used in our jewelry are usually of the finest quality. Occasionally we will select other grades of gemstone or freshwater pearls for our designs because of it's character or appeal. Just because something is more expensive does not always mean more beautiful and the stones and beads used in our beautiful jewelry are selected with that in mind.

The glass lamp work and ceramic beads featured in some of our pieces are all handcrafted by artisans and in most cases are one of a kind.

We try our best to select beads and gemstones that are only natural, with no treatments. In the world of gemstones, however, there are several commonly applied treatments to certain stones, especially among the quartz family and freshwater pearls. Even in spite of industry standards, we will also opt for quality even when selecting treated materials.

Swarovski crystals
We only use Swarovksi Crystal from Austria in our designs. These crystals are one of the most recognized brands of crystal in the world today. They are known for their precision cuts, clarity, and sparkle. The lead oxide level used in Swarovski Crystals is a minimum of thirty two percent.

Care and Cleaning

Your jewelry purchase from Runako Designs will last you a lifetime if properly cared for. 

Silver and Gold
Silver & Gold jewelry can be kept tarnish-free simply by wearing it and keeping it stored in airtight bags when storing.  Do not spray perfumes on any of your jewelry, and keep it out of Salt Water.  Zip-lock or velvet bags work great for storing your more delicate pieces to prevent tarnishing and scratching.  Also, a small strip of 3M tarnishing paper will work wonders. 

Eventually the metals will begin to tarnish due to oxidation, this does not mean your jewelry needs to be thrown away.  If this should happen, use a soft cloth; a dry jeweler's polishing cloth works best, to polish your piece back to its original shine. Try "Sunshine" cloth, or a similar brand, available at most jewelers. Liquid jewelry cleaners are not recommended. 

If you follow the above steps for cleaning and caring for your jewelry, you will be able to hand them down from generation to generation.