Our Materials

Every Dawn & D'or piece is made of hypoallergenic, solid gold. All materials, from the alloy in our gold to the specifications of our diamonds and pearls are fully disclosed.

Materials Used

1.14k Gold

58.3% pure gold, alloyed with silver, palladium, copper, and zinc. Durable and hypoallergenic.

2.18k Gold

75% pure gold, richer color, softer feel. Nickel-free formula which uses gold, silver, palladium, copper, and zinc.

3.Rhodium

Rhodium is a premium metal used to plate white gold for a bright white finish. Rest assured, its hypoallergenic and even more expensive than gold.

4.Lab Diamonds

Identical to mined stones. We use mainly D color, VVS1, and 3EX quality stones. IGI graded stones are possible for stones larger than 0.5 carat each.

5.Natural Diamonds

Earth-mined and conflict-free, sourced with full disclosure of carat, color, and clarity. Natural, GIA diamonds available upon request for any piece.

6.Akoya Pearls

Japanese saltwater pearls, 5 to 9 mm, prized for sharp mirror-like lustre. Our favorite Akoya pearls to use are white or cream colored with soft pink overtones.

7.South Sea Pearls

The largest and rarest cultured pearls, with a satiny white-to-golden glow.

Materials Deep Dive

Hypoallergenic 14k & 18k solid gold

Every Dawn & D'or piece is solid 14k or 18k gold, never plated, never gold-filled. Pure 24k gold is too soft to hold a setting or survive daily wear, so it's alloyed with a small, carefully chosen mix of other metals to give it strength, color, and staying power.

Our alloys are made from gold, silver, palladium, copper, and zinc, no nickel. Nickel is the most common cause of jewelry allergies, and we exclude it from every karat and every color. That's what makes our gold safe for sensitive skin.

White gold is finished with a thin layer of rhodium plating for its bright, mirror-like white. Rhodium is a member of the platinum family and is itself hypoallergenic. Over years of daily wear the plating can gradually wear thin; we re-plate white gold pieces on request so they look new again.

Akoya & South Sea pearls

We work with two of the most respected saltwater pearl varieties in the world. Every pearl is real, cultured, and hand-selected for lustre, surface, and shape.

Akoya pearls are farmed off the coast of Japan. They are prized for their sharp, mirror-like lustre and clean, near-round shape, the classic "pearl" you picture when someone says the word. Sizes typically run between 5 and 9 mm.

South Sea pearls are the rarest and largest of the cultured pearl families, grown in the warm waters of Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Their satiny lustre and natural white-to-golden tones give them a soft, warm glow that Akoya can't replicate.

Lab-grown diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, optically, and physically identical to mined diamonds: same crystal structure, same hardness, same sparkle. The only difference is how they're formed: in a lab over a few weeks, rather than deep in the earth over millions of years.

Because they're conflict-free and traceable to a single facility, we can offer larger, cleaner stones at a fraction of the cost of a comparable mined diamond without asking you to compromise on quality.

Every diamond in a Dawn & D'or piece is spec'd to the same standard: VVS1 clarity or better, D color, excellent cut. Exact carat weight, cut, color, and clarity are listed on every product page, no vague "diamond accents."

Natural diamonds

Natural diamonds are earth-mined stones formed over billions of years. Each carries its own unique internal characteristics, history, and brilliance.

We source natural diamonds that are conflict-free and fully traceable. Every stone is evaluated for cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, and we can provide GIA certification on request.

You can also bring your own natural diamonds to be set into a Dawn & D'or design. Whether it's a family heirloom stone or a loose diamond you've purchased, we can work with it.

Any design on our site can be requested with natural diamonds instead of lab-grown. Just reach out before ordering and we'll outline the exact stone, timeline, and price for your piece.