Our Materials

Jewelry: All pieces are made in Corvallis, Oregon. Sizes are approximate, and may vary slightly, as all our jewelry is handcrafted, with love.

Materials: Pieces are uniquely constructed by hand, primarily with brass, natural stone, glass, and gold-plated materials. Brass wire and rods used in our jewelry-making are purchased from Robnett’s, our local hardware store. Materials are direct-sourced or re-purposed whenever possible - variation in materials and pieces is an expectation - consider your jewelry from de Maquis as wearable pieces of art - unique, personalized, and fit for framing. Handmade jewelry should be treated with care, as it is typically more delicate, dainty, and intricate than machine-made products and industrial materials.

Findings: All necklace chains are gold-plated brass and all ear wires are gold-plated stainless steel unless otherwise noted. If you would like different findings or chain lengths on any piece, please contact us and we'll do our best to accommodate. If you are purchasing earrings to wear with gauges, let us know and we’ll adjust them to nestle more snugly. We ask that you email us with such requests before you place your order, and we welcome them.

Caring for Brass: When exposed to water, sweat, or oils in the skin, brass will naturally patina (deepen and darken in color) over time until polished. If you do not wish to patina your brass, we recommend regularly cleaning your brass jewelry using a brass-cleaning product like Brasso. With good care, brass, unlike plated materials, can always be polished back to its original color. 

Brass can also be polished using many DIY or household products, including:

1. Baking soda & lemon juice

2. Salt, vinegar, & flour (thickener) paste

3. Toothpaste

4. Soap, water, & elbow-grease

Caring for Gold-Plating: Gold plating/fill is a layer of gold that coats another metal, usually brass or steel. Take care of gold-plating by avoiding prolonged exposure to abrasion, water, saltwater, sweat, or harsh chemicals like chlorine and alcohol-based perfumes. Clean with a soft cloth or cotton ball, or warm and soapy water if needed. Like dark denim jeans, wear and clean as seldom as possible, in order to prolong the life of the gold layering.