We did China in four days. Yes, really.
This August, our founder Ranee jetted off on an unforgettable trip through Guangzhou, Qingdao and Yiwu — all in just four days — to develop our winter collection, expand our charm range, perfect product quality, and spend time with the incredible manufacturers behind your favourite RJ pieces.
As many of our community already know, every single RJ design is lovingly (and painstakingly!) dreamed up in-house before it's brought to life in China. This was actually Ranee's second solo trip there this year alone. She's worked with these founders for over three years now, and regularly visits the factories in person to work through designs, materials, samples, quality and collection plans together, side by side.
In Qingdao, Ranee worked with a specialist team of twenty on vintage-inspired brass and resin designs. In Guangzhou, she visited a small, specialist team crafting real pearl and mother-of-pearl jewellery — exciting news for our RJ girls who adore iconic mother-of-pearl pieces like the Daisy's Cross matching set.
The result? A beautiful fifteen-piece winter collection of stackable staples, made with our community in mind, plus brand new charms and continued development across the range.
The 30-60 day journey of a single stainless-steel piece.
Ever wondered how your jewellery actually gets made? Depending on the complexity of the design, a single piece can take up to 60 days to travel from a wax mould to a finished piece ready for your jewellery box. Here's the rigorous eight-step journey every RJ piece goes on:
1. Design development – Ranee and the factory team nail down the shape, size, finish, stones and practical details.
2. Technical drawing – The approved design becomes a precise technical drawing.
3. Mould and wax replicas – A mould is created, with wax replicas produced so the design can be cast accurately.
4. Casting – Stainless steel is melted and cast into the mould to form the basic shape.
5. Refining – Excess metal is removed and the piece is refined.
6. CNC detailing – For intricate designs, a computer-controlled CNC machine handles precise cutting, drilling, shaping or engraving.
7. Polishing and finishing – The metal is polished to a smooth, even surface, with stone setting, enamel, inlay, engraving or component assembly added depending on the design. Gold pieces are finished with 18k PVD gold plating.
8. Quality control and packing – Every piece is checked, hand-finished and packed off to our Edinburgh home, where our in-person team takes it from there.
(Curious for more? We go into even more detail on our How Our Jewellery Is Made page.)
How Resin Jewellery is made.
Our customers have been loving resin pieces like the staple Philomena's Resin Necklace and Hera's Heart Pendant, so naturally, we made more for the winter collection! Resin jewellery follows six distinct, detailed steps:
1. Colour and design development – The team agrees on shape, colour, opacity and any pattern or embedded detail.
2. Mould making – A mould is created in the required shape.
3. Mixing and pouring – Liquid resin is mixed with hardener and pigment where needed, then carefully poured into the mould.
4. Curing – The resin is left to harden into a solid piece.
5. Demoulding and finishing – The piece is removed from the mould, then trimmed, sanded and polished.
6. Assembly and checks – The finished resin element is assembled with its metal components and given a final check before packaging.
Out of Office…
Alongside all the hard work in China, Ranee also made time to properly switch off. Top of the list? A 24-hour spa called Yoma in Guangzhou — the perfect spot to relax and recharge between factory visits — plus, of course, some well-earned vintage clothes shopping along the way! Ranee also of course had to gather matcha inspiration while she was there, scoping out ideas for our very own Matcha Bar and future RJ café pop-ups. Her China bucket list is never-ending, and it's fast become one of her favourite places in the world to visit, so you can be sure this won't be her last trip. Stay tuned!
