Breastmilk jewelry is jewelry made with and from breastmilk. Mothers choose Milk Gems if they want a tangible reminder of their breastfeeding adventure, pumping period or their (unborn) child. Surrogate mothers, breastmilk donors or relatives also opt for a breastmilk jewellery.
Cremains jewelry or an ashes jewelry is memorial jewelry with a bits of cremains or ashes, or a piece of fabric or a lock of hair from your loved one. This way you have a nice tangible memory of a deceased or deceased (pet) animal.
The average delivery time is stated with each piece of jewelry. Jewelry made with breastmilk, ashes or hair is ready after about 10 – 12 weeks. This production time starts from the moment I receive your inclusions (breastmilk / ashes / lock of hair). Shipping takes 1 - 3 working days (in the December month this is 1.5 weeks) for orders from in the Netherlands. For international orders, a longer delivery time applies because I depend on international postal companies. Mail takes on average 1-4 weeks for abroad.
Update COVID-19: Due to the Corona crisis, lead times may increase (considerably). This is especially true for customers where the postal companies have difficulty delivering, such as India. My request to you is to be a little extra patient with the delivery time. Your Milk Gems jewelry will always be delivered. But depending on the measures and how the postal service operates, you may receive it (much) later than my regular delivery times.
Keep in mind that every handmade piece of jewelry takes time. I also have to preserve your inclusion (in the case of breastmilk) so that it does not rot. Once I start your piece of jewelry, there are many steps involved in setting up, pouring, mixing, drying, sanding and more. I understand your enthusiasm, but your piece of jewelry has and deserves the time to be made beautiful. Each Milk Gems you buy from me is handmade with love and individually made. This means that no two pieces of jewelry will ever be the same. Although I put a lot of time and dedication into my work, there may be something that sets one piece apart from another, such as a small air bubble or a seam.
Yes, you can prioritise your order for a fee. By adding the product "Express Order" (in the shopping cart), I will prioritise your order and can ship your DNA jewelry 3 weeks from the date I received your breastmilk or ashes.
Absolute! I can use frozen breastmilk very well for making breastmilk jewelry, even if it has been frozen for years. You must thaw the milk completely before shipping. In my experience, breastmilk rarely arrives so spoiled that it is no longer usable, even if I receive breastmilk from abroad. Once I receive your breast milk, it will be sterilized and then preserved.
It takes 3 to 5 ml of breast milk for a piece of jewelry. This can also be breastmilk stored in the fridge or (thawed) breastmilk from the freezer. When your milk production decreases, you can also express a few drops or milliliters every day (or collect if you still have leaky breasts during feeding/expressing) and store this in the fridge. You can then repeat this process until you reach 5ml.
Give yourself some time and try to pump a few drops every day until you can fill the bottle. Don't worry about the milk not being fresh anymore. Keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you can transfer it to my shipping kit.
I sometimes get this question, especially from mothers who send their breastmilk. I completely understand! I would also find it tensive to send something as precious as breastmilk, ashes or hair to a complete stranger. As a mother has also breastfed my kids, I too would like to have a sense of assurance that my inclusions (such as breastmilk or a lock of hair) have really been used.
It comes down to trust. I know the importance and deep meaning that breastmilk jewelry embodies. In addition, I take great pride in my jewelry and would never risk damaging the reputation I have created. Lastly, I only open one kit at a time, these are registered and clearly labelled. Each order has its own tray, which is also labeled with your name and details. As a result, everything is continuously separated from other orders to ensure there is no confusion.
After you place your order, I will send you information and a shipping kit to send your breastmilk, ashes, or lock of hair to me. Instructions are included in the shipping kit so that you know how and how much to send to me. If you're ordering from abroad, you'll receive instructions how to send the inclusions.
I have extensively tested and approved my breastmilk jewelry preservation method by 2 independent chemists. Your milk and other inclusions are professionally preserved using approved and legal means that are marked as stable preservation methods. It is possible that if you do not care for your jewelry correctly (you will receive the necessary care tips from me) they will turn yellow, when eg. you swim with your jewelry. This can be fixed, but there will be a cost.
Your breastmilk Milk Gems can also undergo a normal change called 'sinking in color', this is where the milk stone shifts very slightly to slightly less white. This is normal and occurs with most breastmilk jewelry. This settling in color usually occurs within the first 3 months and is not something to worry about, the difference is almost invisible.
These jewelry are durable. However, as with all fine jewelry, proper care and handling is essential and contributes to the longevity of your Milk Gems. With proper care, your jewelry will last a lifetime.
Due to the personal nature of each piece of jewelry, I cannot accept returns. All DNA jewelry (made with or from ashes, breastmilk, lock of hair) is personalised with the DNA material supplied by you and each has a unique character. This type of product is not eligible for return. If an error has been made during the production process of your jewellery, we will of course look for a suitable solution together. In this case or for further information, please contact us at info@milkgems.nl. Always state your order number and always send a photo of the piece of jewelry so that we can help you as best as possible!
Cancellation after I have received your inclusions (ash residue, breastmilk, lock of hair) is only possible after the costs incurred have been settled. As soon as I receive your inclusions, I will start the preservation process and/or make or order your gold or silver holder.
Yes, I also ship internationally. But for international orders you have to send your breastmilk, the ashes or hairs to me yourself. When you purchase your jewelry, you will receive instructions on how and where to send your milk.
Sorry, this is not possible. I have my studio at home and, in addition to designing fantastic jewelry, I also try to respect the privacy of my husband and children.
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