Gold vermeil means that your piece is made from sterling silver dipped in a thick layer of gold. Vermeil pieces must meet industry standards–they must be made of silver, have a gold thickness of at least 2.5 microns (ten times the thickness of ordinary gold plated pieces), and the gold must be of at least 10K quality. Benedicta Jewelry goes beyond by using 14K gold.

Our goal was to find the perfect meeting place of quality, durability, and price. We want our jewelry to be beautiful and long-lasting, as well as affordable. Gold-filled pieces contain more gold but require a totally different casting process, limiting our options. Ordinary gold plating, often done over brass, can tarnish or flake within months. With proper care, gold vermeil pieces can last many years. Because their base is high-quality sterling silver, they can also be replated.

No! Lab-created gemstones are identical to naturally occurring gemstones in their chemical composition. We love lab-created gemstones because they are just as beautiful as natural but often more affordable (and more ethically produced). Benedicta Jewelry uses a combination of natural and lab-created gemstones; never synthetics.

If wear and tear affects your piece, please reach out to us to discuss options for repairs and replating.

Preorder pieces are pieces in the creative pipeline that are close to being ready-to-ship. By preordering, you ensure you will receive one of these small batch pieces. Preorder pieces can take 3-4 weeks to ship.

When you buy a made-to-order piece, you begin a multistep creation process. It begins with casting, moves on to polishing, then gemstone setting, and finally a last cleanup and quality check. We partner with trusted U.S. companies to make sure each piece is of the very best quality. Because of the handcrafted nature of our pieces, a made-to-order piece can take up to six weeks to ship.

The price of our jewelry takes into account the fluctuating costs of materials as well as honoring ethical working conditions for our partners. Our prices are subject to change due to changing market values of silver, gold, and precious gemstones.

We strive to keep our margins tight so we can offer beautiful, high quality jewelry at a reasonable price. Benedicta Jewelry designs are unique, original, and exclusively ours.

Our made-to-order 14k solid gold pieces are great investment pieces. They will last lifetimes and do not tarnish. The price of these pieces reflect that level of quality. 14k gold vermeil has the same look and feel as solid gold, but at a lower price point. With care, gold vermeil pieces will last many years.

In the end, the choice between the two often comes down to the price tag.

We are a small, women-owned business. We balance caring for our customers with caring for our families. We consolidate shipping in-stock pieces, so the timing of when you place your order can impact how quickly it ships.

We are constantly reading up on the saints and prayerfully designing new pieces. Please contact us with suggestions for future saints to include in our collection! We'd love to hear from you.