Automic Gold Blog

It may strike you as an overused cliche, but there is truth in the timeless sentiment that “diamonds are forever.”  Or at least, they should be. In an age of increasing mechanical reproduction, we find ourselves constantly fielding questions about the merits of natural diamonds vs. those that are lab-made. Here at Automic Gold we also see a lot of misinformation on this topic. As your trusted jeweler, I want to provide some answers about the contentious natural diamond vs. lab-made debate. 

 

PRICING

I will employ an easy to understand metaphor to illustrate my point on the topic of pricing. Say someone likes the look of a designer leather bag, but the price is well above their budget. They see a knock-off version of the bag, which looks pretty similar to the real thing and made out of the same quality leather -...

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Ever wondered about the pup that makes an appearance on Automic Gold? Well, her name is Luna and she's the one that runs the show.

Even though she stands a few inches off the ground, don't be fooled by her loud roar of protection. This 15 pound, mini dachshund is ready for anything that comes her way.

At only 2 years old, this NYC based pup likes to lounge in her jammies and snack all day. When she's not in her PJ's she loves to put on a doggy fashion show. Timid at first, but once you get to know her, she's as sweet as can be!

For more adorable photos of Luna, follow @AutomicGold on Instagram!

Only after starting my own brand, I understood how hard it is to "make it" in the world with huge corporations and even bigger investments. Only after that I stopped (ok, 90% stopped) to shop with classical retail system and I am trying to shop only with independent artists and brands. Because now I know from the inside out how hard they work and how much more they care not just about the bottom line.

Here is queer businesses to throw your money at and I marked with 💜 my personal favorites.

 

Queer Retailers:

1. Fredricks and Mae: https://fredericksandmae.com/
2. 💜 OtherWild: https://otherwild.com/
3. Radimo: https://shop.radimo.la/
4. BLK MKT Vintage: https://www.blkmktvintage.com
5. Passionfruit: https://shoppassionfruit.com/
6. Cult Party: 
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Here's something we’ve never talked about before.

We committed from the beginning not to take investments for Automic Gold. We made this commitment consciously so that we will never have to compromise our standards for numbers.

This decision comes grounded in experiences where we saw how investor funds can pressure one into being profitable over being a business that aims for good. 

And yes, it does make things difficult for us. Often we can't afford to hire more people or to be in more locations. We have to wait until we sell our current collection before we have enough funds to make a new one. If we had more investments - we could have already launched so many more things,

But, thanks to your continuous support, we know we will get there soon.

Meanwhile? Hit us up for custom orders and shop...

 

"Automic Gold is queer run jewelry built on transparency and honesty.

One photo is retouched. One is raw. When the innovators behind this brand showed me the photos from our collaboration, fear rose up inside of me because I could see that they were intent on putting out photos that revealed acne and dark spots as a means of holding true to their mission statement.

When authenticity is the mission, sometimes showing up raw is the best way to say that its ok to come with imperfections. When people have negative things to say about a person’s physical appearance in it’s realest and rawest, it actually reflects on their own false standards for beauty.

That is why I think brands like Automic Gold should be uplifted. They remind me why I got into this business in the first place. You are all beautiful.. You are...

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What are you paying for when you pay for fine jewelry? People ask why fine jewelry is so expensive, yet are willing to shell out thousands for a designer bag, no questions asked. Leather costs a fraction of what fine metals and real diamonds cost, so why do we pay a 12x markup? It comes down to the power of big corporations.
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There are almost no big corporations in the jewelry industry, most makers are independent, small- to medium-sized businesses. We don’t put money into advertising campaigns to convince you that a 10x markup is worth it, but as a reward we are trusted less than big brands selling overpriced leather or clothing (industries with generally lower ethical production standards).
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No matter how high the high-end fashion, clothing will never hold its value compared to fine gold and diamonds. When you buy Automic Gold, you are investing in a luxury that lasts...

Why is it ok for big corporations to use the gay identity to sell products and get our money (as well as praise for “representation”), but if we say we are a LGBT-owned biz, I should feel guilty and like I am selling my identity? We are getting comments like “why do you need to say you are queer-owned?” and my answer is that I want to have representation of trans/queer people doing shit, not just sitting pretty. So I push away the voices that tell me to stay quiet and keep grinding.

Picture this: a plus-size person walks into a jewelry store store, looking for a simple ring with a unique design. Five minutes later, they’ve found the perfect piece—it’s delicate, it’s well-made, and it’s unlike anything they’ve seen before. When they try to put it on, it barely fits their pinky ring. They ask for a larger size and are told that’s the biggest they’ve got. That sends the message that plus-size bodies are less deserving of beautiful jewelry. And retailers should be ashamed of that message.

Do a quick Google search for “plus-size jewelry” and it’s limited to fashion brands—with no jewelry-making expertise—swimming out of their lanes. But if you’re looking for handcrafted, minimalist jewelry? The options disappear. Instead of running from the scarcity of items available in larger sizes, we decided to do something about it.

The majority of America wears plus sizes—and millions of people are sick of...