There’s a lot of jewellery online that looks similar at first glance, and it’s not unreasonable to wonder what’s really behind a brand - whether it’s thoughtfully made, or whether it’s just the same thing you’ve seen elsewhere with a bigger markup.
I’ve just come back from visiting the people we work with to make our jewellery, and I wanted to share a bit of what that actually looks like behind the scenes.
What we look for before anything gets made
Before we even talk about new designs, we revisit the fundamentals with the partners we already work closely with.
We look at how consistently materials are being handled.
We dig into how piercing jewellery is approached differently to fashion jewellery.
We check how quality holds up as volumes increase.
And we review how testing, documentation, and inspections are carried out over time.
Engineering before aesthetics
Once we’re confident in the fundamentals, that’s when product development begins.
We focus heavily on the parts that determine how something actually feels once it’s in your ear:
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Post stability (so pieces don’t wobble)
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Thickness and weight (so jewellery feels secure without being bulky)
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Stone setting methods that prioritise structure, not just appearance & hold up during a sterlization process
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Dimension changes that make changing and inserting flatbacks at home even easier
Why not every design is possible (and that’s a good thing)
One thing that came up again and again during the visit was understanding limits.
Some settings can’t be welded securely without glue.
Some combinations weaken the structure of a piece.
Some designs technically work, but only if you’re willing to compromise durability.
We don’t force designs past those limits. If something doesn’t make sense structurally, it doesn’t move forward, even if it looks great on paper.
How an Implantium™ Piece Is Made - Start to Finish
Every Implantium™ piece goes through a long, structured process before it ever reaches you. This is the actual journey, step by step.
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Cutting the base shape
Each piece begins as raw material, which is cut into its core form. This creates the foundation of the design before any detailing is added. -
Precision cutting of details
The finer elements: curves, openings, settings, and internal structure are cut with precision to ensure accuracy, balance, and consistency. -
Extended polishing with abrasion stones
Pieces are polished using abrasion stones over seven days. This stage smooths the surface evenly, removes sharp edges, and prepares the metal for finishing. -
Hand polishing
After machine polishing, each piece is hand-polished to refine the finish and reach piercing-level quality. -
Assembly
Individual components are assembled, including posts, backs, and any moving or structural parts. This is where stability and comfort are finalised. -
Gold plating (where applicable)
Pieces are plated using controlled processes designed for durability, not just shine. Plating thickness and adhesion are carefully managed at this stage. -
Stone setting
Stones are set using methods chosen for long-term security and wearability. This step is done after plating to ensure both finish and structure remain intact. -
Final quality checks
Each piece passes through multiple quality inspections to check finish, structure, stability, and overall consistency before approval. -
Packaging
Only once a piece meets our standards is it prepared and packaged, ready to be worn as part of a real, everyday ear stack.
Quality control at every stage
Before anything ships, it passes through multiple quality checks:
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Two inspections during production
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A further check before dispatch
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Randomised testing across batches
This structure means issues are caught early rather than passed down the line and it’s what allows us to scale without losing control of quality.
Why this matters to us (and to you)
We’re a small team, and we care deeply about what we put our name on.
It's really important to us that we're transparent with our supply chain and proceses - we hope you find this interesting!
If you’ve found Smoothie recently, this is what’s behind the brand. Real people, real standards, and a lot of care going into every piece before it ever reaches you.
