Every week at SARDA™, new pieces make their debut — each one built around a stone chosen for its character, its color, and the way it sits in sterling silver. This Tuesday's drop from the Capsules collection brings six distinctive gemstones to the lineup for the first time. Here's what they are, where they come from, and what makes each one worth knowing.
Plum Lab Created Sapphire
Deep plum-purple with a clean, saturated hue, this week's debut sapphire is cut in a trillion — a triangular faceted shape that throws light in three directions at once. Lab created in China, it shares the same chemical composition as a natural sapphire (corundum, Al₂O₃) and the same optical properties; the difference is that it's grown in a controlled environment rather than mined from the earth. Sapphires have been a fixture in royal and ceremonial jewelry for centuries, from ancient Persia to the engagement rings of European monarchs — the color blue is their most famous expression, but sapphires come in a wide range of hues, including the rich plum seen here.
With a Mohs hardness of 9, lab sapphire is among the most durable gemstones available. It's safe for everyday wear and can be cleaned with mild soap and warm water. Avoid abrasive pads. The Plum Lab Created Sapphire debuts this week in the Power in Love Cuff Bracelet™ and a matching ring, both part of the Capsules collection. Learn more about sapphires at GIA →
Novel™ Mystic Quartz
Novel™ is SARDA's name for a quartz variety treated with PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating — a precision thin-film process that bonds a layer of metallic oxides to the stone's surface, producing vivid color that shifts with the angle of light. The base is clear quartz from Brazil, cut in a trillion and faceted for maximum brilliance. The result is a stone that reads entirely differently depending on how you hold it. It's one of the more technically interesting treatments in contemporary jewelry; the coating is permanent under normal wear but responds better to gentle care than aggressive cleaning.
Quartz rates 7 on the Mohs scale — solid for daily wear. Skip the ultrasonic cleaner; PVD-coated stones do best with a soft cloth and mild soap. Novel™ Mystic Quartz debuts this week in rings, stud earrings, and cuff bracelets in the Capsules collection. More about quartz from the International Gem Society →
Bee Pink™ Mystic Quartz
Named for its warm, honey-tinged pink tone, Bee Pink™ is a PVD-coated quartz from Brazil cut into a long cushion — center stones measuring up to 16x12mm that give each piece a real presence on the wrist or hand. The long cushion shape elongates the stone, making it read larger while still sitting close to the skin. This is one of the bolder debuts in this week's drop: it's a statement stone, not a subtle one. Several pieces in this debut also pair Bee Pink™ with Garnet accent stones from Mozambique — round faceted, 4mm — that add a warmer, earthier note to the pink center.
Mohs hardness: 7. Same care as all mystic quartz — a soft cloth and mild soap, no ultrasonic cleaners. Bee Pink™ Mystic Quartz debuts this week in bracelets, rings, and pendants. More about quartz at IGS →
Raspberry Rouge™ Mystic Quartz
Deep, ripe berry-red in a high-gloss oval cut (14x10mm), Raspberry Rouge™ is the most dramatically colored stone in this week's lineup. The PVD coating over Brazilian quartz gives it a jewel-toned depth that reads almost like a ruby from across a table. "Rouge" is French for red, and the raspberry name fits: this is a cool-toned, berry-bright red that sits closer to magenta than fire-engine. It's a stone that announces itself clearly — one of the reasons it works particularly well in bangle bracelets and statement pendants, where it has room to be seen.
Mohs: 7. Clean gently with a soft cloth and mild soap; avoid harsh chemicals that can compromise the PVD coating. Raspberry Rouge™ debuts this week in a bangle bracelet, a pendant, and a statement ring. Learn more at IGS →
Gold Rutilated Quartz with Black Spinel
Rutilated quartz is clear quartz that contains needle-like inclusions of rutile — a titanium dioxide mineral that forms golden, silver, or copper-colored threads through the body of the stone. No two rutilated quartz stones are identical; the rutile needles arrange themselves differently in every specimen, making each piece genuinely one-of-a-kind. This week's version pairs Gold Rutilated Quartz from Brazil (stabilized, round cabochon, 8mm, with hematite) with Black Spinel accent stones from Thailand — no treatment, microfaceted checkerboard cabochon — for a contrast of warm gold and jet black that reads as both earthy and refined. Rutilated quartz has been admired since ancient Rome, where the golden inclusions were thought to be threads of captured sunlight.
Quartz rates 7 on the Mohs scale; spinel rates 7.5 to 8. Both are durable, but cabochon-cut pieces should be kept away from sharp impacts. Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap, and avoid soaking. Gold Rutilated Quartz with Black Spinel debuts this week in bracelets, rings, and stud earrings. More about quartz at IGS → | More about spinel at IGS →
Ticker Symbols™ Mystic Quartz
Ticker Symbols™ is a PVD-coated Brazilian quartz distinguished by its unusual cut: a round scalloped concave, which means the facets curve inward rather than outward, creating a kaleidoscopic light effect that differs from standard faceted stones. The scalloped concave catches and bends light in a way that makes the stone appear to glow from within rather than simply reflect from the surface. This week it debuts in the Our Hope & Faith Bangle Bracelet™, paired with Pure Pink™ Mystic Topaz accent stones (Brazil, round faceted, 4mm), and also appears in rings.
Mohs: 7. PVD-coated — gentle cleaning with a soft cloth and mild soap. Learn more about quartz at IGS →
Caring for This Week's Stones
- PVD-coated Mystic Quartz (Novel™, Bee Pink™, Raspberry Rouge™, Ticker Symbols™): Clean with a soft cloth or soft-bristle brush, mild soap, and warm water. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam, and harsh chemicals. The coating holds up well under normal wear but is vulnerable to abrasives.
- Plum Lab Created Sapphire: Mohs 9 — very durable. Safe with mild soap and warm water. Avoid abrasive materials.
- Gold Rutilated Quartz with Black Spinel: Soft cloth and mild soap. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for cabochon-cut stones. Pat dry after cleaning.
- All sterling silver settings: Polish occasionally with a soft silver cloth. Store in a cool, dry place — a zip-top bag slows tarnish. For deeper cleaning, see SARDA's jewelry care guide or the SARDA Jewelry Cleaning Kit.
All of this week's debut pieces are available now in the SARDA™ Capsules collection — new arrivals, limited quantities, first come first served.