FAQ - HOW CAN WE HELP

Order and Shipping

If you have received two identical order confirmations, it may have been a double order. Please contact us at hello@ouaw.se and we will help you.

You should receive a confirmation email minutes after placing an order and finishing the payment process. If you have placed an order without receiving a confirmation email:

  1. Please check your spam email box to see if the confirmation is here. If yes, whitelist the mail to not risk missing further order information. If not:
  2. Contact us via hello@ouaw.se for us to assist BEFORE placing a new order.

If you wish to change or cancel your order, please contact us right away, and we’ll do our best to help.

Kindly note that once your order is in the packing process, we’re unable to change your order.

We’ll do our best to send your order as soon as possible. We usually ship orders within 24 hours or on the next working day.

The delivery time depends on where in the world your order is to be delivered.

  • Sweden – within 1-3 business days.
  • EU – Delivery within 3-6 business days.
  • Outside of the EU – delivery within 4-9 business days.

Kindly note that public holidays and weekends can mean extra delivery days.

You will receive a confirmation email with your package’s tracking number when it ships.

Use the tracking number in the shipping confirmation email to follow your order as it heads toward you.

External factors outside OUAW and the courier’s control, such as extreme weather and technical failures, can cause delays. If that occurs, we ask for your patience and understanding.

We offer free shipping.

We ship worldwide. 

Kindly note that there may be regions, countries, or cities that the courier service we work with is unable to deliver to. If you want to send to an address in an area where you know that no or few postal services operate in please contact us before placing an order at hello@ouaw.se

If you wish to make a change in your delivery address, please contact us. We’ll do our best to assist you.

Please note that a request to change the delivery address may delay the delivery.

You will receive an email with your package’s tracking number as soon as your order ships from us. To follow your package, simply use the tracking number provided in your order confirmation email.

Use your shipments tracking number, stated in your confirmation email to follow your order. Your local office for the shipment service can likely inform you of the status of the delivery. If you still need our help contact us as hello@ouaw.se

If the maximum number of working days for the delivery has not yet passed, we ask for your patience.

If the shipping address is other than a residential address, as to a company address, make sure to include the company name, or appropriate.

Unfortunately, our shipping partners cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes, Army Post Office (APO), or Fleet Post Offices (FPO).

We’re sorry! If you receive your package, and it’s not as you ordered, please contact us at hello@ouaw.se for help.

Please note that our experienced warehouse partner monitors and controls the weight of all packages before shipping.

We offer a 60-day return period. If you wish to return a product, contact us at hello@ouaw.se to get an address to ship to.
 
The returned products must be non-used, in original packaging, and with all materials intact. All must be in the same new condition as when received.
 
Please note that the customer is responsible for the return shipping cost and the product until it is delivered back to OUAW. Therefore, we strongly recommend sending the package with a trackable postal service.
 
Once your return package arrives at our warehouse, it’s processed and inspected. If your return is approved, OUAW will issue a refund. You can expect your refund to be visible in your account within 5-10 business days.
 
Please return what you have received and place a new order if you want to exchange something. If you have paid customs fees for the product you wish to return, please get in touch with your local post office for information on how to receive a credit or refund.

Payment and Security

You can pay by credit or debit card. We accept all major cards like VISA, MasterCard and American Express.

The prices are in SEK plus shown directly converted to EUR and USD. It includes Swedish VAT of 25%.

For shipment outside the EU the Swedish VAT of 25% will be taken off at check out before payment.

OUAW is not responsible for any discrepancies in currency values or conversation rates that your bank or credit card company may use. Should you have questions on this, please contact your bank or credit card company.

If your shipping address is within the European Union there’s no additional fees or taxes. For shipping destinations within the EU, Swedish VAT of 25% is included.

For shipment outside the EU the Swedish VAT of 25% is taken off at check out before payment. Non-EU countries can have their own laws and regulations. Please note that you are responsible for any customs charges that may be applied by your country.

Please contact the customs in your country for information about possible fees and taxes

Your transaction and payment details are directly handled by the payment service providers, with secure encryption, and under strict banking standards. In the checkout you can clearly see who the payment service providers are.

Your card or bank details cannot be seen or accessed by OUAW.

All transactions are handled directly by the payment service providers.

If your payment is declined check to see if: 

  • there are sufficient funds on the choosen card
  • the card open for internet purchases?
  • card is open for international payments
  • possible daily limit already is reached
  • card is blocked by your bank for safety reasons
  • funds are in a different account than the card is linked to
  • the personal info you enter match bank records

If the above does not resolve the issue, please consider using an alternative card or payment method.

The information we collect about you will be used to fulfill your order.

Information may be shared with partners involved in the processing and delivering your order as the shipping service. Your information will not be shared for marketing purposes outside OUAW. For more please see read our full privacy policy.

If you agree to an email subscription, we’ll email offers, updates, and services once in a while. You can opt out of these at any time.

Product Information

Recycled silver and gold are the same quality as new, simply more environmentally friendly. It’s made from re-melted old jewelry, medical equipment, and electronics.

The materials differ from piece to piece. Please see the specifications next to each product.

Use & Care

After use, gently wipe your jewelry with a soft cloth to remove make-up residue, oils from your skin, or other.

Silver jewelry: If necessary, use a polishing cloth and possibly a silver dip
 
NOTE: Do NOT dip the jewelry in the AKIN collection (with sand behind sapphire glass) as the liquid can penetrate the locket.

The jewelry in the AKIN Collection, with sand between sapphire glass, is water resilient but NOT waterproof.

If you forget to remove the jewelry before contact with water, water may enter into the lockets.

If water gets in the sand will get damp, and a mist can form between the glass. It can take quite some time for the water to evaporate out of the locket and the sand to dry but with time it will. You need only wait.

If the temperature changes abruptly, slight condensation may form between the glass. If this happens, it will disappear by itself in a short time.

If you forget to remove the jewelry before contact with water, water may enter into the lockets and dampen the sand. A mist can form between the glass as a result.

If this is the case it can take quite some time for the water to evaporate out of the locket and the sand to dry. With time it will. You need only wait.

Your OUAW piece and every piece of fine jewelry will stay beautiful longer if cared for. Air pollutants, dust, perspiration, perfumes, and other natural elements can dull the appearance of precious metals. Care recommendations to help preserve all your jewelry:

  • Store your jewelry in the box it was delivered in or in a soft jewelry pouch. When in storage, arrange chains in loop shapes to avoid damage.
  • Don’t sleep with your jewelry on.
  • Never force or pull chains. 
  • After use, gently wipe every piece with a soft cloth to remove make-up residue or oils from your skin. Always go easy. 
  • Avoid wearing jewelry in a swimming pool, hot tub, sauna or steam room. 
  • Never ever wear any type of jewelry in natural hot springs, as found in volcanic areas.

 

Specific care advice for the AKIN Collection (sand behind sapphire glass)

  • Take off your sand locket before contact with water to avoid water getting into the sand. It’s water-resilient to everyday use and to light rain but NOT waterproof.
  • Do NOT dip the jewelry pendant, as the liquid can penetrate the locket.

Sand and Sand Grains

The AKIN Collection is a result of global collaboration.

Ambassadors, entrepreneurs, geological institutions, tourism organizations, travelers, and locals have kindly helped out. Not to forget the many peoples at geological, mining, or environmental institutions granting permits.

Bringing grains of sand from every nation together was a real challenge. It took me, the founder, on a 4½ year-long sand quest. Numerous permits from governmental institutions and departments have been issued to get the sand for the OUAW sand collections.

It was finally pulled off with help from over 1000 hands from all over the world.

Sand might seem ever-present but is, in fact, scarce. There are many national, regional, and local regulations connected to sand to protect our environment.

According to how most define which states quality as a country – yes. But it’s a tricky question to answer.

How many countries there are in the world depends on who is counting. Some say 193, many 197, others 201, 204, 221, 225, or even 249. 

The number of independent states with full membership in the UN is 193. Then there are two states as permanent observer states to the UN. OUAW has sand from these 195 nations as our base to stay out of political discussions. 

Additional states often recognized as independent ones on top of these 195 are Taiwan, West Sahara, and Kosovo. Then there are many independent territories and areas that, for example, in sports, are considered countries at other times not. Plus, sites self-declared as nations without recognition from the international communities.

At OUAW, we’re inclusive and want to celebrate people and places regardless of political borders. Most of the “might be nations” are still included in the “secret ingredient.”

On top, there’s an additional list of micro-nations also named model countries or country projects. (not to be confused by microstates or unrecognized states). Micro-nations are small, self-proclaimed entities, unacknowledged by any sovereign state or supranational organization, created by groups or individuals as artistic expressions for personal entertainment, theoretical experimentation, or political protest. 

An example of the latter is the Republic of Molossia, a micro-nation claiming sovereignty over a small piece of land near Dayton, Nevada, USA (sand from here is in the secret ingredient), and Rose Island, Italy (as seen in a Netflix documentary “Rose Island.”

For the AKIN Sand collection in silver, the founder of OUAW carefully hand-picks a teaspoon of sand grains from 195+ jars to make small sand batches. The sand is well blended before, little by little, being placed between sapphire glass to make the silver sand lockets.
 
There are many times more than 195 grains per piece of jewelry. Exactly how many sand grains each piece of jewelry contain in total I leave to you to count 😉
 
If you want grains of sand to be hand-picked grain by grain, look at the premium solid 14k gold AKIN Sand lockets. For every individual piece of AKIN Sand, Gold locket sand is meticulously selected, one or a few grains at a time. It’s done by hand by the founder of OUAW to ensure every nation and the “secret ingredient” sand gets included.
 
The 195 jars represent and contain sand from every country and observer state in the United Nations. The final one, the secret ingredient, has sand from places of special interest. 
 
In the CONCRETE collections, a teaspoon of sand grains is carefully handpicked by the founder of OUAW from 195+ different jars to make small sand batches. The sand is blended to become an intrinsic part of the concrete.
The secret ingredient is a blend of sands that I, the founder, think add something extra. 
 
It can be geographical locations, extreme points, places of special meaning, important places for different religions, or just any sand from places or phenomena that strike awe. 
 
The story behind some included sands is or will be shared here or on OUAWs social media. Other not. How else can it be a secret?
 
Some sands are too important not to mention right away. As sand from Taiwan and Kosovo that nearly all consider as sovereign nations. And there’s sand from most territories that, on some occasions, as during sports events, are seen as nations such as Aruba, Cook Islands, and West Sahara. And then there’s Greenland, although a part of Denmark, too huge not to stand for itself here.
 
The secret ingredient blend is not static. You have the power to fill it with more awe. Connect to share your suggestions, connections, or sands. Sand from the Mariana Trench, for example, is high up on the wanted list…
 
Please note that collecting sand from certain places may be restricted or require a permit.

Why wear sand?

  • To carry the whole world, or just a piece of it.
  • To honor your inner grit – the will and strength to keep going, no matter what.
  • To remind yourself of the greatness in the small things.

And because small things have big meaning.

Sand carries its own story, depending on where it was found. It’s much more than what you see on a beach, in a desert, or along a gravel road.

Sand shows up in science, culture, history, sports, philosophy, and more. It’s the second most used natural resource in the world.

Buildings, roads, electronics – they all rely on sand. It’s in paint, plastic, cosmetics, and even in the device you use to read this. Sand is both soft and hard, fluid and solid. It flows through hourglasses and creates artificial islands. It can solve crimes, reveal historical events, and remind us of the impermanent.

The AKIN collection holds sand from every single nation. The fact that grains are tiny and exist almost everywhere makes it possible to create pieces that hold the entire world. The sand holds stories from each origin and at the same time reminds us of how we are all connected and dependent on each other. 

The GRAINS collection captures the exact shape of individual grains of sand. Magnified they celebrate inner grit – the strength, will, and determination that shape you. How you keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles.

So, why wear sand? For OUAW, the sand lifts the jewelry to more than just accessories—they are statements. They reflect the strength, beauty, and uniqueness within ourselves and the world around us.

But this is about you. What’s your reason for wearing sand? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Yes. We LOVE discovering new sand. Have a favorite location or place that holds special meaning? It’d be an honor to spotlight sand from it.

If sending sand, please make sure to:

  • pack the sand (anything from a few tablespoons and up) in double ziplock bags or used plastic bottles
  • take a photo that describes the place. Seeing you or the person collecting in a photo brings in something extra, but of course, it’s up to you
  • use your mobile device to get the GPS coordinates or take notes and share the precise address or location. Unmarked sand is a no-no!
  • follow all rules and regulations of the location from where you want to collect sand. While it’s allowed to collect small amounts of sand in most places (sand mining with big machines is something else), it’s, for example, illegal to collect sand from beaches of Hawaii, and Sardinia, Italy. If in doubt about your location, ask the local environmental/governmental office.
  • mark the envelope/box with “Mineral samples — no value” on possible customs form and post to OUAW, Gamla Berget 60, 791 61 Falun, Sweden

Feel free to add any extra information, such as personal connections to the location or whatever made you choose it. Once here, your sand will most likely be spotlighted in one way or another, as on Instagram. The sand will be added to the sand collection and perhaps be in jewelry to come.

On the most wanted list? Sand from epic sports fields, from all the seven summits,  around the Mariana trench, from your special place, and why not space?

Normally no. But then again, everything is doable.

Do you want help finding a suitable grain of sand from a sample you have from a special place? Or have you found a particular grain of sand that you want an exact model of? 

We can help find a few special grain of sand out of your sample for you to choose from. Once you’ve made your selection, we’ll book a session at an advanced laboratory to create a detailed model in silver or gold of your chosen grain. 

Delivery time is roughly 14 weeks.  Prices begin at USD 2500. 

Interested? Get in touch via email at hello@ouaw.se

Do you want to add your own sand to a piece in the AKIN Collection? In the 18k gold piece, it is possible. You can add your special sand and a customized engraving.

The base is still sand from 195+ nations. You cannot choose to remove any nation, the whole thing is the world united.

Delivery time is approximately 14 weeks, prices start around USD 2300 depending on the current gold price. Interested? Get in touch via email at hello@ouaw.se

The sand for the jewelry in the AKIN collection, with sand set between glass, is a blend of sand from every corner of the world. From over 195 nations, united as one.

Sand from deserts, mountains, rivers, and oceans, from villages and cities. From places you’ve been or want to go to, places you’ve heard of, and places still unknown. 

The vague “more than 195 countries” may require some explanation.

OUAW’s base is sand from the 195 UN member states to stay out of political discussions. The addition stands for a list of extras consisting of nations that often or at times qualify as nations. Plus some locations added  – OUAW’s secret ingredient to spice it up. Under “sand origins” in the top menu, you can explore the worldwide collection sites. 

To see where each grain in the GRAINS collection is from, see each piece’s product description. 

Other Questions

Tag your picture or video with #ouaw and #ouawjewelry, and we’ll find it.

We’d LOVE to see how you wear OUAW!

If a product is out of stock, enter your e-mail in the sign-up-button next to it to be noticed when your desired item is back in stock.

 

You will find us just a click away on your connected smartphone, desktop, or laptop. All sales are made here, online.

To see more of OUAW – follow us on social media!

The company is based in Sweden.

 

 

The warranty is 3 years from the date of sale. The warranty covers manufacturing errors.

The warranty is not valid for normal wear and tear or if the damage is caused by incorrect usage and/or accidents. The warranty means you can request a repair or a replacement of an identical or similar product to the faulty one free of charge during this period.

Please note that you may need to cover shipping costs which will be if the warranty is valid.

If you discover a manufacturing error, contact us as soon as possible at hello@ouaw.se for us to assist. Please include:

  • a detailed description of the issue or the discovered error
  • a photo illustrating the defect
  • proof of sale as the invoice/order
  • your complete current contact information

OUAWs warranty does not cover:

  • failure or damage caused by improper use, carelessness (knocks, dents, crushing, broken glass, by getting stuck and snapping the chain, etc.), or accidents
  • esthetical changes, defects, and damages due to normal wear and tear and aging, such as minor scratches, etc.
  • failure or damage caused by unjustifiable repair or modification
  • defects and damages due to loss, theft, fire, water, or a natural disaster

Collaboration and cooperation,  bet we’ll love it!

Get in touch via email hello@ouaw.se with your thoughts on what to co-create!

Wonder about the name OUAW?

Think ‘Oh Wow’ – that’s the reaction we’re aiming for when you discover our jewelry.

OUAW [oh wow] stands for ‘Once Upon a Wednesday.’ Why? Because those special moments in life don’t just happen on Mondays or special holidays. They can happen any day. Whether it’s a small step or a huge leap, remember, it could all begin Once Upon a Wednesday.

Think ‘oh wow,’ like when you’re amazed!