GRAINS - Jewelry with Grit

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER: WEAR A GRAIN OF SAND AS A STATEMENT

Each piece in the GRAINS collection captures the strength and beauty hidden in the smallest things. They are exact replicas of real grains of sand, enlarged 8 to 25 times, revealing every curve and crevice with scientific precision.

Just like a small idea or feeling that grows, these grains transform. They embody the journey from humble beginnings to something truly remarkable.

Grains of sand are nature’s masterpieces—often unseen but now transformed into wearable art. From familiar shapes to others new to the eye, the grains in this collection come from every continent and carry millions of years of history.

WHY WEAR GRAINS OF SAND?

The answer is simple: to awe yourself and everyone you meet.

Each grain tells a story—it carries the essence of the place it was collected from, the journey it took through time, nature, and even the hands that have held it before you. Most grains travel far and wide, constantly transformed from one thing to another over millions of years. 

Wearing sand connects you not only to nature but to the world’s stories—of resilience, adventure, and transformation.

Once magnified, the exact shapes of grains of sand become symbols of hidden strength, a reminder of the power in small things and how even the tiniest details can hold immense value.

Grains of sand symbolize both the microcosmic and the unfathomably vast, much like the sand grains on a beach or in a desert that are visible yet impossible to count.

Sand connects us to wonder, reminding us we are a small part of something much bigger.

MAGNIFIED TO REVEAL HIDDEN BEAUTY

Every grain in the GRAINS collection is carefully x-rayed and magnified, revealing the contours, curves, and textures that are normally invisible to the naked eye. With each piece, you see the exact shape of a grain of sand, capturing every tiny detail that nature meticulously crafted over millennia.

Looking at grains of sand close up is a bit like looking at clouds. Spend enough time, and you’ll start to see shapes. (A phenomenon common enough to have a name – pareidolia.)

Some grains in the GRAINS collection take recognizable forms, others do not.

You will see images of the sand grain giving your necklace, bracelet, or earrings shape in the product descriptions. Follow us on Instagram for the stories behind each piece.

The jewelry collection includes at least one magnified grain of sand from each inhabited continent.

SELECTING SAND GRAINS FOR JEWELRY

Selecting the perfect grains of sand to be featured in the GRAINS collection is an art in itself.

From millions of grains collected from across the globe, only a few hundred are carefully chosen. The selection process involves multiple rounds of evaluation, narrowing down the grains based on their unique shapes and textures.

Double eyeglasses, microscopes, and macro photography play a role in the design process.

After several rounds of review and a jury selection process, a select few are sent to a research facility for a MRI x-ray scan.

The grains that make it into the GRAINS collection are truly one-in-a-million, or rather one-in-a-quintillion!

SAND IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Sand is more than just the building blocks of beaches and deserts—it’s one of the world’s most used raw materials. Your life wouldn’t be the same without it. 

It’s used in huge amounts in construction, infrastructure, and land reclamation. It filters water, makes glass, and is part of electronics and computers, pharmaceuticals, makeup, and more. The screen you’re reading this on—sand!

Sand also holds cultural and historical significance. In some belief systems, it symbolizes time, endurance, and impermanence. Archaeologists use sand to date artifacts and geologists to track the Earth’s geological history. Some even use it to solve crimes.

Sand is everywhere. Yet, it’s finite. It’s so valuable that criminal networks—”sand mafias”—fight for control over its supply in parts of the world.

It may seem ordinary, a simple grain of sand but what a connector it is. Linking us to the past, present, and future, tying together the people, places, and ideas that shape our world.

Not to mention our inner strength and grit!

WEAR THE GRIT, OWN THE STRENGTH

No need for a glossy coating—just wear the grit.

Just like a pearl forms around a grain of sand, it’s your grit that makes it shine!

We hope you’ll fall in love with these tiny wonders—nature’s grit, symbolizing your inner strength—so much you’ll want to wear them every day

WHAT’S NEXT?

Where should the GRAINS collection go next? What kinds of grains or locations would you like to see transformed into jewelry? We want to hear your thoughts!

Share the places that awe you, or if you have sand from a special place, send it to us—it may hold the next grain to shine in the collection!

Do you have sand to share? The new jewelry grain may be hidden in it! If sharing sand please include the coordinates (your smartphone likely holds the info) plus an image of the site. Sand, even in tiny amounts, is most welcome. Please note that collecting sand from certain places may be restricted or require a permit. 

P.S. We’d love to see how you wear yours! Share your photos and stories with us on Instagram under #OUAW