Other materials

MATERIALS

Quality is our hallmark. That is why we take pride in using only the finest materials in all our jewelry. At the same time, we want to contribute to a better and more sustainable world, where fair trade is a natural part of our business.

We place a special emphasis on reusing materials.
Bring in the heirlooms from your drawer to have them transformed into new, contemporary jewelry that preserves your cherished memories. Visit us and help create new designs using your old gold, silver, and gemstones.

To help create a more sustainable world, we at Mads Heindorf work primarily with natural gemstones and pearls. A natural gemstone, pearl, or piece of amber has not been touched by humans other than to be found, rinsed, and cut into a suitable shape. None of the gemstones have been heated or cooled to achieve the “right” color. No pearls have been subsequently dyed or given a new sheen.

The incredible power of nature is captured in every pearl, gemstone, or piece of amber featured in a piece of jewelry from Mads Heindorf Jewelry.

We regularly host lectures at the workshop, covering a variety of topics and featuring different speakers. These may focus on gold, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, or whatever is currently in the spotlight. The speaker might be the goldsmith himself or one of our suppliers, who will share stories about their travels, their work, and much more.

Sign up for our mailing list if you're interested in attending one of the lectures.

Coral

Coral is one of the jewels of the sea. It is found in the deep waters off the coasts of many tropical countries. The Navajo people have traditionally used it as a symbol of the sea—from which they were so far removed—while in other cultures, coral represents fidelity. Next to gemstones and precious metals, corals appear soft and organic. In shades of pink, red, white, and black, corals are a beautiful greeting from King Neptune’s realm.

Amber

This elegant, golden natural material is sometimes referred to as the tears of trees. After 30–100 million years in the sea, liquid resin turns into solid amber, which breaks free from the ocean floor and washes up on the beach. Here in Denmark, amber is best known as “Nordic gold,” which has been worn as valuable jewelry since before the Viking Age. The wonders of nature can turn tears into joy.

Opal

There is something beautiful in all the people of the world, and there is something heavenly in all opals. As diverse as people and just as unique in their endless shades. Opals can be found on every continent—even on Mars! The gods have scattered this beauty throughout the universe.

Lava

The mighty forces deep within the Earth melt rock into a molten mass and propel it with explosive force out through volcanoes. With a temperature of around 1,000 degrees, the lava flows across the landscape, forming beautiful, organic shapes. As jewelry, the rustic surface offers a raw look with a dramatic history—and a little greeting from our warm Earth.

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

At Mads Heindorf Jewellery, we are deeply committed to the materials we use, their applications, their origins, and how they are crafted. The jewelry industry is not the most sustainable or eco-friendly sector out there—let’s be clear about that from the start. But here at Mads Heindorf Jewellery, we do our best to minimize the industry’s impact on the environment. We do this by ensuring that our materials are as sustainable as possible without compromising on quality, so that the finished piece of jewelry can be worn with a clear conscience.

The materials trade is built largely on trust, which is why we only work with suppliers we trust. Our suppliers work closely with the people who work in the mines or out on the pearl farms. They travel out there, are involved in the process, and know how the work is done. They ensure quality and help ensure that the workers’ lives are healthy and decent, and as a business, we want to support that. We get materials of the highest quality—with a clear conscience.

GOLD FROM THE MIDDLE AGES
: THE RED CORAL

Coral is one of the jewels of the sea. It is found in the deep waters off the coasts of many tropical countries. The Navajo people have traditionally used it as a symbol of the sea—from which they were so far removed—while in other cultures, coral represents fidelity. Next to gemstones and precious metals, corals appear soft and organic. In shades of pink, red, white, and black, corals are a beautiful greeting from King Neptune’s realm.

What is a coral?

Corals are small polyps that live on underwater rock fragments, to which they have attached themselves. They reproduce by budding, and over time an entire colony will form. The polyps secrete a calcareous substance that forms a branched external skeleton, which becomes the colony’s home. It is this branch-like skeleton that is called a “coral.” The color can vary from pure milky white to a light red, almost salmon-colored, to an orange-reddish hue or a very deep red/burgundy color.

The value of a coral is assessed based on four criteria: color, quality, size, and shape.

- The color reflects the glow, depth, and uniformity.

- Quality refers to the coral's compactness, purity, uniformity, and structure.

- Size refers to the size of the coral as well as its weight. A Mediterranean coral can grow up to 30 cm long and have a diameter of 1.5–3 cm.

- The term "form" refers to both the natural and the cultivated forms of coral.

The red Mediterranean coral is also known as Corallium rubrum. Many people believe that it is illegal to use coral, but according to the Washington Convention, it is entirely legal to import and trade this specific red Mediterranean coral, as it is not an endangered species. This is confirmed by the Danish Forest and Nature Agency under the Ministry of the Environment. However, a number of regulations have been established by the regional authorities of various countries to prevent overfishing of this type of coral.

We source our corals from Ingelise Holmelund, who owns Lise Lund Koral. She imports red coral from the Mediterranean, where she works closely with a consultant who has many years of experience and expertise in harvesting, processing, and trading corals. This ensures that all requirements are met and that we receive the best possible product.

The History of Coral

For thousands of years, red Mediterranean coral has most likely been used as an amulet. It is said to possess special powers and magical properties, which is why you still see older women in Sicily wearing crushed coral in a small pouch around their necks. According to Greek mythology, red coral is associated with the blood from Medusa’s severed head, and in several depictions of the Madonna, she can be seen wearing coral jewelry.

Corals in jewelry

Corals are very delicate gemstones. They cannot tolerate excessively hot water or any kind of chemicals, especially acids. They are also very porous and not particularly durable. If you’d like to have a piece of coral jewelry made, we recommend choosing a necklace, brooch, or a pair of earrings, as these items aren’t exposed to the same kind of impact as a ring or bracelet.

Both our pearl and gemstone suppliers occasionally give talks at our store, where they share stories about their travels, their work, and much more. Sign up for our mailing list if you’d like to attend one of these events.

RAV

This elegant, golden natural material is sometimes referred to as the tears of trees. After 30–100 million years in the sea, liquid resin turns into solid amber, which breaks free from the ocean floor and washes up on the beach. Here in Denmark, amber is best known as “Nordic gold,” which has been worn as valuable jewelry since before the Viking Age. The wonders of nature can turn tears into joy.

Especially on Danish beaches, you might occasionally be lucky enough to find a piece of amber among the rocks and seaweed. Amber is fossilized resin that has been lying in the ocean, often for millions of years, and if you’re really lucky, you might find small fossils or insects encased within it. With the right equipment, these inclusions can provide an almost lifelike picture of what the world and nature looked like millions of years ago.

In Denmark, amber has been used since ancient times both as a form of currency and for jewelry. Today, amber jewelry remains popular, especially among tourists who visit Denmark and want to take a piece of jewelry home with them.

Amber comes in a variety of colors and textures. The most sought-after color is a transparent golden yellow or brown, but amber also comes in very dark brown, white, red, and even blue. The bluish tint is visible when the amber is held up to natural sunlight or under a UV lamp.

When you find amber on the beach, it usually has a rough surface and appears slightly cloudy or milky, which is due to tiny air bubbles “trapped” inside the amber. You can remove the rough surface by sanding and polishing the amber to give it a nice smooth finish, but it will still be cloudy in color. High commercial demand has led to the practice of cleaning cloudy amber by boiling it in rapeseed or other vegetable oils. However, care must be taken not to overheat the amber, as this can produce a very different surface that almost resembles fish scales. It can look quite nice, but since amber, like many other “gemstones,” is a natural product, it is best to avoid subjecting it to excessive treatment, as this causes the natural aesthetic to disappear.

LAVA