One Studio. One Maker. Every Piece.
Most jewelry brands — even ones that call themselves "handmade" — outsource their production. Designs are sent to casting houses, factories, or overseas workshops. The founder may design, but rarely makes.
At Dea Dia, it's different.
Every piece is designed, hand-carved, cast, finished, and stone-set by founder Jessica Lawson in our Joshua Tree studio. From the first mark in wax to the final polish, the work stays in one pair of hands — mine.
This matters — especially for custom work. When you commission a custom piece, you are working directly with the person who will make it. There is no middleman, no production team, no handoff. Just a direct conversation with the maker, from concept to finished piece.
The Process: Lost Wax Casting
The majority of Dea Dia jewelry is made using lost wax casting — one of the oldest metalworking techniques in the world, practiced for over 5,000 years.
1. Carving
Each design begins as a wax sculpture, hand-carved by Jessica using fine tools in our desert studio. This is where the character of the piece is born — organic texture, asymmetry, the irregularity that makes every Dea Dia piece unique.
2. Investing
The finished wax is embedded in a plaster-like material called investment. When heated, the wax burns away completely — leaving a perfect hollow cavity in the exact shape of the original sculpture.
3. Casting
Molten recycled metal is forced into the cavity under pressure, filling every detail of the mold. When cooled and broken free, the raw casting emerges — the wax reborn in metal.
4. Finishing
Each piece is cut from the casting tree, cleaned, refined, and finished by hand. Stones are set, surfaces are textured or polished, and the piece is inspected before it leaves the studio.
No two pieces are ever exactly the same. The process ensures it.
On CAD and Collaboration
A small number of designs — particularly those requiring precise geometry or structural complexity — are created using CAD (computer-aided design) and produced with trusted partners. When this is the case, Jessica oversees and approves every step. The design intent and quality standard never change.
For all other work, everything happens in-house.
Our Materials
Recycled Metals
All Dea Dia jewelry is cast in certified 100% recycled gold, silver, and brass — sourced through SCS Global accredited suppliers. We don't use newly mined metal. Ever.
Ethically Sourced Stones
Gemstones are sourced from suppliers who share our commitment to responsible practices. We prioritize stones with known provenance wherever possible.
Made in California
Every piece is made in the USA — most of it in our Joshua Tree studio, with select work done through trusted family-owned workshops in Downtown Los Angeles. Local production means lower emissions, direct oversight, and full transparency.
Our Commitments
Made to Order
Most pieces are made only when ordered — reducing waste and ensuring you receive something freshly made, not sitting in inventory.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
All packaging is recyclable or reusable, chosen with the same intention we bring to the jewelry itself.
Two Trees Per Order
Since September 2023, every Dea Dia order funds the planting of two trees through Eden Reforestation Projects — supporting coastal restoration, biodiversity, and fair wages for indigenous communities. As of March 2024: 4,100 trees planted and counting. 🌱
Giving Back
Unused jewelry-making materials are donated to Remainders in Pasadena, a creative reuse nonprofit that keeps materials out of landfills and in the hands of artists.