Hi, I'm Trish, the owner and maker behind CITRUS, a Canadian jewellery brand that's been telling stories through jewellery since 2007.

Most days you'll find me at my jewellery bench in Toronto, surrounded by silver, tiny tools, and probably a cup of coffee that's gone cold.

I often get asked what makes handmade jewellery different from something you'd find in a department store or boutique. And while the obvious answer might be that one is made by hand and the other by machine, there's actually quite a bit more to it.

After nearly 20 years of CITRUS, we've learned that the difference isn't always something you can see in a photograph.

It's in the materials, the craftsmanship, the care that goes into every piece, and perhaps most importantly, what happens long after the jewellery leaves our studio.

So, pull up a chair at my bench. Let me show you what I mean.

What Materials Are Used in Handmade Jewelry?

One of the biggest differences between handmade and mass-produced jewellery is something you might not notice at all: the metal itself.

Two necklaces can look nearly identical online but be made from entirely different materials, with very different expectations for durability, care, and longevity.

At CITRUS, we work primarily with sterling silver and solid gold, alongside select gold-filled components. We source our precious metals from established, verified jewellery suppliers in Canada rather than purchasing inexpensive components from large online marketplaces.

Why? Because we want to know exactly what we're working with, and we want our customers to know exactly what they're buying.

Sterling Silver vs. Stainless Steel vs. Silver-Plated Jewelry

These materials are often grouped together because they can look similar, but they're not interchangeable.

• Sterling silver is a precious metal alloy containing 92.5% silver. It's durable, workable, repairable, and can be polished repeatedly to restore its shine.  We use sterling silver exclusively for all our silver designs.

• Stainless steel is a strong, corrosion-resistant metal. It's an excellent choice for certain jewellery applications, but its hardness makes it considerably more difficult to work with using traditional hand-stamping techniques.

• Silver-plated jewellery has a thin layer of silver applied over a different base metal. That outer layer can eventually wear away, exposing the metal underneath.

Our first love has always been sterling silver and is why we choose it again and again for many of our designs. Read more on Why We Love Sterling Silver Jewelry.

It's affordable relative to gold, beautifully suited to personalization, and remarkably forgiving over time.

Yes, sterling silver can tarnish. That's a natural surface reaction, not an indication of poor quality. With appropriate cleaning and polishing, its shine can be restored again and again.

We like to think of it as a forever metal.

Not All Gold Jewelry Is Created Equal

Gold jewellery deserves the same scrutiny.

Solid gold, gold-filled, gold vermeil, and gold-plated jewellery are different products, even though they may look similar when they're new.

Solid gold jewellery is made from a gold alloy throughout the piece. Gold-filled jewellery has a substantial layer of gold mechanically bonded to a base metal, usually brass. Gold vermeil typically consists of gold plating over sterling silver, while conventional gold plating may be applied over a variety of base metals.

The thickness of the gold layer, the underlying metal, and how the jewellery is worn and cared for all affect its longevity.

Gold-filled jewellery, for example, generally offers much better resistance to wear than thinly gold-plated jewellery, although it isn't the same as solid gold.

None of these materials is automatically the wrong choice. What's important is understanding what you're paying for.

We believe customers deserve clear product descriptions and honest care instructions so they can make an informed decision.

What Does Handmade Jewelry Actually Mean?

The word handmade gets used rather loosely in the jewellery industry.

Sometimes it describes jewellery assembled by hand from commercially manufactured components. Other times it means the maker has actually shaped, formed, stamped, finished, and assembled the piece themselves.

Both involve human work, but they're not quite the same process.

At CITRUS, much of our jewellery is made using traditional jeweller's tools, at a jewellery bench, by hand.

Pliers, hand tools, stamping equipment, and a careful eye are part of our everyday process.

There isn't an automated production line turning out hundreds of identical pieces.

Every personalized CITRUS piece is made individually by hand, one at a time, according to your specifications. From the details you choose to the final finishing touches, each piece is thoughtfully crafted and carefully inspected, creating a one-of-a-kind keepsake that reflects something personal and meaningful to its wearer.

Giving Sterling Silver a Second Life

Some of our sterling silver pieces begin with recycled silver.

We melt down silver, form it into an ingot, and then press and shape the metal into new pendants using our proprietary dies. Each pendant is subsequently finished by hand.

It's a process that requires time, equipment, and a working knowledge of how metal behaves.

It's also one of the things we love about sterling silver: the material itself can be reclaimed and transformed into something new.

A piece of silver doesn't have to reach the end of its usefulness simply because its original form is no longer needed.  Read about our process more here:  Personalized for You.

Why Hand Stamping Matters

Hand stamping is at the heart of CITRUS.

Unlike machine engraving, which can reproduce the same lettering with mechanical precision, traditional hand stamping involves physically impressing individual characters into metal.

The material needs to be suitable for the technique, which is one reason we prefer sterling silver over harder metals such as stainless steel.

The placement, pressure, and finishing all require care.

And while handmade pieces may have subtle variations, those differences are part of the evidence that a person was involved in making them.

Our goal isn't carelessness disguised as character. It's thoughtful craftsmanship, with quality checks at every stage.

Curious about what happens at our jewellery bench? Take a closer look at how we make and personalize CITRUS jewellery in our Toronto studio. Read our page: Personalized for You.

Handmade Jewelry Can Begin With a Conversation

One of the most meaningful differences between handmade and mass-produced jewellery is where the ideas come from.

Large jewellery collections are often developed around market trends, seasonal colours, or anticipated consumer demand.

At CITRUS, some of our most meaningful designs have come directly from conversations with customers.

The Story Behind Our STRENGTH Morse Code Bracelet

One customer came to us while navigating a particularly difficult family situation.

She wanted something she could wear every day. A quiet reminder of her own strength, something she could draw on when life felt especially heavy.

That conversation inspired our STRENGTH Morse Code Bracelet Stack.

The message wasn't meant to be obvious to everyone who saw it. That was part of its beauty.

It was personal. A reminder that belonged to her.

And that idea became something we could share with other people who might need the same reassurance.

It's a lovely example of how a piece of jewellery can begin with one person's experience and eventually resonate with many others.

We've often described CITRUS as a mirror to the outside world.

Our customers' stories, celebrations, challenges, and relationships have helped shape our collections.

We don't simply make jewellery and hope someone finds meaning in it.

Often, the meaning comes first.

Handmade Jewelry Can Grow With You

Here's something we wish more people knew about personalized jewellery.

It doesn't necessarily have to stay the way it was when you first purchased it.

Families grow. Names are added. Milestones happen. Life changes.

We believe your jewellery should have the opportunity to change with you.

Adding Names Now or Years Later

Many of our personalized jewellery pieces are designed so additional names can be hand stamped later, like our Personalized Name Necklace.

Perhaps you purchased a necklace when your first child was born. A few years later, your family welcomes another little person.

You don't necessarily need an entirely new necklace.

You can send your pendant back to CITRUS, and we'll add the new name free of charge.

It's one of our favourite things to do.

Because the necklace that represented your family five years ago can continue to represent your family today.

That kind of ongoing personalization is much easier when you have a relationship with the person who actually makes the jewellery.

The Relationship Doesn't End at Checkout

Jewellery is meant to be worn, and life happens.

Bracelets get caught on things. Clasps break. Chains need attention. Pieces that have been loved for years occasionally need a little extra love.

After nearly 20 years in business, we know a thing or two about that.

We stand behind CITRUS jewellery with a lifetime guarantee.

If a bracelet needs restringing or a clasp needs repairing, we can often take care of it here in studio. When a repair doesn't require additional materials, we generally do it free of charge.

Some repairs require more extensive work or replacement components, but our first instinct is always to see whether we can restore the piece rather than replace it.

Why Repairability Matters

One of the advantages of working with precious metals is that they can often be repaired, refinished, and restored.

A scratched sterling silver pendant can frequently be polished. A broken clasp can be replaced. A bracelet can be restrung.

Not every type of damage can be reversed, and some repairs require specialist work, but well-made jewellery offers possibilities that inexpensive, disposable accessories often don't.

For us, the lifetime guarantee isn't simply a marketing promise.

It's a reflection of how we think jewellery should be made and cared for.

If we're asking someone to trust us with a meaningful name, date, or memory, we have a responsibility to make something worthy of that trust.

Handmade Jewelry Isn't About Chasing Trends

There will always be jewellery trends.

Some are wonderful. Some are fun for a season. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying them.

But trends aren't what guide our work.

We care less about whether a necklace is fashionable this year and more about what it says about the person wearing it.

A child's name. A meaningful word. A place that feels like home. A date that changed everything.

These are the things that don't go out of style.

We've had customers wearing their CITRUS jewellery for close to 20 years.

Some tell us they rarely take their pieces off. Others describe feeling incomplete when they're not wearing them.

That's quite a remarkable thing for something as small as a necklace or bracelet to become.

And it reminds us that the real value of jewellery isn't always visible.

Sometimes it's in the memory that only the person wearing it understands.

Does Handmade Jewelry Cost More Than Mass-Produced Jewelry?

Sometimes, yes.

But price alone doesn't tell you whether jewellery is good value.

When comparing two pieces, it's worth looking beyond their appearance and asking a few questions:

• What metals are actually used, and are they clearly identified?

• Is the piece solid precious metal, gold-filled, vermeil, or plated?

• Was it made by a jeweller, assembled from purchased components, or manufactured in quantity?

• Can it be repaired or refinished?

• Is personalization available, now or in the future?

• Does the maker provide care instructions and stand behind the product?

• Do you know where it was made and who made it?

Mass production has advantages. It can make jewellery accessible at lower prices, offer consistency, and produce large quantities efficiently.

Handmade jewellery offers something different.

You're paying not only for materials but also for the maker's skill, time, judgement, and responsibility for the finished piece.

And when that piece is made from quality materials and designed to last, its value may extend far beyond the original purchase.

A necklace worn for 20 years has a very different story from one that needs replacing after a season.

Why Made in Canada Matters to Us

CITRUS has been proudly Canadian-made since 2007.

Our jewellery is handcrafted in our Toronto studio, and we source materials from Canadian suppliers wherever possible.  It also inspired a whole collection called our Canadiana Collection featuring vintage Canadian pennies and dimes.  See Canadiana Collection here. 

We believe there's value in knowing where something comes from.

Working with established Canadian jewellery suppliers gives us confidence in the materials we're using. Making our pieces locally allows us to oversee the process, maintain our standards, and personally take responsibility for the jewellery that leaves our studio.

It also keeps the relationship between maker and customer wonderfully close.

When you contact CITRUS with a question about your jewellery, you're speaking with the business that made it.

When you send a pendant back to add a name, it returns to the place where its story began.

And when something needs repairing, we're still here.

For a small Canadian business, that connection matters.

What Makes Handmade Jewelry Worth It?

Ultimately, we don't believe handmade jewellery needs to compete with mass-produced jewellery on every measure.

They're different approaches to making and buying things.

And not every piece of jewellery needs to become a family heirloom.

But when you're choosing something to commemorate a person, a relationship, or a moment you never want to forget, we believe quality matters.

If a piece is going to hold a memory, it should be made from materials worthy of keeping.

That's the philosophy behind CITRUS.

Wear Your Story isn't simply an invitation. It's a promise.

A promise to use quality materials, to make jewellery thoughtfully, to stand behind what we create, and to give your memories a place to live for years to come.

We don't know where life will take you or how your story might change.

But we hope that 20 years from now, you'll still be wearing your CITRUS, with a few more stories to tell.

And if it needs a little love along the way, you know where to find us.

Written by Trish Houghtling, owner and maker at CITRUS, a Canadian jewellery brand handcrafted in Toronto since 2007.

CITRUS is handcrafted in Toronto, Canada, since 2007. Discover personalized jewellery made to tell your story at CITRUS.