Rice Jewellery

Dr. Heewee is a fine jewellery brand that intersects the cultural heritage of food with the symbolic value of jewellery. At the heart of the brand is a humble grain of rice, a universal symbol of love, purity, and nourishment. Translating its architectural brilliance into iconic elegant designs, we create fine jewellery inspired by rice. 

Our story begins with our main character, the customer—a contemporary person seeking to find meaning and connection in a fast-paced, ever-changing world. They find modernity in natural beauty and seek objects and symbols that resonate deeply with their values, relationships, and identity.

Our rice jewellery, the supporting character, reminds us of the simple yet profound truths that it represents and seeks to empower and connect us in our daily lives. With a message grounded in love, heritage, modernity and sustainability, our mission is to globally resonate with people through our unique designs and services, with each grain made symbolizing the growth of our community and operations.

Born in Switzerland but originally from South Korea, Heewee grew up in 8 different countries including France, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. These experiences shape her values and philosophy in creation as she continues on her creative journal across the globe. Currently based in London, she studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York, where her work quickly gravitated towards the language of metal. Having worked in New York and Tokyo, she moved back to Europe for its luxury craftsmanship and for UK’s rich history in jewellery. In London, she continued her education in metalsmithing including at Central St. Martins.

Fueled by diverse experiences, she continues to work across fine jewellery, accessories and garments. Her creative journey includes working with renowned global brands and persons like Swarovski, Luxottica, Uniqlo, and Cédric Charlier, as well as contemporary brands like Monse, Thierry Lasry and Fitzgerald Jewelry. Her artist name, Dr. Heewee, reflects the interrogative nature of her work, infused with wit.

"As I experienced the diversity of people, environments and systems, it was evident that the world we live in is very complicated and divided. However, what was more important than seeing these flaws was understanding that through different people and cultures coming together and creating a connection, we are working towards a more interconnected and unified world." -Dr. Heewee

Sustainability

Dr. Heewee is built on the value of beauty from the natural world (rice). Therefore sustainability is the core of our values because it is part of the love story and heritage that we are inspired by.

We consider all the stages in a product’s life cycle and select services and materials in consideration of the environment, quality of product, and the scale of our business. Sustainability is an ongoing journey, and we strive for ethical practices by being conscious of our daily actions and decisions.

METAL

We use 100% recycled metals and all metals are authenticated by the London Assay Office according to their guideline.

STONES

Our preferred stones are lab-grown diamonds because it involves a more transparent production method, is energy-efficient, has better work conditions and reduces ecological and community damage. We also use mini natural diamonds for our core products, which are offcuts from the diamond cutting process. We source our stones from family-owned businesses that either own or have close relationships with reputable mines and factories. If you have any questions or request about stones, please reach out to us. We are fascinated by the natural science of gemstones and continue to study gemology and the ethics of the industry.

PACKAGING

We use linen-textured paper boxes that are scratch-resistent and recyclable. We handmake our packaging by using deadstock linen for the box inserts and wrapping, and by riveting our rice logo in brass. We may change the packaging at any time at our discretion depending on supply and product needs.

The Certificate of Authenticity is made with envelopes and recycled paper that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and uncoated for recycling.

HANDMADE

All of our products are handmade, including most of our packaging, which means we can control the quality, material choice and conditions of labor.

Quality  

We believe luxury is defined by the highest and honest quality of craftsmanship and customer service. All of our pieces are crafted with extreme care and with professional stone setting. Some of our products may vary in size or appearance to keep the handmade quality. We use a hybrid of 3D rendering, hand-carving and experimental techniques.

Naturally, jewellery changes with time and wear, which can weaken settings or make the finishing more dull. Please refer to our Care Guide to help maintain the quality and our Lifetime Warranty (subject to conditions).

Diversity  

Diversity is a core value at Dr. Heewee. We believe it's important to have a diverse environment and community and hope our products will resonate with everyone through the story of love.

Global & Local

We mainly work with local vendors to lower transportation footprints and to nurture local relationships. We believe it is important to foster both local and global communities. Our dream is to expand our operations and partnerships to other countries including projects related to artistry, farming, education and food programs.

Education

We believe in the power of continuous learning and the sharing of knowledge in order to keep challenging ourselves and broadening our perspective for a more compassionate and innovative world.

All of our metals are authenticated by the London Assay Office.

According to the UK Hallmarking Act (1973), all pieces of jewelry have to be tested and hallmarked officially by an assay office.Please find below the mandatory Dealer’s Notice with further details about the hallmarks.We do not put an additional engraving of our brand name because each product features a rice charm that functions as our secondary logo.Please note, articles below a certain weight are exempt from hallmarking and may or may not have a hallmark at our discretion.

Official Hallmark Video

Naturally, jewellery changes with time and wear. That is also part of its beauty! However, we can prolong the quality of our beloved jewellery with good care practices and occasional cleaning.

GOOD PRACTICES

• Refrain from contact with harsh chemicals
• Remove during intense workouts that can scratch and dent the metal.

METAL

• Clean the metal using a soft bristle with mild dish soap and warm water. Soak it in soapy water if it is heavily soiled.
• For silver with heavy tarnish, you can use a silver cream polish in addition to a silver cloth.
• For jewelry with a shiny finish, use a polishing cloth if it has lost some of its shine.
• For jewelry with a textured finish, it can become less textured over time. Contact us for maintenance or use a rough metal sponge to achieve similar effects. Please note, we cannot guarantee warranty if the jewellery becomes damaged during the process. 

STONES

• Currently, we mainly use diamonds and sapphires that are two of the strongest stones. Diamonds are highly durable, will not get scratched and usually becomes shinier with a steam. Both stones are safe to clean with the soapy water method. 

For heavily scratched jewellery, it will need maintenance. Contact us if you have any enquiries.

We are committed to providing you with a pleasant experience from start to finish including until your piece arrives at your doorstep. Please review the following on how we handle production and delivery:

PRODUCTION

All orders are made to order. Most orders take around 4-5 weeks to make and potentially more if there is customization. This includes the amount of time it takes to carve, cast, polish, stone set and authenticate by the Assay Office. Your order will be sent as soon as it is ready and you will receive a tracking number via email. Please note, if we are experiencing high volume or around holidays where many offices are closed, it may take longer to fulfill your order in which we will notify you in advance.

In the rare case that there is a complication during production, we will contact you. 

We understand that there may be times you need your order urgently for a special occasion. If there is a special deadline, please contact us and we will assist you accordingly. 

The production time does not include the shipping time.

SHIPPING

While we aim to cover as much as possible, we charge the following flat rates to ensure a secure shipping:

- £20 for EU

- £30 for International

We are not responsible for delays caused by shipping companies. If there are any issues with your delivery, please check directly with the shipping companies first and contact us if it is not resolved and we will do our best to sort it out. All of our deliveries will be insured to protect your precious piece.

International delivery time will depend on customs processing which is the responsibility of the customer.

CUSTOMS & DUTIES

Unfortunately we are not able to cover customs and duties at the moment. Customers are required to fulfill all relevant customs & duties based on their country guidelines. For estimates on customs and duties, please feel free to contact us with the products you wish to order and your international postal code. In the event that you decline to pay customs and duties resulting in the parcel being returned to us, we will handle the order according to our return policy.

PRICING

All prices are inclusive of VAT. Prices may change at any time at our discretion if there are changes in our making process. 

RETURNS

Only items that are not specific to your size are eligible for returns. Items such as rings that are made-to-order for you are not eligible for return.

Eligible items must be in the original condition without signs of usage and returned within 10 days receipt. Please contact us at info@drheewee.com with your order number to initiate a return. We will issue a return number and guide you on shipping. Once the item is received and approved for return, you will be refunded to your original payment method.

Returns without prior communication will not be accepted. All returns are subject to a 10% restocking fee to cover inspection and refund processing, with shipping rates deducted from the refund amount. If you wish to use your own shipping, we recommend to insure your parcels as we are not responsible for lost items during returns. Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.

Dr. Heewee Ltd reserves the right to reject returns which do not comply with our policy.

Our lifetime warranty covers maintenance such as cleaning, polishing and tightening settings. Resizing is complimentary however roundtrip shipping costs will be covered by the customer. If we are sizing up, it may incur a fee to cover the additional metal.

Please communicate any shipping prior to sending and insure your package as we are not responsible for any lost or damaged packages.

We can repair, change designs or replace stones with a fee but we do not cover repair for accidents. Our warranty is void once you service your piece with a third-party.

If you have any concerns with the quality of your piece, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Please note, some of our products may vary in size or appearance to keep the handmade quality.