Dune Jewelry

What Dune Jewelry does

Dune Jewelry is a privately held, Massachusetts-based small business founded in 2010 by Holly Daniels Christensen, operating as "The Original Beach Sand Jewelry Co." The company designs, handcrafts, and sells jewelry that incorporates real sand and earth elements embedded in metal bezels, utilizing a proprietary gradient layering technique combining turquoise, diamond, ocean, and mother of pearl finishes to create gem-like surfaces. Its core technology asset is the Sandbank — a curated library of beach sand and earth elements from over 5,500 iconic global locations — which can either be selected by customers from the catalog or supplied directly by customers for personalized keepsake and memorial jewelry.

The product portfolio spans sterling silver and 14k gold vermeil necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, and anklets across core beach lines (Mediterranean, Wave, Boho), fine jewelry tiers (Dune Diamonds, Larimar, 14k Gold), and named sub-brands including Delicate Dune, WanderLocket, Icon Collection, I Am..., Silver Screen, Glacier Gems, Touch the World, and &earth. Pricing ranges from $42 entry-level charitable bracelets to $585+ fine pieces, with standard production lead times of 7-8 business days and rush production of 3-4 days.

The company monetizes through five revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via dunejewelry.com, two owned retail boutiques (Cape Cod and Grand Turk cruise center), wholesale distribution to hundreds of specialty retailers including The Paper Store chain, cruise ship retail via Cruise Excellence Inc., and bespoke corporate gifting. Marketing relies on influencer collaborations with travel personalities (Camille Kostek, Christine Kesteloo, Captain Kate, Sheena Melwani), earned media (Global Traveler Magazine 2024 #1 Best Destination Jewelry Brand, Oprah Magazine features), and social channels including Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. The primary customer segments are travel enthusiasts seeking destination mementos, gift buyers for weddings/anniversaries/memorials, cruise and resort guests, and corporate/event buyers.

Name

Dune Jewelry

Legal name

Dune Jewelry

Website

https://dunejewelry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dune Jewelry is a privately held Massachusetts-based company founded in 2010 that handcrafts jewelry incorporating real sand and earth elements from 5,500+ global locations. It sells through DTC e-commerce, owned boutiques, specialty wholesale, and cruise ship retail, targeting travel enthusiasts and gift buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handmade Beach Jewelry

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (458310), Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (42394)

SIC

Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Personalized Jewelry (Engraving, Initials, Nameplates, Birthstones) (CRAKAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Personalized Fine Jewelry (Nameplates/Initials/Engraved) (CRAKAAAI)

Keywords

• Handmade beach jewelry
• Sand jewelry
• Personalized jewelry
• Destination jewelry
• Nautical jewelry

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Primary revenue stream through owned e-commerce website selling finished jewelry products, gift cards, and custom orders directly to consumers
2. Retail Store Sales: Revenue from two owned retail boutiques: Dune Harwich Port Store (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) and Dune Boutique Grand Turk
3. Wholesale Distribution: Sales to third-party retailers including specialty gift stores, jewelry shops, cruise ship retail (CEI), and The Paper Store chain
4. Custom Corporate Jewelry: Bespoke corporate gifts and bulk orders for businesses seeking personalized employee or client gifts
5. Charitable Donations: Portion of proceeds from Touch the World collection donated to various charitable causes including environmental and social organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dune Jewelry designs, handcrafts, and sells personalized jewelry that incorporates real sand and earth elements from over 5,500 iconic global locations, using a proprietary gradient layering technique. Products span necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, fine jewelry, and home accents, sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and owned boutiques, plus wholesale to specialty retailers and cruise ship retail. The Sandbank customization service allows customers to either select sand from a curated catalog or submit their own meaningful elements.

Product overview

Dune Jewelry is The Original Beach Sand Jewelry Co., founded in 2010 by Holly Daniels Christensen, specializing in handmade nautical-themed sand jewelry and personalized experiential pieces. The company operates as a unified e-commerce platform offering diverse product lines including: core beach jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, anklets) featuring the signature Gradient Technique with turquoise and other stones; signature collections like Delicate Dune, Gradients, Icon Collection (celebrating extraordinary women), I Am... (empowerment pieces), WanderLocket, and Silver Screen Collection; customization services through Sandbank allowing personalization with sand from over 5,500 locations; fine jewelry including Dune Diamonds and 14k Gold pieces; charitable Touch The World collection supporting ocean and global causes; and limited-time offerings via Manifestation Moments and Self Gift Sundays. Products range from $75-$585+ and are crafted in sterling silver, 14k gold vermeil, with semi-precious stones including Larimar, turquoise, aquamarine, and mother of pearl. The company also offers home accents, engravable gifts, memorial jewelry, and collaborates with artists including Christine Kesteloo, Captain Kate, and Camille Kostek.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sandbank: The world's largest collection of beach sand and earth elements from over 5,500 iconic and memorable locations that can be incorporated into custom jewelry designs.
• Glacier Gems
• WanderLocket
• &earth
• Touch The World

Products and services

• Delicate Dune Collection Entry-level handmade layering jewelry collection in sterling silver featuring customizable sand elements, including wave, bar, and sunburst necklaces. Targeted at consumers seeking delicate, everyday wear pieces at accessible price points ($85-$180).
• Signature Gradient Collections Signature jewelry collections using Dune's proprietary Gradient Technique with turquoise, diamond, ocean, and mother of pearl layered over real sand. Includes Mediterranean Necklace (from $365), Wave Necklace (from $245), Boho Cuff Bracelet (from $410), and Bayview Ring (from $240).
• Sandbank Customization Service Custom jewelry service enabling customers to incorporate beach sand and earth elements from over 5,500 iconic locations worldwide into personalized pieces, or to submit their own sand/earth elements via the 'Send Your Own' process. Standard orders ship in 7-8 business days; rush production available in 3-4 days.
• Touch The World Collection Experiential giving jewelry line donating portions of proceeds to charitable causes including Rainforest Conservation, Ocean Conservancy, Clean Drinking Water, Animal Welfare, and Cancer Research. Charity bracelets start at $42.
• Dune Diamonds Fine Jewelry Luxury fine jewelry collection pairing diamonds with the signature turquoise gradient technique over real sand elements. Premium price point ($295-$585+) for the high-end consumer.
• 14k Gold Jewelry Collection Premium gold jewelry collection in 14k gold vermeil with customizable sand and earth elements, targeting the high-end gift and self-purchase market.
• Larimar Jewelry Caribbean-inspired jewelry collection using genuine Larimar stones from the Dominican Republic, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. Distributed through Caribbean cruise port retailers (Harry Edwards Jewelers, Milano Jewelry) and the Coastal Edge Collection.
• Memorial & Cremation Jewelry Personalized memorial and cremation jewelry service for bereavement gifts, allowing customers to incorporate ashes or meaningful earth elements into bespoke pieces.
• WanderLocket Collection Sub-brand collection of travel-inspired lockets and pendants designed to hold and display meaningful sand and earth elements from travel adventures.
• Christine Kesteloo Collaborator Collection Collaboration collection with influencer Christine Kesteloo including Glacier Gems (Alaska glacier mix with raw aquamarine), Whale Watch Necklace, Globe World Traveler pieces, Horseshoe Necklaces, and The World Is Yours 7-Continent Sand Stationary Necklace featuring earth elements from all seven continents.
• Captain Kate Collaborator Collection Travel Treasures collaboration collection with influencer Captain Kate featuring collectible travel-inspired and nautical-themed jewelry.
• Camille Kostek Collaborator Collection Travel-inspired jewelry collection with model and athlete Camille Kostek, featuring beach and wanderlust-themed designs.
• Dune x 4ocean Recycled Jewelry Recycled-material jewelry line created with sustainable ocean cleanup company 4ocean, featuring bracelets made from recycled materials with portions of proceeds supporting ocean conservation, plus a Breast Cancer Awareness collaboration.
• Engravable Jewelry & Gifts Personalized jewelry and gift line that supports custom engraving on pieces in addition to sand customization, targeting gifts for weddings, anniversaries, and graduations.
• Electronic Gift Cards Electronic gift cards redeemable across the full product range on dunejewelry.com, serving as a separate gifting mechanism for both gift givers and self-purchase.
• Personal Shopping Service Online personal shopping and sand-styling consultation service providing guided assistance for customers selecting and customizing their jewelry pieces.
• Custom Corporate Jewelry Bespoke corporate gifting service for businesses ordering personalized employee appreciation gifts, client gifts, or conference swag using Dune's sand customization capabilities.
• Home Accents Collection Beach-themed home accent line including personalized Christmas ornaments and keepsakes, nautical wine stoppers, key chains, bag charms, apparel, and 'Holly's Books' by the founder, extending the brand beyond jewelry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,500+ global sand and earth element locations available for customization

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christine KesteloocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld traveler and content creator with dedicated jewelry collection featuring glacier and travel-inspired designs. Collaborates on exclusive pieces like Whale Watch Necklace, Globe World Traveler collection, and Horseshoe Necklaces.
• Captain KatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravel influencer and content creator featuring collectible travel treasures and nautical-themed jewelry collaboration.
• Camille KostekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerModel and athlete with travel-inspired jewelry collection featuring beach and wanderlust-themed designs.
• 4oceancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable ocean cleanup company partnership creating recycled jewelry line. Dune x 4ocean collection features bracelets made from recycled materials with portion of proceeds supporting ocean conservation. Also includes Breast Cancer Awareness collaboration.
• Stonington DesignsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on Drifting Dune Double Channel Rings collection.
• The Paper StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor retail partner with exclusive products and dedicated sections in Paper Store locations across the US. Multiple exclusive jewelry lines and dedicated store presence.
• Harry Edwards JewelerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJewelry retailer with locations at Caribbean cruise ports including St. Thomas, Grenada, St. Lucia, and multiple resort destinations.
• Milano JewelrycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCaribbean jewelry retailer with stores at Nassau, San Juan PR, Tortola BVI, and multiple cruise port locations.
• Cruise Excellence Inc. (CEI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCruise ship retail operator with Dune products at cruise terminals across Caribbean including Barbados, Aruba, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Bahamas ports.
• Sheena MelwanicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia personality and social media influencer featuring Dune Jewelry pieces on her platforms. 'Sheena's Pick' collection featuring her recommended necklace.
• Global Traveler MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarded #1 Best Destination Jewelry Brand by Global Traveler Magazine 2024, providing brand credibility and press coverage.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pura Vida Bracelets: Cause-based, lifestyle DTC jewelry brand selling affordable bracelets and charms with charitable partnerships. Closely comparable to Dune's Touch the World model, similar price band, and similar gifting/travel audience.
• Lokai: Lifestyle bracelet brand that embeds water from meaningful places (Mt. Everest, Dead Sea) into its beads, with a cause-marketing backbone. Conceptually the closest analog to Dune's sand-from-place model.
• Sterling Forever: DTC personalized jewelry e-commerce brand offering engraved and customizable pieces at affordable price points. Closely comparable on personalization engine, e-commerce-first GTM, and gifting use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Alex and Ani: Larger US-based meaningful-jewelry brand with cause-linked collections and a wide wholesale footprint. Comparable on emotional/gifting positioning and cause marketing, but at materially larger scale.
• Kendra Scott: Lifestyle jewelry brand with broad retail and DTC presence, gifting focus, and personalization/customization programs. Comparable on gifting occasions, price band crossover, and multi-channel distribution model.

Emerging players

• Soufeel: Personalized jewelry DTC brand with photo/engraving customization. Comparable on the customization/personalization mechanic and online gifting audience, though without Dune's sand-element differentiation.
• Enso Rings: Lifestyle-focused DTC jewelry brand (silicone and metal rings) targeting meaningful-occasion buyers. Overlaps on emotional/lifestyle positioning and direct-to-consumer gifting motion.

Others

• Etsy (beach sand & earth element jewelry makers): Marketplace aggregating independent artisans selling sand-in-resin and beach-themed jewelry. Directly comparable product category and end consumer; competitors for the same travel/keepsake use case.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dunejewelry
• Facebookfacebook.com/dunejewelry
• Instagraminstagram.com/dunejewelry
• Pinterestpinterest.com/dunejewelry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dune-jewelry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dune Jewelry