Our Practices

Small by design
At Tea and Tequila, we believe good things take time. Our jewellery is created in tiny batches, made at the pace of the artisans we work with and tailored carefully to demand. This approach allows us to minimise waste, avoid overproduction, and stay closely connected to every piece we release. Wherever possible, we also reuse gemstones from past samples and designs, giving beautiful materials a second life rather than letting them sit unused.

Design, slowly and honestly
We don’t push designs we don’t fully love. Each piece exists because it feels right - because we can see it being worn, lived in, and loved by our customers. Our process is instinctive and selective; collections are released only when they’re ready, allowing space for experimentation, refinement, and care. Irregularity, molten textures, and raw stones are embraced rather than corrected.

Our craft teams in Mexico
Our jewellery is handcrafted in close collaboration with skilled craft jewellers in Mexico, where jewellery making has deep pre-Hispanic roots and remains an essential part of the culture. We work with small, family-run workshops, building long-term relationships based on trust, respect, and shared values. The craft teams we partner with are paid at least five times the local minimum wage, with a focus on steady work, fair conditions, and sustainable livelihoods through craft.

Casting and plating
Each piece is handmade using traditional casting techniques, resulting in organic forms that are intentionally imperfect. Our molten-style settings are shaped by hand, not machines, making no two pieces exactly alike. Plating is done carefully to ensure durability and longevity, so each piece is designed to be worn often and kept for years.

Materials and sourcing
We work primarily with natural, semi-precious gemstones and pearls. Most of our gemstones are sourced from Mexico, with a select few coming from Brazil. Stones are hand-picked for their colour, shape, and character - embracing raw beauty and natural imperfections that make each piece unique. This specialised way of working is becoming increasingly rare, and it requires patience, precision, and care.

What Tea and Tequila means to us
Tea and Tequila is a reflection of who we are and where we feel most at home - between London and Mexico City. It’s about balance: softness and strength, ritual and celebration, refinement and rawness. As founders, we see the brand as a way to honour craft, slow processes, and meaningful collaboration, while creating jewellery that feels personal, expressive, and enduring.

At every stage, we are committed to transparency, integrity, and continuous learning - always looking for better ways to do things, without losing sight of what matters most.