Popular jewelry startup Mejuri is one of the most affordable places to buy everyday pieces, from gold hoops to stacking rings — and some of its styles are 15% off right now

• Mejuri is a Canadian jewelry startup that makes affordable, fine jewelry meant to be worn every day.
• Bucking the idea that "nice" jewelry is for special occasions and gifts, 90% of its customers are purchasing jewelry for themselves.
• The lean D2C model makes it possible to order a diamond, 14K gold necklace for under $300, and the company ensures the use of ethically sourced materials.
• Mejuri jewelry is a recurring purchase for Insider Picks reporters. Keep reading to learn why we love it, plus the pieces we wear every day.
• Mejuri is having a 15%-off sale on select items. Shop the sale here.

If you're looking for dainty, everyday jewelry that's nice enough to stand the test of time and affordable enough to buy for yourself, then you'll probably want Mejuri on your radar.

It's an online jewelry startup based on the idea that women want to buy fine jewelry for themselves, and without waiting for an excuse or occasion to do so. Looking at the numbers, it's clear that founders Noura Sakkijha and Justine Lançon are on to something.

Mejuri has seen five times year-over-year revenue growth, product waitlists of 100,000 people, a $23 million Series B funding round, and — most unusual for an industry steeped in milestones and big gesture gifts — data that shows that more than 90% of its customers are purchasing the jewelry for themselves. Its core customer base (women aged 18 to 35) also has a monthly repeat purchase rate of over 25%, suggesting its customers are over the practice of saving "nice" jewelry for special occasions and instead regularly choose to "buy [themselves] the damn diamonds."

If you take a look through Mejuri's site, it's easy to see that success and customer retention were inevitable, rather than a stroke of luck. The crowded jewelry industry is made up of two oversaturated markets — very expensive jewelry, and affordable, short-lived costume jewelry — and an ocean in between. Mejuri is one of few islands in the middle. (AUrate and Stone and Strand are others, though Mejuri is, for the most part, more budget-friendly).

For starters, Mejuri prices are remarkably affordable relative to the rest of the industry (similar to Everlane's transparent pricing model, there's an estimated retail markup on every product page). You can buy a diamond, 14-karat gold necklace for under $300 — not exactly pocket change, but accessible for a millennial woman with some expendable income.

And, Mejuri jewelry isn't trendy. Lançon told Business Insider in 2018, "We design products we, our friends, and our community would actually wear. It's not just something you put on your Pinterest board for 'someday.'"

In other words, Mejuri is the startup king of fine jewelry you'll wear so often you'll forget to take it off before a shower (which is actually okay, since despite dropping only a few hundred on it, that 14-karat solid gold won't oxidize or discolor). It's the kind of place where product names exist in helpful gradations — using "Between Hoops" ($65) to describe a medium pair, like a cook who deploys a "pinch" of salt as a precise metric rather than a suggestion. There are hoops in every size, thickness, and even texture — from smooth to curved to beaded, to diamond-, pearl-, and gem-set. Most come in pairs, but you can also buy some earring styles as singles. Although teeming with classics, Mejuri doesn't make the mistake of becoming boring. You'll find clever, edgy upgrades to essentials that blend in with the rest of your jewelry collection — like an entire Zodiac collection.

Sakkijha and Lançon have created a bastion of elegant, effortless jewelry that you'll never need to one day pawn off on a younger sister. With Mejuri's roster of Holy Grail basics, it makes sense to buy the "nice" version of each item — you'll wear them often, and own them forever.

Mejuri also offers meaningful transparency in regards to the ethics of their luxury items. It ensures all diamonds are conflict-free, and it works exclusively with ethical suppliers. You can read more about the materials here. (Some jewelers, like Couple and Clean Origin, actually go one step further, with lab-grown diamonds).

What we wear from Mejuri

Mejuri jewelry has become a recurring purchase among Insider Picks reporters. Senior editor Sally Kaplan loves the brand's Tiny Gold Hoop Earrings ($50) because of how small and dainty they are, and explained that "they're representative of Mejuri to me as a brand — they don't try too hard or feel fussed over." Mejuri's now-retired gold safety pin earrings are the only pair senior reporter Connie Chen brings while traveling. Senior editor Jada Wong wears their Sapphire Twin Hoops ($190) every day, though she notes that the sapphires may seem duller and smaller than expected — and may try the solid gold version ($160) next time instead. As I write this, I'm wearing their Stacker Ring ($75), and I do just about every day.

The bottom line

Overall, Mejuri is a great option for fine, delicate jewelry you can wear every day and keep forever. And thanks to the direct-to-consumer model, it's affordable enough to buy for yourself — even without the excuse of a special occasion.

Here are our favorite pieces of jewelry from Mejuri.Read the original article on Business Insider