How Penny Pairs Turns Everyday Jewelry Into Skin-Safe Staples
This local brand is dedicated to bringing global-quality jewelry to Filipinos.
Picture this: You finally find a pair of earrings you love, only to end the day with itchy, stained ears. For so many Filipinos, especially women, sensitivity around the ears, neck, and wrists is all too common. Finding everyday jewelry that’s both stylish and skin-friendly? Not easy.
Camille Jimenez-Sandico knew that struggle all too well. That’s why she started Penny Pairs: a brand built from personal experience, with a promise: jewelry that looks good, feels better, and doesn’t compromise on quality or comfort.
The spark behind the shine
Founder, Camille Jimenez-Sandico. Photo courtesy of Penny Pairs.
Like most meaningful ventures, Penny Pairs started with a personal struggle. Sandico was a fresh grad, working in PR, and loved dressing up. She believed the right jewelry could pull an outfit together but she struggled to find anything skin-safe that was also affordable and accessible. “I remember thinking, I wish there was something affordable that wouldn’t make me break out,” she shares. Back then, skin-safe jewelry felt out of reach, either too expensive or nearly impossible to find here.
That discomfort and disappointment lingered with her, and she later realized there was a gap in the market. She began to wonder: What if there was a brand that made beautiful, skin-friendly jewelry you could actually wear every day? That single thought lit the spark that would become Penny Pairs.
She later took a certificate course in fashion design at IFA Paris, an experience that laid the foundation for building her own brand. When she launched Penny Pairs in 2018, she committed to creating jewelry that felt good in every way: thoughtful, accessible, and kind to the skin. But more than anything, she knew it had to be done right. That meant putting quality first, from the materials to the manufacturing, every step with intention.
Creating skin-safe pieces with global standards
A closer look at their jewelry-making process brought to life by hand. Photo courtesy of Penny Pairs.
Behind every Penny Pairs piece is a commitment to doing things right. Sandico knew that if she wanted to create jewelry that was truly skin-safe and made to last, the materials had to meet the highest standards.
Sandico shares that the brand works only with manufacturers certified by global bodies like the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Good Delivery List and are certified under European REACH regulations to ensure their metals are ethically sourced, tested for purity, and safe for both people and the planet. “Transparency is non-negotiable for us,” she says.
One of the brand’s base metals is eco brass, a material that is described to be sustainable, nickel-free, gentle on sensitive skin, and favored by jewelers. According to Sandico, they source their eco brass from a Responsible Jewelry Council (RJC)-certified producer based in Italy, one that is trusted by jewelry houses around the world.
Penny Pairs also emphasizes the quality of their gold plating. “Our regular gold-plated pieces are ten times thicker than what’s usually found in affordable local jewelry,” Sandico says. For their 18k gold vermeil line, the brand follows the U.S. standard of 2.5 microns. It’s a specification that, Sandico explains, is often overlooked in the Philippine market, where there are currently no clear regulations for labeling jewelry as vermeil.
More than meeting international benchmarks, the brand also believes in striking a thoughtful balance to better understand their Filipino customers. Sandico shares that they make a conscious effort to stay deeply connected with its community, even going beyond online feedback by personally inviting customers to share their stories, build real relationships, and understand how the brand can better support them through thoughtfully made products. She says, it’s stories from their customers like, “Before I discovered Penny Pairs, I never wore jewelry because everything I could afford left me with itchy, red skin,” that remind the brand they’re on the right path.
In an increasingly competitive market, Penny Pairs positions itself not just with strong claims, but with proven quality and a genuine commitment to its audience. And with every step, the brand draws from a deep-rooted pride in Filipino creativity paired with precision, discipline, and responsibility. “It’s jewelry that feels good to wear, not just on the skin, but on the conscience too,” Sandico says.
A mission that shines on
Crowd-favorites (L) Venus Gold Huggies, Venus Gold Hoops, and (R) Kayla Gold Huggies. Photo courtesy of Penny Pairs.
Penny Pairs was built on a simple belief: that Sandico deserved jewelry she could wear with comfort and confidence every day—and so did every Filipino. Six years later, that mission remains at the heart of everything the brand does.
With a steadily growing customer base, Penny Pairs has carved out its place in the local jewelry scene as a go-to for affordable, hypoallergenic pieces. But beyond its growing reputation, the brand is quietly redefining what it means for a Filipino name to thrive at global standards.
This July, Penny Pairs continues to write its story, opening a new chapter with their latest store in Ayala Malls Manila Bay. Alongside their skin-safe collections loved by many, they’re taking it a step further with a new service to offer (hint: it’s about adding a little extra sparkle—right through your ears).
The growing team behind the brand. Photo courtesy of Penny Pairs.
Visit https://ph.pennypairs.com/ to view their full skin-safe collections. Follow them on @pennypairs on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
