The word has origins in Japanese culture and has no exact English translation. But in short, it means "our awareness of our existence in the Universe that brings on feelings so profound that we cannot express them." This encompasses our vision in so many ways. We do our work humbled by the Universe every day - the beauty and expanse, the unknown and the known, the big and the small, the abstract and the very precise, the things we cannot comprehend and the things we know and understand so intimately that it makes life worth living. The people, the places, the experiences, the Planet, the Universe - the big, the small, it all adds up to yūgen.

All of our galaxy jewelry is handcrafted in our small New Jersey studio. At this time, we do not have an in person storefront. Our small team of handcrafting gurus work in a private studio, everything is handmade with love from a smoke-free environment, and if we ever open up a storefront we'll be sure to spread the word!

We believe that a well-rounded life, self-care, and separation are important so we can give you the best of ourselves and our work. Currently, our in studio hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10-4 EST unless it is a high traffic peak time (like the holidays.) Though we do typically answer emails during our off-hours when we can.

We do wholesale! We do not consign. Please take a look at our wholesale page and email hello@yugenhandmade.com for more information.

We love giving back! A portion of the proceeds from our celestial jewelry goes to the Planetary Society to help fund space exploration projects and science education initiatives. And a portion of the proceeds from every Cosmic Pride sale goes to Rainbow Railroad to help support and protect LGBTQIA+ youth. 

All of our items are handcrafted to order. Please be sure to check our turnaround times, which are updated regularly based on our current workload. While we always aim to exceed expectations and work as quickly as possible, this up-to-date information gives you the estimated time it will take to produce your order between the date it was ordered and the date it will ship (unless otherwise specified in the item details on the page you ordered from.) Time in transit once it ships entirely depends on the shipping speed you chose at checkout. Please be sure to contact us before ordering if you have a specific deadline to meet so we can help you meet it!

There is a very good chance that you may get charged import duties and taxes if you live outside the USA. Unfortunately, we do not have control over this. We will not mark packages as gifts or lie about the value to try and get around these laws on your behalf. It is considered postal fraud and is a crime. We also do not refund, reimburse, or hold any responsibility for any duties or taxes that may be charged. Packages that are returned to us for this reason or because they were refused will not qualify for a refund. And if this does happen and you would like the item re-sent to you, you will be responsible to pay for the reshipment costs and any duties/taxes upon pick-up in your country.

It varies based on the item and customization you purchased. Please see our Refunds & Exchanges page for detailed information and to see if your item qualifies. If it does, please contact us at hello@yugenhandmade.com to work out details. And please - be kind! We are a tiny team of real humans who are always eager to help, and your patience and kindness goes a long way.

The items below qualify as custom items and cannot be refunded or exchanged

-Any item customized with an image provided by you

-A My Moon item (unless it is an issue with the handiwork)

-A piece was customized in a special size or length that differs from what is detailed in the listing (this includes sized sterling silver rings)

-A design or item you requested made from images, designs, or materials not typically sold in our shop (ie a 14k gold ring, a galaxy image not in our usual collection of available images, etc.)

All of our jewelry arrives with care information. None of our jewelry is 100% waterproof, even though they are crafted with water resistance in mind. Please avoid submerging your jewelry in water (remove before showering, swimming, etc.) If your jewelry needs cleaning, please polish with a soft dry cloth. If your piece has a shiny finish, storing it in an airtight plastic bag when not in use will help slow down any tarnishing or oxidation. You can always clean this with a soft, dry cloth and a little elbow grease, too!

As is stated in our refunds policy and in just about every listing, we donate a portion of the proceeds to The Planetary Society for every sale of our handcrafted pieces. We set this money aside at the time of purchase, and the restocking fee covers this donation.