A broad update

It has unfortunately been 51 days since I last wrote for The Minted Minutes.

The last 2 months have felt like a massive blur as I try to hammer out and speed up the pace in which we iterate from an idea —> sample —> product.

Here are some sneak peek images for upcoming products (June)

I would like the quickly note the fading on these hoodies. It took multiple wash cycles to get them this way. So much so that these were initially supposed to be released in late winter / early spring, but the hoodie fabric was so heavy that the washing needed 3-5 more cycles than initially anticipated.

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Last month, we received our latest jewelry batch from our Italy manufacturer. However, this time was different. The decision to add Rhodium to our sterling silver jewelry is one that I had fought back and forth with for quite a long time.

For those unfamiliar with Rhodium and its use in jewelry, it is essentially a process where we electroplate a thin layer of Rhodium, a rare, precious metal, onto a piece of jewelry.

I began to explore the idea of increasing the durability of our sterling silver jewelry close to a year ago now. The biggest thing that I wanted to improve was its anti-tarnish properties. Our jewelry holds up quite well for the anti-tarnish coating that is applied currently. However, a handful of customers still noticed harsh tarnishing or heavy darkening.

With a precious metal like .925 Sterling Silver, tarnishing will almost always happen. If you are unfamiliar with tarnishing and precious metals, think of it like this: You know how a banana skin turns brown if you leave it out for a while? That happens because the air around us has stuff that can change things over time. The same thing happens to sterling silver. Even though it starts out shiny, it doesn't stay that way forever. Oxygen and sulfur in the air can stick to the silver, making it look darker or even a little black over time.

With how many of our customers wear the jewelry (myself included), the sterling silver can lose its luster due to the increasingly harsh environments it is subjected to (showers, pools, sweat, oil, etc.).

This is where Rhodium came into play. 3 main benefits sold me on the move to Rhodium:

1. Tarnish resistance: Rhodium is highly resistant to tarnish and corrosion, protecting the sterling silver beneath from oxidation and discoloration.

2. Scratch resistance: The rhodium layer provides a harder surface, making the jewelry more resistant to scratches and everyday wear.

3. Hypoallergenic: Rhodium is a non-reactive and hypoallergenic metal, making it suitable for sensitive skin.

As far as the downsides go? I couldn't find much to write home about from a customer standpoint. Our end has an increased production cost because of how cost-intensive Rhodium is to extract. Outside of that, the sterling silver has a slightly less "white" shine than before, but I feel it is a trade-off that makes sense since the day-one shine won't last forever.

Changing a product that has sold incredibly well for us is always a risk. I don't take these decisions lightly and ultimately make all our business/product-related decisions with the end consumer in mind. At the end of the day, you can only know for sure if you try.

Training

This week's training block was 34 miles with 5 lifts:

1. Monday: OFF (Lift - Push)

2. Tuesday: 6 (2 easy then 4 @ 5:48) (Lift-Pull)

3. Wednesday: 12 - Ran my first 8.5 with Casey (Lift-Legs)

   

4. Thursday: 6 easy (Lift - Push)

5. Friday: 6 (trackwork - 12x400m @ 1:25) (Lift - Pull)

6. Saturday: RUN CLUB 5 Miles (No Lift)

   1. We started running every Saturday morning at 8am. 5-mile loop of Central Park meeting at the Maine Monument - COME RUN WITH US

7. Sunday: 18 Long (No Lift)

   1. This was my 4th week with this 18-mile-long run on Sunday, and while it gets easier, it still kicks my ass. The goal is the first 13 @ 6:45 and the last 5 @ 6:18

Articles I found interesting this week:

Researchers treat depression by reversing brain signals traveling the wrong way

How to Quit Cars

Deep Sleep May Be the Best Defense Against Alzheimer’s