Frequently
Asked Questions

DNA jewellery is a piece designed from your own genetic profile rather than chosen from a catalogue. At DesigNA, a simple cheek swab is analysed by a UK forensic laboratory across 23 autosomal markers. At each marker your alleles are read and labelled with coloured fluorescent dyes, and those dye colours appear as the five stones on your jewellery. The result exists in one place only.

You send a cheek swab in your collection kit. Our laboratory partner, Complement Genomics, analyses 23 autosomal STR markers from your DNA. At each marker your alleles are read and labelled with coloured fluorescent dyes. The five stones you choose echo those dye colours, and your unique allele pattern shapes the design. Your piece is then hand made in Birmingham with a certificate of authenticity.

Most personalised jewellery can be copied — a name, a birthstone, or coordinates can all be repeated. DesigNA is generated from your DNA, a profile written nowhere else on earth. You choose your five stone colours; your genetics shape the design. It is not customised, it is read from biology and certified as one of one.

Yes, in the strictest sense. The design is generated from your unique allele profile across 23 markers, so it exists only once. Your certificate of authenticity records the data behind it. The only exception is an identical twin, who shares the same profile.

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis reads specific, highly variable regions of your DNA — 23 autosomal markers in your case. It is the gold standard for personal identification, the same forensic technique used in UK courts and paternity testing. STR markers reveal identity only, never health or ancestry, which is exactly why we use them.

Every sample is analysed by Complement Genomics, a UK forensic genetics laboratory that is Ministry of Justice approved and holds ISO 17025 UKAS accreditation for identity testing — the highest regulatory standard available in the UK, and the same level accepted as evidence in court.

No. We only read the 23 autosomal STR identity markers, which are highly variable between people but say nothing about your health, ancestry, or behaviour. The laboratory does not see, store, or analyse anything clinical or genealogical — only the identity profile used to design your piece.

Identical twins share the same STR profile, so their designs would be identical. For everyone else on earth, the pattern is unique to you.

Your kit arrives by post within a few days and contains a labelled cheek swab, a consent form, and a prepaid Royal Mail return envelope. You rub the swab inside your cheek for about thirty seconds, seal it, and post it back. Full step-by-step instructions are on our How to Sample page.

Not at all. It is a simple, painless cheek swab that takes under a minute — no needles and no blood, just a soft cotton tip gently rubbed against the inside of your cheek.

Your finished piece is delivered within 7 to 14 working days of the laboratory receiving your sample, with free UK tracked delivery. Each piece is hand made to order in Birmingham, so the short wait is the craft, not a delay.

Yes. Many customers buy DesigNA for anniversaries, weddings, and birthdays. The collection kit is posted to whoever will provide the sample, and the finished piece is made from their DNA.

No. Your physical sample is destroyed immediately after analysis, and your marker data is deleted after your piece ships. We never sell or share your data, and we never read clinical, ancestry, or behavioural markers.

Yes. Sample handling and data are governed by UK GDPR and the Human Tissue Act, and analysis is carried out by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. Only identity markers are read, nothing clinical, and everything is destroyed or deleted once your piece is complete.

Your sample is handled under UK GDPR and the Human Tissue Act. Analysis is performed by Complement Genomics, a Ministry of Justice approved, ISO 17025 accredited laboratory — the same framework that applies to forensic identity testing in the UK. Providing a sample requires valid consent (parental consent for under-16s).

Three options: 925 hallmarked sterling silver (£299); freshwater pearl with sterling silver fittings (£299); and gold (£699), made with 9ct gold tubes and clasps and gold-filled beads and extender chain. Every piece carries five 4mm semi-precious stones chosen from a palette of eleven, sourced sustainably, with assembly done in the UK.

Yes. You select five stones from a palette of eleven natural semi-precious options — their colours echo the dyes the laboratory uses to mark the alleles in your DNA. Your genetic profile then shapes the finished design, so the colours are your choice and the pattern is uniquely yours.

Every piece comes with a 2 inch extender, so it adjusts from roughly 18 to 20 inches to sit exactly where you like. This applies to all three pieces — silver, pearl, and gold.

Yes. Our pieces are nickel-free, so they suit sensitive skin. The silver is 925 hallmarked sterling silver, and the gold option uses 9ct gold tubes and clasps with gold-filled beads and extender chain.

Keep your piece dry and store it away from other jewellery to avoid scratching. Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth, and avoid perfume, lotion, and water — remove it before showering, swimming, or sleeping. For full guidance by metal and stone, see our Jewellery Care page.

We currently ship within the UK only, with free tracked delivery on every order.

You have a 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, starting from your order or from receiving your sampling kit, whichever is later. Because each piece is custom made from your DNA, this right ends once your sample reaches the laboratory and analysis begins. To cancel before then, email sales@mydesigna.co.uk for a full refund including delivery. Faulty items are always covered by your statutory rights.

We accept all major debit and credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay, plus Klarna and Clearpay so you can spread the cost. All payments are processed securely.