I was introduced to jewelry making in high school and instantly fell in love with the process. I was fortunate enough, at the time, to be introduced to two master goldsmiths who took me on as an apprentice and formally began my training.
I guarantee that a piece of my jewelry will be free from defects as a result of craftmanship for one year. I do recommend insuring your jewerly, as it protects you from loss or breakage. I am more than happy to send an appraisal, for insurance purposes, should you want one.
The refinery that I order metal from has a stong commitment to social and environmental responsibility. All of the metals they sell are 100% recycled; reclaimed from scrap sent to them by jewelers like me. Any usable scraps that I have, I also remelt to form new material. The small bits and filings that can't be reused get sent back to my supplier to be refined in to usable material again.
All of the diamonds and gemstones that I use come from reputable companies that adhere to all international resolutions on fair trade practices. I guarantee that all stones used in my jewelry are conflict-free, based on personal knowledge and written guarantees made by the suppliers of these stones.
I predominantly use 18K gold to create my jewelry. I work in all precious metals, and have no problem using palladium, platinum, other karats of gold, or silver. The white gold I use is a palladium alloy. Palladium is a white metal that is completely hypo-allergenic. It imparts a beautiful grey color to the gold.
The karat of gold is a measurement of the percentage of pure gold in the material. 18K gold is 75% pure gold. 14K gold is 57.5% pure gold. The other percentage is alloy material; a mixture of metals added to the gold to increase it's strength as well as influence it's color. 18K golds generally have a deeper color tone to them, while the 14K golds are a little washed out in comparison.
Generally is is a mixture of silver and copper. Kept in an even proportion, the gold retains its yellow color. A greater proportion of copper over silver gives the gold a red color and is known as rose gold. A greater proportion of silver over copper gives the gold a greenish color and is known as green gold. For white gold, either nickle or palladium are used. All of the white gold I use is palladium white gold because of it's working properties and the fact that it is hypo-allergenic, unlike the nickle white gold alloys.
Palladium white gold means that the gold has been alloyed (mixed) with palladium to give it the white color. Palladium is in the same family of metals as platinum, so it imparts a very beautiful grey color. Palladium is also hypo-allergenic which is great for those who have an allergic reaction when wearing white gold jewelry that is alloyed with nickle.
Argentium [ar-JEN-tee-um] silver is a non-tarnishing silver, so it retains its finish and does not turn black like sterling silver. Sterling silver is alloyed with copper, and it is the copper's reaction to oxygen that turns sterling silver black. Argentium silver does not have copper in it. It is alloyed with a metal, Germanium, which does not react with oxygen, and thus does not turn black.
Yes! All of the jewelry shown in the store section of my website is for sale. Please use the shopping cart to your heart's content. If you have any questions about a piece of jewelry, please feel free to contact me either through the form at the bottom of the page, or by telephone. Please include the reference number of the piece of jewelry.
When placing a custom order, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required to start the project. The remainder of the balance is due upon completion. I gladly accept Visa, MC, and AMEX and will email an invoice that can be paid online, so there is no need to give me credit card information.
Generally my turnaround time is three to six weeks from the time of order. If the piece is in stock, it will be sooner. For custom work, depending on the complexity, the turnaround can be up to two months. I will keep you appraised of the timeline through email.
My standard shipping method is registered mail through the postal service. It is the safest way to send jewelry, and all packages are insured for the full value. I cover the cost of shipping, so there is never any additional charges beyond the order total. Registered mail can be a little slow, so I also ship FedEx second day.
Returns after three days from purchase are for store credit only. The jewelry's condition must also be deemed new and unworn to qualify for a return. Jewelry can also be exchanged. The exchange must be for an item of equal or greater value, and the item being exchanged must also be in a new, unworn condition suitable for resale.
The main rule is that when you are getting dressed, put on your jewelry last. Residue from putting on make-up, hairspray, etc. can all have a detrimental effect on the surface of the jewelry.
It is time to give the jewelry a basic cleaning. I recommend soaking the piece in warm soapy water for about 20 minutes, and then scrubbing it thoroughly with an old toothbrush. This helps to remove any residue that has formed as a result of soaps, creams, or oils.
The silver that I use in my bracelets does not have copper in it, so it will not tarnish like sterling. They do develop a grayish patina over time. My recommendation is to spray the bracelet with Windex (yes, Windex), then rub it with your fingers or scrub with an old tooth brush. Finally, rinse it with water and pat it dry.