Shipping

For In Stock items we ship out 3-5 buiness days after payment has cleared.For Custom Orders once the final payment has cleared we will ship your order.Domestic ServiceOur standard shipping is USPS First Class Parcel Post. If you would like other services such as tracking and insurance, or expidited shipping please contact us before you make your purchase for a quote. We will send you an invoice for the adjusted amount.International ServiceWe ship anywhere in the world. It is your responsibilities to be aware of the import restrictions of the destination country. We are not liable for items with held by customs offices, etc. We fully declare all items for their purchased value and will not break the law by marking the item as a gift.You are responsible for VAT, import duties, taxes, etc for you package. Our standard shipment mode is USPS International First Class Parcel Post. We have never had any shipment lost or damaged. In the event that an item has not arrived in an appropriate time frame please contact us so we are able to initiate an investigation on our end.It is advised that you order at least 6 weeks in advance, so that your package arrives with enough time. Expidited shipping is available if you would like a quote please contact us..We are willing to ship your items using whatever company you prefer. You will be quoted the shipping amount for your package.

Payment

Types of PaymentWe accept Paypal and Major Credit Card payments.For orders of over $1,000.00: Bank transfer/wire can be arranged. We will also accept Western Union payments. *Note that your shipment will not be mailed until the payment has been recieved and verified.LayawayFor orders over $200 we have a Layaway Program. The options are:$200-300 = 50% down, 50% due within 1 month$300-500 = 40% down, 30% due within 1 month, 30% due within another month.$500-1,500 = 20% down, 30%, 30%, 20%$1,500 + = 20%, 20%, 20%, 20%, 20%All payments are due the 1st day of the month.Payments must be made by the 18th of the month or a 15% fee will be added.There will be a $35 fee for all returned, bounced or invalid payments and you will be barred from future layaway options. Custom OrdersCustom orders require 50% down and 50% upon approval of final product. At which time the item(s) will be shipped out.If you have a large order contact us and we will arange a payment schedule that is agreeable before work is started on your project.

Returns

Return Policy

We so much into our hand made creations that we truly want you to be happy with your jewelry. However, we understand that there will be times that an item will need to be returned. If the color, size, etc are wrong for your taste, first let us see how we can make it better for you.ProcessIf you wish to return an item you must contact us within 7 days of receiving your package (Domestic - for International within 10 days) to initiate the process. We also ask that the jewelry be returned with all original packaging (especially if citing damage as reason for return). After the return has been received we will issue a store credit or refund as per correspondence regarding the return.FeesThe client is responsible for return postage. We ask that you return it First Class Parcel Post with insurance.Damaged ItemsIf the item was damaged after you received it, contact us. We will arrange dor you to send it back. We'll see if we can restore it for you. If it is heavily damaged, repair fees might be discussed.

Jewelry Care Picture 029a.jpg

Care for Jewelry

Argentium SilverArgentium Silver is a new Sterling alloy that replaces the Nickle in traditional Sterling with Germanium a metalliod that gives Argentium it's slower tranishing cababilities. It also enables us to have a greener studio. With Argentium I can fuse (weld) the pieces rather than solder (braise) the pieces together. Overall this metal allows our studio to use less chemicals while providing a hypo allergenic alternative to traditional sterlings.As a result of this new alloys properties here are a few things you should be aware of:Store Argentium and Traditional sterling pieces seperately. Otherwise you will have to polish your Argentium pieces more quickly.Sterling anti tarnish strips do not benefit Argetium.Wearing Argentium in pools or sea water will cause a yellow film that will need to be buffed off.Washing your pieces with a mild soap (ivory or glycerine soaps work well) and an old tooth brush once a week will help retain polish. Dry completely before storing or wearing. If you have a lot of tarnish built up on the pieces washing first then buffing with a silver polishing cloth will bring back the shine.Gemstone CareThere are a number of gemstones that are naturally more fragile and while often used in earrings and necklaces they should never be cleaned with an ultra sonic or steam cleaner.Here is a list of stones that should not be placed in an ultra sonic or steam cleaning machine:ApatiteAmberLapisTurquoisePearlOpalPink TourmalineAquamarineMorganiteKunziteEmeraldsTreated Rubies or SapphiresThe nature of the gemstones crystal structure allow us to facet them. But this also means that if you hit any stone at the right angle the stone can break, chip or shatter (even diamonds are susceptible). As a result you will find that most of our stones are set with metal enveloping most or all ovf the edges, this is called bezel setting. Rough GemstonesThe unique properties of rough gemstones also make them very special in how they should be cared for. due to their fracture/cleavage planes being exposed it it possible for the gemstones to be broken if handled harshly. If your rough gemstone breaks feel free to contact us to repair the piece. We ask that you return the broken gem and all of it's pieces with the setting so that we can find an appropriate match for a replacement. If your particular gem type is not in stock we can find a similar hued stone for you in our stock.

Gem Info

Gemstone Info

By Color
Birthstones
Treatments

By Color Red Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAlexandrite Russia, Burma, India, Sri Lanka 8.5 US, Brazil, Madagascar, Tanzania Red Beryl New Mexico, USA 7.5-8.9Corundum Worldwide 9Carnelian Worldwide 7Coral Worldwide 3.5-4Diamond South Africa, Australia, India 10Garnet Worldwide 6.5-7.5Ruby Worldwide 9Spinel Worlwide 8Sunstone US, Norway, Russia, Africa 6-7.2Orange Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAmber Worldwide 2-2.5Carnelian Worldwide 7Chrysoberyl US, Europe, Asia 8.5Coral Worldwide 3.5-4Diamond South Africa, Australia 10Opal Worldwide 5-6.5Spinel Worldwide 8Yellow Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAmber Worldwide 2-2.5Beryl (Heliodore) Brazil, Ukraine, US 7.5-8.9Chrysoberyl US, Europe, Asia 8.5Citrine (Excludine Asia) Worldwide 7Diamond Worldwide 10Opal Worldwide 5-6.5Quartz Worldwide 7Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Topaz Worldwide 8Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5 Zircon Worldwide 7.5Green Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAlexandrite Russia, Burma, India, Sri Lanka, 8.5 US, Brazil, Madagascar, TanzaniaBeryl Worldwide 7.5-8.9Corundum Worlwide 9Demantoid Russia, Africa, Italy, Korea 6.5-7Diopside Madagascar, South Africa, India, 5-6 Finland, Burma, ItalyEmerald Columbia, Brazil, Africa, India, 7.5-8 PakistanGarnet Worldwide 5.5-6.5Moldavite Czech Republic 5.5Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Tsavorite Kenya 6.5-7.5 Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5Blue Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAmber Dominican Republic 2-2.5Apatite Worldwide 5 Aquamarine Worldwide 7.5-8Corundum Worldwide 9Diamond Worldwide 10Iolite Worldwide 7-7.5Garnet Kenya, Madagascar 5.5-6.5Kyanite Worldwide 5.5-7Lapis Lazuli Afghanistan, Egypt, S America 5.5Moonstone Worldwide 6-6.5Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Tanzanite Tanzania 6-7Topaz Worldwide 8Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5Turquoise Worldwide 5-6Zircon Worldwide 6.5Purple Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAmethyst Worldwide 7Conrundum Worldwide 9Diamond Australia 10Garnet Worldwide 5.5-6.5Kunzite US, Brazil, Madagascar, 6-7 AfghanistanQuartz Worldwide 7Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Tanzanite Tanzania 6-7Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5Pink Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessCoral Worldwide 3.5-4Corundum Worldwide 9Diamond Austrailia, S Africa, India 10Garnet Worldwide 5.5-6.5Kunzite US, Brazil, Madagascar, 6-7 AfghanistanMorganite Worldwide (Excluding Africa) 7.5-8Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5 Multi-Color Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAmetrine US, Brazil, India S Africa, Canada 7Corundum Worldwide 9Garnet Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, 6.5-7 Sri LankaLabradorite Worldwide (Excluding Africa) 6-6.5Moonstone Worldwide 6-6.5Sapphire Worldwide 9Spectrolite Baltic 6-6.5Sunstone US, Norway, Russia, Africa 6-7.2Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5White / Colorless Gemstones:Name Origins Hardness Beryl Worldwide 7.5-8.9Corundum Worldwide 9Diamond Worldwide 10Hackmanite Afghanistan, Canada, Greenland, 6 Guinea, RussiaMoonstone Worldwide 6-6.5Opal Worldwide 5-6.5Phenakite Worldwide 7.5-8Quartz Worldwide 7Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Wolrdwide 8Topaz Worldwide 8Tourmaline Worldwide 7-7.5Zircon Worldwide 6.5Black Gemstones:Name Origins HardnessAndradite Worldwide 5.5-6.5Corundum Worldwide 9Diamond Venezuela 10Garnet Worldwide 5.5-6.5Sapphire Worldwide 9Spinel Worldwide 8Tourmaline Worldwide 7.5

Birthstones

Month Gemstone

January Garnet

February Amethyst

March Aquamarine

April Diamond

May Emerald

June Pearl/Alexandrite

July Ruby

August Peridot

September Sapphire

October Opal

November Citrine/Topaz

December Turquiose/Tanzanite

Treatments I do not like to use treated gemstones, but that is a personal viewpoint. As long as you, the consumer, are given the opportunity to know what treatments are and how that effects value and the quality of the product you are able to make your own decisions. If you place a custom order, and specifically request an item to have treated stones, I will do my best to find a natural untreated stone for you at your price point. We have a wide range of tratidional and "new" generation (i.e. phenkite) gems in our supply that fit many budgets. I want you to have the option of deciding for yourself so here's a "bit" of information regarding treatments.How long have stones been treated?The treatment and enhancement of gemstones has existed for a long time. It has always been used as a tool to take less desired material and make it more desireable. The first documentation of treatments was presented by Pliny the Elder over 2,000 years ago.Who treats the stones?Treatments of gemstones can occur at many stages. The rough gems, facetd gems and after market gems can all be treated. Each link in the chain has an opportunity to treat the gems and disclosure of treatment frequently does not occur. Small family opperations can easily treat gemstones. There are many large and small companies which treat gems such as Bangkok in Thailand where there are facilities that specialize in treatment of both rough and fashioned gems.How does treatment affect the price?There are some gemstones that would not even exist if it were not for treatments. The abundance of citrine, in shades of yellow, gold and orange is the result of heat treating amethyst. Naturally occurring citrine is quite rare in nature. If it was not for treatments the stone would be far more expensive than it is!Tanzanite in shades of violet and blue depends on heat treatment to produce enough supply to meet the demands of the public.Pink topaz is another example of a gem that would not be available without heat treatment. Not only are these treatments acceptable, they are necessary to keep these products affordable and available.Recent demand for unheated sapphires and rubies has caused a price increase of as much as 50%-100% for unheated material. The price premium is the result of the rarity of being unheated.HeatingHeating is the most common treatment available. It can cause the color of a stone to lighten, darken, or change completely. It can bring about an improvement in clarity and brightness. Heating is detectable only by trained observers in a laboratory setting and is usually irreversible under normal conditions. Unheated rubies and sapphires will contain microscopic rutile needles or tiny gas bubbles in pockets of liquid which are evidence that laboratories can use to guarantee that these stones have not been heated. If these gems are the finest color they will command premium prices due to their extreme rarity.Within the last couple of decades, it was discovered, quite accidentally, that if sapphires were heated along with a flux containing beryllium, the color of the sapphire could be dramatically changed.See diffusion below.The following gems are routinely heat treated:tanzanitecitrinepink topazaquamarineParaiba tourmalineapatiterubysapphirezircon (both blue and colorless)OilingOiling of emerald is universal, but not EVERY emerald is oiled, (fine untouched specimens will command astronomical prices). When the rough emerald is mined it is thrown into a barrel of oil; when it is cut, oil is used as a lubricant on the cutter's lap. The colorless oil seeps into the fissures on the surface of the emeralds. When the fractures contain the oil they are less eye visible. To complete this process oil is pressurized into the fissures of the polished stone. This is something that must be accepted; it's the way it is! The only way you will find an emerald that isn't oiled is if there are no fractures at the surface of the emerald, so no oil can get inside the stone. If color is equal, obviously you will pay more for an emerald if it has no fissures that reach the surface; they simply will have fewer inclusions. If an emerald that originally had fissures that reached the surface,is put into an ultrasonic or is steamed clean, then the oil may be leached out and fractures. This will make the surfacing inclusions appear whiter and more obvious. In this case, the stone can be re-oiled.Recently, I have read articles that other colored stones such as rubies, alexandrite, other varieties of chrysoberyl, and demantoid garnets have been treated with oils and resins to make surfacing inclusions less visible. Occasionally colored oils are used on emeralds and rubies. The idea is to add color while concealing fractures. You want to avoid buying these because you can't judge the true color or know how bad the fractures are. This is done to deceive the buyer. Fortunately this is not common and it is unlikely you will encounter this if you buy from a reputable source in the United States. Synthetic resins can be used to fill in fractures in emeralds and other stones with fractures that reach the surface of the gem. Hardeners are often applied to make the process more permanent. The use of these resins, with hardeners (Like Opticon) are NOT acceptable treatments.IrradiationIrradiation means pounding material with subatomic particles or radiation. Sometimes irradiation is followed by heating to produce a better or new color for the gem. Blue topaz is the most common example. Although blue topaz occurs in nature, it is quite rare and pale in color. In the United States irradiated gems are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency to in an attempt to insure there is no harmful residual radiation.You do not have this protection if you buy it out of this country. Today irradiation of blue topaz has created shades not found in natural blue topaz; prices are very reasonable for irradiated blue topaz since there is a great deal of competition in the wholesale end of this market. If you could find an untreated blue topaz, it would sell for a price comparable to untreated Imperial Topaz. Tourmaline can be irradiated to darken pink stones into red ones; these are indistinguishable from natural red ones. Off colored diamonds can be irradiated and heated and turned into intense greens, yellows, blues, browns & pinks. These stones are fairly common. Irradiated diamonds will sell for much less per carat than the naturally colored ones of comparable color, clarity grade, and size Cultured pearls can be irradiated to produce gray or blue colors; but dyeing in these colors is more common. Irradiated pearls will sell for about the same price as the dyed pearls, this should be well below the prices asked for pearls with very fine colors. Varieties of quartz and spodumene are irradiated and subsequently annealed with heat to produce dramatic and desirable colors.DyeingWithout dyeing there would be no black onyx: this is not a natural color of chalcedony! Chalcedony or more commonly known as agate, is often dyed blue, green, or orange and carved into bowls, statues, or cut into beads. This is fine, as there are some lovely pieces around using this stuff, especially carved animals and the like and no one minds that it's not "natural". Japanese cultured pearls, which are grown in an Akoya oyster that produces pearls up to about l0 millimeters, grow into a limited selection of colors with various overtones of colors. If they are dark gray, bluish, violet, nearly black, or intense bronze, assume they are dyed. To meet current demand for pearls with rose overtones, some cultured pearls have been given a pink tint; this can be detected by looking for concentrations of dye around drill holes or around blemishes. On the other hand, South Sea cultured pearls which are generally larger than the Japanese cultured pearls, may grow into a variety of exotic colors naturally because they are grown in a different variety of oyster.Tahitian black pearls are a good example of naturally colored black pearls. Cultured pearls with a natural exotic color will command a much higher price than a dyed one. Dyeing of chalcedony and of pearls is prevalent, permanent, and acceptable. These colors do not occur in nature; no deception is involved. Dyeing of other materials, jade, lapis lazuli, turquoise, coral, rubies, emeralds and sapphire may be less acceptable. Generally, dyeing of these materials is done to disguise poor quality goods. Dyed lapis lazuli can be easily tested by rubbing it with a piece of cotton soaked with acetone (fingernail polish remover). If it is dyed, blue color will eventually rub off on the cotton. Dyed lapis should be much less expensive than fine natural lapis. In the case of lapis lazuli or turquoise, the natural material is not that expensive, so why bother with inferior material unless it is irresistibly cheap or you just love the color? Dyed lapis lazuli may bleed blue onto the wearer or his or her clothing (not a fun thing to remove, trust me). Dyed jade may be tricky to detect, so be careful if the price seems "too good". An inexpensive tool (around $30) called a Chelsea Filter and supplement emerald filters can somewhat useful detecting dyed jade but the sophistication of the bleaching and polymer impregnation of jadeite can be extremely hard to detect without the aid of spectrographic analysis. Coral beads may also be dyed. Suspect coral that has a very intense color, coupled with an inexpensive selling price. I recently encountered strands of sapphire beads which were quench cracked and died. The treatment was easily visible with microscopic observation, but it did not bleed at all when soaked in acetone.Click Here for Additional Information on Jade TreatmentsImpregnation and stabilizationImpregnation and stabilization are common for turquoise. Impregnation is the infusion of wax or paraffin into a porous material. Stabilization is the introduction of a bonding agent, usually plastic, into a porous material. Of the two processes, stabilization is the most permanent. Impregnated pieces must be kept away from heat or the wax could melt & leak... not a pretty sight !!. Some gems are waxed on the surface to enhance luster but this is not very usual. The upside for stabilized turquoise, is that it will not absorb oils and discolor as untreated turquoise may.Opal can be stabilized with plastic to hide crazing, but this is not common at all and would only be done to deceive the buyer.BleachingBleaching is a process for organic gem materials such as ivory, coral, and for pearls and cultured pearls. It lightens the color and is permanent and undetectable. No price difference exists as a result.CoatingCoating is a process (used and described for over 200 years! where a lacquer or film of some type is applied to improve a gem's appearance. Today, coatings are increasingly utilized to alter and improve the color of gems. Mystic topaz is an example of a coated gem that was conceived by Azotic Coating Technologies. The company is now coating topaz in all colors, including pinks and rich "imperial" tones. Recent reports have indicated that tanzanite is showing up in the labs with coatings on the pavilions to improve the appearance of saturation. Coatings are occasionally identified on diamonds to improve the apparent color of an off-colored stone and deceive a buyer.Opals may have a black coating on the back to intensify the play of color or to give the appearance of a black opal; this can take the form of a simple coat of black lacquer or what is called a "doublet." A doublet is a thin layer of opal cemented to a black onyx base.DiffusionDiffusion was originally used on sapphires. Chemicals, like beryllium, were infused at high temperatures, and actually penetrated the gems. Early diffusion only produced color on the surface of the gem's surface and was referred to as "Surface Diffusion". Surface diffusion was easily detectable with immersion, and often with simple magnification. Great advancements have been made in diffusion treatment in the last decade and it was discovered that if corundum is heated to very high temperatures for a long duration, the diffusion would penetrate the entire stone!It can improve color, change color, or create asterism (stars).FillingFilling is used on gems with surface fractures or cavities. Glass, plastic or other materials are used to fill these holes. This is sometimes done to rubies. With close examination with magnification you may be able to spot differences in surface luster, or see a spectral effect in fractures when viewed with dark-field illumination. The AIGS, The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, has done extensive research on filled rubies.Infilling DiamondsDiamonds with inclusions are sometimes filled with glass to make them appear clearer. Oved and Yehuda Diamonds have undergone this treatment. Filler can be damaged by heat, ultrasonic cleaning, and by re-tipping. The filling does not repair the inclusion, it just makes it less visible.If you look at a filled diamond closely, rotate it under light, you should be able to notice a bluish flash. Both Yehuda and Oved will usually refill your diamond for free if it is ever damaged. Check for guarantees before buying such a diamond.LaseringLasering is sometimes used on diamonds. The process drills very tiny holes into a diamond to provide access to an inclusion which detracts from the beauty of the stone. The inclusion can then be, vaporized or bleached to make it less obvious if it is not burned out by the lasering. Under magnification laser holes are visible when viewed at the correct angle. A lasered diamond would be classified in the slightly imperfect or imperfect category regardless of the improvement in apparent clarity and should be priced accordingly.Gems that are Not EnhancedThere are some gemstones that are not known to be enhanced. These include: Garnets,(with the exception of demantoid), Peridot, Iolite, Spinel, varieties of Chrysoberyl, Tourmaline (with the exception of the Paraiba variety), Malachite, Hematite, and Feldspar with the probable exception of varieties of andesine and labradorite Keep in mind that new technology in gemstone treatment is always changing and improving and many are seriously difficult, if not impossible, to detect.DisclosureWith some gemstones enhanced by specifically defined treatments according to the guidelines of the CIBJO, it is a requirement of the Trade in the US to make such disclosures and in any case a vendor should always disclose any known treatments or enhancements (remember, they may not always know themselves, with imported Gems) and record it on your bill of sale. Most vendors are honest and forthcoming, but it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK

Privacy

Paypal and Credit Card informationUsing Paypal to broker transactions allows for a great amount of security. We never have your cerdit card or bank account information stored in any of our systems as Paypal stores all of that information securely.Email and Contact informationWe do not share your information with any company aside for shipping purposes.We will not sell our contact lists to any 3rd party nor will we share your information unless it is required. (ie 1099 Tax form)

Frequently Asked Questions

Shipping

Payment

Returns

Jewelry Care

Gem Info

Privacy

HomeShopCheckoutCollectionsWeddingsCustom OrdersGold RecyclingAbout UsContactNewsLinks