Most people do not read terms. I understand. BUT. PLEASE read at least the first three. They are important! I make them as easy as ABC :-) ANY QUESTIONS, EMAIL ME BTUDDENHAM@YAHOO.COM
A) I no longer make settings.
Many of our rings and pendants were set by students helping us raise funds. They may not be up to the professional standards of a jewelry store.... but they were done for free! So, I can sell for less.
I know coloured gem buying VERY well, and bought at excellent prices. I make money for the charities I support from selling the gem stones. I mostly use silver settings on even the very expensive gems, to show what they look like as finished jewellery. Most of them deserve gold settings. Silver is fine for occasional use ( especially on pendants), and rhodium coated silver looks the same as white gold, but is not as durable as gold. But, with care they will give you years of service.
I try to ship out orders within 24hours, but as better items are kept in a bank vault, retrieval can cause a slight delay on weekends and holidays.
B) Having a rhodium coated ring resized by a North American jeweller is expensive. They have to remove the rhodium, resize, then recoat. And, they remove the stone, weakening the silver prongs, and thus returning to you an inferior ring. Make sure you buy the right size.
C) For those that must have a setting with a Canadian makers mark, I have an account with Stuller...the largest supplier to jewellers in North America. I will sell to you at prices that no bricks and mortar store can compete with.... but even so, Stuller is NOT cheap. My settings have been made off shore for me by craftsmen I trust
The following information is the same for all my jewelry. Please make sure you read it at least once before buying.
If you expect perfect, please do NOT buy from me. As you will see in the reviews, my customers are extremely happy and understand what they are paying for.
ALL MY GEMS ARE GENUINE EARTH MINED Gems. I have been a gemologist for more decades than I care to remember, and I am now retiring and do this to raise funds for animal sanctuaries. My selling price is determined by what I had to pay, and it is always FAR below retail replacement value of the gemstone. Most were purchased years ago. The retail replacement figure is designed for bricks and mortar jewelers with high overheads. For those that want it, I do offer many items that have been appraised by master valuers , THE EXPERTS on coloured gems. My price is ALWAYS much less than their evaluation, as they price for bricks and mortar jewelry stores. A signed sealed copy of the appraisal can be had at any time by quoting the appraisal # found in the top right corner. Charge will be approx. $40. Feel free to download unsigned unsealed copy on any appraisal , no charge.
1) Unlike other jewelers, I sell quality colored gems in silver rather than inferior quality colored gems in gold and diamond settings ( I use clear topaz ) . I place even my more expensive gems in silver and use clear topaz wherever possible for melee accent stones . I have had a life long love affair with colored gems, and personally find diamonds grossly overpriced. They are NOT nearly as rare as people think. For many years supply and price were totally controlled by DeBeers. This has lessened to some degree, but prices are still artificially high. Both gold and silver are suitable for jewelry, with gold being more durable, but many many times more expensive. I do have a few diamonds for those that want them.
2) All our gemstones are true gems, earth mined, not man made. EXPECT FLAWS! We provide unaltered pictures of the gem for you are very high magnification. Minor inclusions in any gem are not, as some think, a bad thing. They help a gemologist determine the authenticity of a gem. Man made gems are perfect.... but they are not real earth mined gems, and can be made in the millions, and do not increase in value. The difference between an original oil and a print. Supply and demand rules
3) Our settings are silver, and in most cases have a coating of Rhodium to prevent tarnishing, and give the appearance of white gold.
4) Stones were in most cases set by volunteers helping us raise money for animal charities. EXPECT FLAWS! Often they leave prongs a little too long, do not get the stone exactly level, etc. etc. BUT. We are not charging you for the setting of the stone! Most people enjoy them "as is" and the flaws do not bother them, but if they bother you, have them exchanged for professionally mounted settings in gold and diamond. At least this way you can see how they will look. Most people appreciate this. Sorry if you do not.
5) Rings that have been coated in rhodium to prevent tarnishing can be relatively expensive to re-size, as they will need to be recoated. Also, a significant resize can cause a problem for accent stones, as the setting distorts and may make them become loose. Always check to see what your local jeweler will charge to resize BEFORE you buy. Better yet.... best to look for a ring your size that does not require significant change. Small changes are easy and cheap... indeed, you can buy adjusters and do yourself ( believe Amazon sells them.) I have a lot of rings to choose from.
6) Even smaller pictures, while more accurately showing how the gem looks to the naked eye, still show the gem MUCH larger than it is of course.... if you are not sure how big this is , make certain you check on a measure marked in millimeters... the standard for measuring gems.)
7) ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK.
NOTE: Supply and demand rules in true gem buying as in every other human investment.
Each earth mined gem is a unique work of art, unlike the lab produced stones that can be produced in unlimited quantities.
Some people will never understand why people buy an original work of art when they can buy a poster for next to nothing.
Earth mined gems are for those that do. Invest in quality.
ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK. The time to ask any questions is BEFORE you buy!
8) RETURNS/LOSS. I accept the return of any item purchased from me within 7 days of delivery to you, provided it is in the original undamaged condition. You must pay for return with tracking, and you will be charged a $20 return per item that will be donated to the charity of your choice. See who we fund for more information. All packages shipped with tracking and $100 insurance. If you wish more insurance please let me know when payment is made. Not responsible for items once they are delivered to Canada Post.
9) We take every care packaging items, and always send with tracking. never had a problem. But, we are not responsible for loss or damage. If you are concerned, we can arrange insurance for approximately $2 per $100.
10) ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK.