Our Basic Trouble Free Policies
Our Jewelry:
Located on the Central Coast, Earth Art Gem and Jewelry specializes in unique, hand crafted silver jewelry and gemstones. All of our items are made using traditional silver smith methods. Everything starts with the selection of the stone. Each one is unique in its own way and this lends itself to the design process. The silver begins as nothing more than sheet and wires. Through the careful manipulation with torch, hammer and file, the silver is shaped into what you now see before you. Some pieces are finished in a matter of hours while others may take several days. The finished result is a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece.
Because our jewelry is hand made, it is not perfect like what you may find in a pricey, high end jewelry store in the mall. There may be small file marks, or dents from the hammer, or even unpolished areas. All evidence to having been formed by a human hand. While we take every care to create items that look nothing less than stunning, we feel that these small imperfections add to the character of the piece and we hope that you will too.
I also take care to try to take pictures of all of my items in good light and at various angles so that there will be no surprises when an item arrives. If you have any questions about an item or would like more information, please just ask!
PAYMENT
PAYPAL:
Paypal is my preferred method of payment for standard orders. PayPal helps to ensure protection to both the seller and the buyer and is the easiest way to pay. If you do not have a PayPal account, I highly recommend creating one.
Items over $5000
For all customers making a purchase over $5000 USD, for the first time, we require that this payment be made in the form of a bank wire, or certified check. This is to ensure that the funds are guaranteed. If paid via Wire, the item will ship immediately. I paid via Certified check, then the item will ship after the money has cleared the bank (typically 14 days). Once this first-time larger order has been completed, the customer is free to pay via credit card or PayPal in the future.
MONEY ORDERS:
I do accept money orders. If you plan to pay this way, My mailing address will be supplied to you when you check out. Please mail the money order to me. I will not send you your item until the money order arrives here and I have cashed it (which I will do within 1-2 business days). I am not responsible for lost mail so be sure to apply insurance or tracking to your mail. I will always be sure to contact you when I have shipped your package.
PERSONAL CHECKS:
I accept checks as a form of payment, however, the item will not be shipped until the check has arrive here and has cleared. If you plan to pay this way, please contact me in advance to arrange for payment. Please mail the check to me. I will always be sure to contact you when I have shipped your package. A check can take up to 14 days to clear. For established customers check paymetn is accepted without the required 14 day clearance period.
LAYAWAY PLANS:
I do offer layaway plans on any item.
~Payments are Fully refundable if requested before I start the ring
~I start the piece once payment reaches 50%
~Item ships after paid in full.
~Last payment includes shipping
~If the order is for a loose stone, or a ready-to-ship item, then the payment plan is fully refundable up to when payments reach 50%. Afterwards, there is a 10% holding fee if the plan is canceled before the item is shipped.
~No interest.
-Human Factor: I am human and so I realize that people make mistakes, forget payments, forget about payment plans, go on vacations etc... So if something comes up, please just send me a message explaining the circumstances and I will be flexible in meeting your schedule. If something goes wrong I would rather it all work out than having to cancel a Layaway plan. I will do my best to keep communication open, Please contact me sooner rather than later if meeting payments becomes an issue.
-Changes to the plan: I am very flexible. Please let me know when contacting me about a plan if you would like your payments to be over a longer or shorter period of time and I will try to accommodate your request within reason. If in the middle of a plan you find that you are unable to make a payment one month but you do not want to cancel, I will allow you lower your payment. My goal is to sell you jewelry, not to make money with deposits, so I will be happy to make adjustments to plans as long as the payments keep coming in.
-Returns: See my return policies for details about Layaway item returns.
TAX:
I collect Sales Tax for purchases made by people in California.
SHIPPING
I use the PayPal shipping system for all my packages which has a third party Insurance system for purchases made via Paypal. Other purchases will be taken directly to the post office and shipped.
Shipping varies, usually items are shipped the day they are purchased, Flat rate boxes and padded envelopes are used most often. I will always use delivery confirmation to help ensue packages are not lost however I am not responsible for any lost items after it leaves my hands at the post office. I also insure items over $100.
When shipping a piece set with a customers stone, our liability will be limited to the amount of insurance the custoemr asks us to provide.
SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE US:
Packages mailed to countries outside the US are sent first class unless other arrangements are made.
CUSTOMS:
I ship to many different countries, each with their own import and customs laws. It is the responsibility of the customer to know the laws pertaining to their country and be prepared to pay any import fees as they may apply. There is no way for me to know in advance if you will be charged extra.
Thank you!
REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES
If you buy something from my shop and are unsatisfied, please contact me so that we can discuss the return of the item and a refund. Returns should be made within 7 days of receiving the item.
All refund requests should be sent via email. I will respond to all inquires within 24-48 hours.
Please review the specific policies below for each type of item that I make/sell: If you are not sure which category your item falls into, or want to know in advance, please just ask.
ONE-OF-A-KIND ITEMS:
These are items which I have already finished, and do not need to be made to order. They are ready to ship and will only be available in one size. If you buy one of these items and then decide that you would like to return it, then you will receive a full refund. You'll be responsible to shipping it back in the original condition. A request to send back the item must be made within 7 days of receiving the item.
LAYAWAY ITEMS:
If you purchase a item on Layaway and decide to return it within the allowable return time frame, then you will receive store credit only for the full amount of the item.
MADE TO ORDER ITEMS:
~Made to order items are a lot like Custom Made items, they are not returnable unless there is a defect in the item.
~If ther is a defect, I will either repair it for free or offer to make it again, or send a full refund.
~Many of my made to order sterling silver rings can be exchanged for free. But not all designs are eligible for this. Please contact me if you would like to know my policy on any specific design. The buyer is responsible for the cost of shipping the ring back to me.
~For all gold rings which are made to order, an exchange is subject to a 33% restocking fee. The buyer is responsible for the cost of shipping the ring back to me.
ENGRAVING ETC:
Items with Custom engraving or stamping or which have been customized beyond the normal listing cannot be returned.
CUSTOM ITEMS:
Custom Items cannot be returned.
ESTATE JEWELRY:
Estate Jewelry can be retuned for a full refnd if sent back within 14 days of being recieved. Please contact me prior to returning for a return address. Estate jewelry cannot be returned if it has been altered in any specifically for you (Re-sized or engraved), by either me, or another jeweler.
If you need to cancel a custom order request after the deposit has been made, but before it has been completed, I will make a fair assessment as to how much time and materials have been spent thus far and you will be refunded at my discretion.
REPAIRS:
I will only take on repairs of my own work or estate items that I sell.
I am able to re-size most of my rings for a fee. Please contact me for a quote on ring re-sizing.
I do all plating in house, including 24k yellow gold, white rhodium, black rhodium, and ceramic color plating.
Pieces can be re-oxidized for free.
other repairs such as prong repairs, stone re-setting and polishing will all be priced on a case by case basis.
Warrenty:
I warrent that all jewelry will be free from manufacturig or workmanship defects, which include loose stones, cracks or fissures in the metal, chopped or cracked stones, unless a defect is specifically noted in the description of the piece. This warrenty extends for 6 months following the Ship date of your jewelry and includes all items, including Estate jewelry. In the event that a defect is found, please notificy me immediatly so that we cna arrage for me to repair, or replace as needed.
FAQ
Q: I have a stone that my grandmother left me, can you set it for me?
A: Yes! We do custom work. A lot of our work is setting stones provided to us by our customers. The price will vary depending on the type of setting and the complexity of the design.
Q: How will my custom item be designed?
A: Usually if you order a custom piece of jewelry, we will create several sketches for you based on what you would like to see in the design. Sometimes our customers provide their own sketches.
Q: I purchased a ring from your shop and when it arrived it did not fit, may I return it?
A: See my returns section above. Generally a "off the shelf item" can be returned, but made to order items can only be exchanged.
Q: I had a custom ring made and after it arrived I discovered that I had it made in the wrong size, Can I return it or have it resized?
A: No. Custom items cannot be returned. It is your responsibility to provide accurate sizing information.
Q: I would like a stone that I do not see in your online shop; can you order one for me?
A: Yes. We have wholesale connections so we can obtain almost any stone and at a good price.
Q: Does your shop do custom lapidary work?
A: Rarely. Typically custom cutting jobs are sent to a master gem cutter for professional cutting.
Q: Do you work in gold or other precious metals?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you work in harder metals like stainless steel, tungsten carbide or titanium?
A: No.
Q: Do the pendants come with chains?
A: Yes. Every one of our pendants will come ready to wear with a chain. These are included for free unless noted otherwise. The chains are not handmade and are usually plated silver, or leather cords. Sometimes we will include a higher quality solid sterling silver chain with our high end pendants. If this is the case we will mention it in the description. We do not warranty the craftsmanship of the chains that we provide as they are included for free.
Your Information is Private
~Your information is private.
~I will never share your information with any other company or persons for any reason.
~When making a purchase, you will be asked if you would like to be signed up for my newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time. I will never sell or share your information or email address. My newsletters are sent out no more than once a month. You may receive a confirmation email and/or a welcome message with a bonus coupon code for signing up.
In other words, I respect you and your privacy.
Respecting the Planet
In my shop, I try to run a clean and environmentally friendly business as I can. I use recycled cardboard boxes for all shipping. I use recycled paper wadding as my packaging filler. the only plastics used are those in the packaging tape. In my shop, I use biodegradable gloves. I capture and reclaim the dust and filings form my projects so they can be melted down and refined into usable metals again. I use LED lighting instead of fluorescents, and often get by with just daylight. My shop is insulated and uses passive heating and cooling for its only climate control. I even drive a hybrid/electric car for my around town errends!