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Our Policies, Frequently Asked Questions and a Glossary of Wire Jewellery Terms We only use the following types of hardwoods in our rings: cococbolo, maple, canary, bocote, satine rubane, ambonya, Africa blackwood and west penn. Due to the nature of wood, the colour of our custom-made wood rings may differ from the photos on this website. To ensure your satisfaction, photos of the wood we have in stock can be requested from which to make your choice. Payment We accept PayPal, money orders, and cashier's checks. Please pay us within 3 days of placing your order. Work will only begin once your payment has been received and verified. Shipping Shipping within the USA is free. Shipping outside of the USA is charged at the exact shipping cost to the buyer and faster shipping can be arranged at the buyer's cost. Any additional charges must be paid before the item will be shipped. Refunds and Exchanges All rings are made to the exact size specified by the buyer. Any error in sizing necessitates the crafting of a new ring. Wrongly-sized rings may be returned, along with 50% of the initial expense to cover the additional costs of creating another ring. Once completed, the new ring will be shipped to the buyer. The timeframe for the crafting of a new ring is the same as for the original. An in-store credit will be given at the original cost of a returned ring ONLY if the band is defective in workmanship. Rings We reserve the right to cancel any order if the buyer is unreasonable. 50% of the costs will be refunded if the ring has already been made and is in our possession. Our ring-size range is as follows: 3, 3 ¼, 3½, 4, 4 ¼, 4½, 5 ,5 ¼, 5½, 6, 6 ¼, 6½, 7, 7 ¼, 7½, 8, 8 ¼, 8½, 9, 9 ¼, 9½, 10, 10 ¼, 10½, 11, 11 ¼, 11½, 12, 12 ¼, 12½, 13, 13 ¼, 13½, 14, 14 ¼, 14½ 15, 15 ¼, 15½ 16. Sizes in 3/4 (three quarters) are also available upon request. Wood While we only use the very best hard woods available, the nature of wood is such that it will deteriorate with exposure to water. It is recommended that you avoid soaking or wetting any rings that contain wood. Silver Silver is a lustrous precious metal, highly valued for its beauty. .925 sterling silver is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The silver that we use consists of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of alloy, is white in colour and is polished to be bright and sparkling. Frequently Asked Questions Can rings be re-polished? Yes. Over time, the ring may have become scaffed and dull. A re-finishing process can be used to restore its natural brilliance. How do I clean my wood ring? Wood rings can be cleaned using a small amount of water and vegetable oil on a damp cotton cloth. Once clean, buff dry with a jewellery cloth. How long does a wood ring last? With the proper care, a wood ring will last for many years. Be sure to avoid exposing wood rings to strong chemicals. Can you use a metal other than silver? Yes. White or yellow gold may be used if requested (although this is at an additonal cost). Can another type of wood be used to make my ring? Yes. Woods that have passed our tests for durability and shine under our stringent test conditions may be used. Please contact us for the options available to you in this regard. Can I have my order shipped to an international location (outside North America)? Yes. For all orders shipped outside North America, please add US$20 and allow an additional 4-5 days for delivery. What happens if I order the wrong size ring? Our rings are made to the exact size provided by yourself to us. Any error in sizing necessitates the crafting of a new ring. As such, incorrectly-sized rings may be returned, along with 50% of the initial cost, in order to cover the additional costs of creating a new ring. Once completed, the new ring will be shipped to you. Are faser shipping methods available? Yes. RUSH/EXPRESS shipping is available upon request. Your ring will be shipped within 7 business days after your RUSH/EXPRESS confirmation. The fee for RUSH/EXPRESS is US$40. Will the color of my wood ring exactly match the photos on your website when I get it? Not neccessarily. The photos on the website are examples made from a specific piece of that type of wood. While the shape and type of wood will be the same, differences in color may result due to the nature of wood. A Glossary Of Wire Jewellery Terms Alloy: The combination of metals in set proportions to give the resulting alloy better or different characteristics. For example, pure gold (24K) is much too soft for most jewelry applications, so small amounts of harder metals such as copper, silver or nickel are added. Alpaca: A silver substitute which is an alloy of approximately 60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc and 5% tin. Aluminium: An inexpensive, lightweight and very malleable metal that is silver-white in color. In the past, it was used for very inexpensive jewelry, but is now the metal of choice for everyday items, from kitchen foil to engine blocks. Aluminum is also used in many alloys to improve malleability. Anneal: The process of heating glass or metal to a specific temperature for a set period of time (depending upon the substance and the intended application), then slowly cooling it to toughen the substance and reduce the brittleness that develops while working it. Small pieces can be heated with a torch; larger items are generally annealed in either a kiln or an annealing oven. Anodize: To produce a controlled oxidation of a metal's surface by means of a chemical (acid) bath through which the positive end or "anode" of an electrical current is passed. A thin protective film is created on the surface by the resultant change in the molecular structure of the top layer only. Anodization can give the metal a lustrous sheen, or even change the coloring of the surface. Aqua Regia: A mixture of three parts hydrochloric acid and one part nitric acid used to test the purity of gold and platinum. The mixture is one of the few chemicals that can dissolve those metals. Assay: A test of purity for an alloy to determine the percentage of precious metal content. Base Metal: Any metal other than the precious metals, such as lead, bismuth, tin, antimony, copper, etc. Alloys of non-precious metals are also referred to as base metals. Findings made of base metal (silver or gold colored) are the cheapest to buy, and are great for practice for beginning beaders and children. For better pieces, use gold filled (a layer of gold stamped - not electroplated - over a base metal core) or sterling silver findings. Base metal findings are usually made of a nickel alloy material that can cause allergic reactions in some people, especially when used in body piercings. Those people who are sensitive to nickel alloys should use only 14 K (or higher) gold found in quality gold-filled findings. Surgical grade stainless steel findings are also available (usually referred to as Hypoallergenic). Most nickel-sensitive people can also tolerate sterling silver with no problems. Black Hills Gold: Jewelry made in the Black Hills area of South Dakota, which frequently has a distinctive three-color (yellow, pink and green gold) vine and leaf pattern. The Black Hills Jewelry Mfg. Co. produced the original designs in three colors in Deadwood, South Dakota in the early 1900s. Many jewelers still make Black Hills jewelry today (usually in 10K gold) but by law they must use Black Hills gold. You can create a nice effect by combining rose gold filled wire, yellow gold filled wire and silver. Blue Gold: 18K Gold alloyed with 25% iron (75% gold), giving a bluish tint to the metal. Brass Wire: Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes including small amounts of other metals, but usually 67 percent copper and 33 percent zinc. It comes in various shapes and tempers, and is a wonderful product to practice with, although generally much stiffer and more difficult to work with in wire sculpting than sterling silver or gold-filled wire. It takes on a lovely polish, but tarnishes and becomes dull very quickly. Some jewelers work exclusively with brass wire specifically because of these properties. Bronze: An alloy containing at least 60% copper plus tin and sometimes other metals. Brushed Finish: Created by the use of a stiff metal brush along the surface of metallic jewelry to add texture, and to produce a slightly less reflective surface. Casting: A process for making metal items that has been used for thousands of years. Molten metal is poured into a mold. There are different methods of casting including centrifugal (or investment), sand casting, and the lost wax process. Chain Mail/le: A way of joining metal rings together to produce metal "fabric." Chain mail was used in medieval times for flexible armor, and is used now to make very striking jewelry. Chromium: Hard, shiny, gray-white metal that resists corrosion quite well. Sometimes used in costume jewelry as a coating over other metals. Cold-rolling: See "Rolling". Copper Wire: Reddish gold in color, this wonderfully versatile metal was the first metal used by man for tools, implements, weapons and artwork. Copper use predates recorded history, and though it was later replaced by bronze and iron for weapons and tools, its popularity and usefulness has not waned in thousands of years. Copper is malleable and easily worked by chasing, hammering, engraving and even cold-rolling (See Rolling). Copper is very malleable, but not suited for casting in its pure form, although alloys containing a high percentage of copper may be. Copper is said to have healing properties for rheumatic or arthritic conditions. The only real drawback of copper, at least for jewelry applications, is that it oxidizes quite readily, will leave a green or black mark on the skin. To prevent that discoloration, copper jewelry is often coated with a clear protective surface, such as an acrylic, but the coating eventually wears away. Craft Wire: A permanently color-coated copper-based wire, which is soft and very malleable. Retains its shape moderately well, particularly in the larger gauges. Drawplate: In metalsmithing, particularly wire jewelry applications, a drawplate is a die plate through which wire is pulled to reduce its diameter. Making your own drawplate is quite simple, using an inch-thick block of hardwood, and drilling a series of holes at least ¼" apart, from 1.5mm to 10mm in diameter in .5 increments. Ductile: A substance is "ductile" if it is easily pulled into a thin wire. The most ductile metal is gold, and it is the easiest wire to pull through a drawplate to reduce the diameter. dwt: The abbreviation for PennyWeight in the Troy System of Weights. Electroplate: See Plating. Rings, ear hooks or wires, and crimp beads. Fineness: Usually expressed in parts per thousand, it is the proportion of silver or gold in a metal alloy. For example, Sterling Silver is .925, meaning that 925 parts per 1000 are silver, and 75/1000 is another metal. Fine Silver is 99.9% pure silver. Gold fineness is measured in Karats. Guage: The measurement of the thickness of an object, particularly wire and sheet metals. Wire gauges for jewelry applications will range from a very thick 4g to a very fine 34g. You must remember that the smaller the gauge, the larger the diameter of the wire. You will find a table of gauges and their corresponding diameters in both metric and standard (U.S.) units at Table 2. German Silver: Also known as NICKEL SILVER, this alloy is actually roughly 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. If approximately 5% of tin is present in this alloy, it is called Alpaca. As you can see, there is no silver in German Silver. It should be noted that about 1 person in 20 has a metal allergy to nickel. Gold: Gold is one of the most visually attractive of all metals, and because of its unique qualities, is considered the "most precious" metal. It is one of the heaviest of all the metals, does not tarnish or corrode, and is very durable. One of the first metals to attract the attention of man, its durability has been attested to by the discovery of elaborately crafted artifacts of gold in nearly perfect condition from the ancient Egyptian, Etruscan and Assyrian cultures. Gold occurs in nature in almost pure form, and is the most malleable and ductile of the metals. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and in its pure state is very soft. One troy ounce of gold (the size of a sugar cube and equal to about 31 grams) can be hammered into a sheet (called gold leaf) covering 108 square feet or pulled into a thread fifty miles long. When you buy gold jewelry, it isn't pure gold. The purity or fineness of gold in the jewelry is indicated by its karat number. 24-karat (24K or 24 Kt) gold is as pure as gold for jewelry gets. 24K gold is also called fine gold and it is greater than 99.7% pure gold. Proof gold is even finer, with over 99.95% purity, but it is only used for standardization purposes and is not available for jewelry. When alloyed with another metal to make it harder, more durable and lest costly, the amount of gold (as in parts per 24) in the alloy must be stated if it is over 10K, which is the minimum legal standard in the U.S. Anything less can not be called gold. Throughout the world, the minimum karat standard varies. In Italy and France, 18K is the minimum; in Canada and England the minimum is only 9K and in Mexico, it's only 8K. Gold articles produced in the U.S. do not have to carry a karat or other quality mark. The exception occurs when a karat mark is applied, then the manufacturer's registered trademark must be stamped near the karat mark and must be accurate in accordance to federal law. The weight of Gold and other precious metals is measured in Troy Weight, rather than the standard metric system or American pounds and ounces. See Table 3 for conversion of troy ounces to millimeters and pounds. The various alloys of gold exhibit different colors. See Table 4 for a list gold colors and the proportions of metals used in the alloy. Gold Filled Wire: Gold-filled wire, sometimes called rolled gold, is a wonderful choice for wire jewelry makers. It is appropriate for all types of jewelry. For most people, it will last their entire lifetime without showing signs of wear. It is made by forming a tube of gold and filling the tube with a base metal, usually jeweler's brass. The gold content is 5% or 1/20 of the total wire. Gold-filled wire for jewelry offers an affordable, durable choice at a fraction of the cost of solid karat gold. It is generally available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and tempers in white, yellow (traditional) and rose gold colors. A Few Facts About 14Kt Rolled Gold Wire (Gold-Filled Wire):
Store in a cotton filled box for storing separately from their other jewelry. This will cut down on tarnish and keep it from being scratched by other jewelry. Plus it reduces the chance of a wire being pulled by being connected to another piece of jewelry. Remember this is NOT gold plate and in many cases is handed down from generation to generation. It is not unusual to find an old gold filled pendant that is nearly 75 years old!. Gold Plated Wire: Gold-plated metal has a very thin layer of gold on the surface of a base metal, usually applied by the process of electroplating. Plating makes the layer of gold a much thinner layer than Gold Filled, and it is most commonly plated with 10K gold. Iron: This metal is very seldom used in jewelry because of its lack of luster and because it is so brittle. Karat: The fineness of gold, equal to one part of 24 in gold alloys. (See Gold). Karatclad: A trademark for a very thick gold electroplating process which is approximately 14 times thicker than standard electroplating. Memory Wire: A hardened steel wire that will retain its original shape even after repeated use. Available in a standard and "Cadmium" (silver-colored and rust proof) finish, and in diameters suitable for rings, bracelets and chokers. Milanese Mesh: Also known as Milanese work or Milanese chain), is an intricate mesh made from spiral wires braided together and used to make necklaces and bracelets. Frequently used in Italian jewelry. Mokume-Gane: A Japanese metalsmithing technique that results in a wood-like finish by alternating layers of thin, colored metals and laminated together. Designs or patterns are then punched, filed away or hammered into the laminate, producing unique and delicate patterns. Nickel Silver: Not silver at all, except in color, for this alloy contains no silver, but is mostly copper (about 60%), with approximately equal parts of nickel and zinc added. With the addition of a small percentage of tin, the alloy is then called Alpaca. This alloy was first used in the mid-1800s by the Germans as a silver substitute. Niobium: A lightweight, tough, hypoallergenic refractory metal, usually anodized to produce vivid colors for costume jewelry. Mars easily and cannot be soldered. Noble Metals: A less-frequently used term for the precious metals gold, silver and platinum. Ormolu: An alloy of copper, zinc and tin, ormolu is used to imitate gold. The French term for ground gold, "Ormolu" was frequently used for candlesticks, furniture embellishments and picture frames during the Georgian and early Victorian eras. Today, the term is most often applied to any gold-like finish used for intricate decorations. Oxidation: The naturally occurring chemical process in which oxygen atoms bond to atoms of another material (such as metal) producing a different chemical compound. We are most familiar with oxidized iron ("rust") and oxidized silver, which is called "tarnish." Copper turns green when oxidized, adding an aesthetically pleasing, aged look to roofs, weathervanes and other outdoor decorations. Palladium: A durable metal related to platinum, palladium has recently been added to the short list of "precious" metals. It is less dense and more malleable than platinum, but has a lower melting point and reacts more readily to acids. Palladium will also develop tarnish when heat is applied. Palladium was first used in jewelry in 1939 as a substitute for platinum, which was being used for the war effort. After the war, it was used rarely because there were difficulties working it. When white gold is alloyed with palladium instead of nickel, a gray-white gold is produced. Because palladium has become very useful in catalytic converters, its price has risen dramatically (per ounce, more than gold or silver), making it an impractical alternative to platinum. Patina: A film formed naturally on metals through exposure to the elements for an extended period. Oxidation will turn copper and bronze green, silver black and gold reddish. Patina is generally thought to enrich the value of antiques, but can be artificially produced by the controlled application of acids or electrolytes to newer objects. Pewter: A soft metal alloy composed mostly of tin, with lead, antimony, bismuth, copper and/or silver added. Polished pewter has a silvery luster. Pewter can be easily worked by several different methods, the most popular being casting of charms, hammering of larger items, and turning on a lathe to produce candlesticks or goblet stems. Plating: The process by which one metal is coated with another using electricity. Also known by the terms electroplating and Galvanotechnics - the latter named after the inventor of the process. To produce less costly jewelry components, inexpensive or base metals are coated with a thin layer of precious metal, usually gold or silver. Chromium, copper and rhodium are also electroplated, although rhodium is sometimes used as plate. Platinum: Very strong, very dense, and 60% heavier than gold, Platinum was discovered in Russia in the 18th century. Platinum used in jewelry is usually alloyed with a small percentage of another metal of the platinum group (iridium, osmium, rhodium, ruthenium or palladium) and/or cobalt to increase its malleability. All of the platinum group of metals are rare, with platinum and palladium only slightly more common, and of course they are all expensive. Pinchbeck: Also known as "false gold," this is an alloy of copper that looks like gold. Pinchbeck was invented by British watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck (1672-1732) in the early 18th century. Pinchbeck consists of 83% copper and 17% zinc. Ironically, there have been many imitations of Pinchbeck (which itself is an imitation). Pmc®: The registered abbreviation for Precious Metal Clay®. PMC® is just what its name implies, precious metal in the form of clay. It is available in pure silver mixed with water and an organic binder (80% fine silver powder, 20% water and organic binder) and in 24K gold in a similarly compounded base. It can be rolled, cut, shaped and even extruded from a pastry tube, in other words, just like sculpting clay. Once the shape is made, it is fired in a kiln or special oven at temperatures from 1,650ºF for silver and to about 1,830ºF for gold. Pot Metal: An inexpensive metal alloy commonly used for costume jewelry. Not used as frequently as in the past, as it nearly always contains a significant amount of lead. Precious Metal: The precious metals are gold, silver and most of the metals from the platinum family. They are all rare, with gold present in only 3.5 parts per billion of the Earth's crust, platinum about 45 parts per billion and silver in 73 parts per billion. All of these metals are strong and heavy because metallic bonding and their closely packed atomic structures. Reflectivity: This term is used to describe the degree of sheen on a metal. Rhodium: One white metal of the platinum family of precious metals. Rhodium is quite expensive, and is often used to plate both precious and base metals giving them a hard, platinum-like sheen. Roulz: A metal alloy consisting of copper, nickel and silver, named for the French chemist who invented it in the 1800s. Rolled Gold: A very thin sheet of gold is laminated to a lesser metal, such as brass, then heated under pressure to fuse them together. The fused metal is then rolled into a much thinner sheet and used to make jewelry or other objects, and is marked RGP for Rolled Gold Plate. Rolled gold jewelry wears very well over time. Rolling: In metallurgy, this is the most-used method of taking metal from a cast ingot to a sheet or bar, with sheet metal being the most common product. Rolling is done by using either the hot or method. The metal produced by the cold-rolled process will have a much smoother surface and be stronger. Russian Gold Finish: A finishing technique for jewelry that produces a matte, antique look. Ruthenium: Another of the platinum group of precious metals, it is usually abbreviated Ru or Ruth. Ruthenium in small amounts is added to platinum alloys to strengthen and harden them. Satin Finish: This method of finishing metal produces a semi-gloss finish that is between a matte finish and a brilliant one. It is done by making minute, extremely shallow parallel lines on the surface of the metal, reducing its reflectivity. Setting: The base or section of a piece of jewelry that holds the stone or gem. If a setting has metal behind the stone, it is referred to as a closed setting. Where there is no metal behind the stone, the setting is considered "open." There are many different styles and types of settings, including: Silver Wire: A fine, naturally-occurring precious metal with an almost white sheen that is used for many purposes, including jewelry. Pure silver is usually alloyed with other metals, such as copper, for use in jewelry and hollowware. Silver tarnishes after exposure to air, which forms a thin layer of silver-oxide on the surface. Silver often occurs near copper lodes. Silver 800: Silver alloy which contains 800 parts per 1000 (80%) silver and 200 parts per thousand (20%) copper, and is used primarily for casting. Solder: A metal alloy used to join other metals by applying heat that melts the solder but not the metals being soldered. Available in gold and silver as well as base metal, solder also comes in different grades and required temps. Not all solder melts at the same temperature, and it is crucial that solder be of a grade that melts at lower temperature than the metals to be joined. Steel: An alloy of iron and carbon where the content of the carbon ranges up to 2%. When the alloy contains more than 2% carbon, it's defined as cast iron. Steel is very seldom used for jewelry: Sterling: Silver with a fineness of 925 parts per 1000 (92.5%) silver and 75 parts per thousand (7.5%) copper, which increases the silver's hardness. Sterling is quite malleable and ductile. Surgical Or Surgical Stainless Steel: Any one of a family of low carbon alloy steels usually containing 10-30% chromium. The chromium provides exceptional resistance to corrosion and heat. Other elements may be added to increase corrosion resistance to specific environments, enhance oxidation resistance and impart special characteristics. In jewelry, which is sometimes labeled "hypoallergenic," we see it in a few findings, such as ear wires or posts. Torsade: A necklace made of several strands that have been twisted together. Troy Weight: The system of units of mass customarily used for weighing precious metals and gemstones. It derives from the troy system of mass, which dates back to before the time o William the Conqueror. Its name comes from the city of Troyes, in France, an important trading city in the Middle Ages. The system is based on the troy pound of 5760 grains. The pound was divided into 12 ounces (480 grains) each containing 20 pennyweight (24 grains). (See Table 3) Vermeil: Gold-plated silver; or occasionally, gold-plated bronze. Vermeil has a very rich gold color, usually darker than high-karat gold. Weld: A process that joins two pieces of metal using very high heat. Rolled gold is formed in this method. White Gold: Gold that has been alloyed with a mixture of copper, manganese, nickel, tin and zinc, and sometimes palladium), giving it the look of platinum. White gold was originally developed during WW II to imitate platinum, which was at the time considered a strategic material for military applications. Yellow Gold: An alloy of gold with a mixture containing 50/50 copper and silver. Tables And Charts Fineness of Gold in Karats
Conversion Table - Gauge to Inches and Millimeters
Conversion From Troy Weight To Avoirdupois (U.S.) To Metric Weight
Alloy Composition of Gold Colors
Suggested Necklace, Bracelet and Anklet Lengths
Conversion of mm to inches 1mm = 1/32" 2mm = 1/16" 3mm = 3/32" 4mm = 1/8" 5mm = 3/16" 6mm = Just under a 1/4" 7mm = Just over a 1/4" 8mm = 5/16" 9mm = Just under 3/8" 10mm = Just over 3/8" 11mm = 7/16" 12mm = Just under a 1/2" 13mm = Just over a 1/2" 14mm = 9/16" 15mm = Just under 5/8" 16mm = 5/8" 17mm = Just under 11/16" 18mm = Just under 3/4" 19mm = Just over 3/4" 20mm = Just under 13/16" 21mm = Just over 13/16" 22mm = Just under 7/8" 23mm = Just over 7/8" 24mm = 15/16 25mm = 1" General Care And Cleaning Please remember that you have purchased fine jewelry that should be treated with care. PRECIOUS gemstones and PRECIOUS metals are so named for a reason. Here are some useful tips for looking after your jewelry. The two most common causes for repair to jewelry:
January - Garnet February - Amethyst March - Aquamarine April - Diamond May - Emerald June - Pearl July - Ruby August - Peridot September - Sapphire October - Opal November - Topaz December - Turquoise |
