FAQ

We will always accommodate repair and resizing work on jewelry we have made. We are only able to accept a limited amount of repair work on other jewelry. Because we operate a very small studio our turnaround time can be long on repairs. Please contact us to inquire about your specific needs, and if we cannot accommodate you we are happy to make a referral.

We do not have a “brick and mortar” location. You can set up a private appointment for an in person showing, and you can also view available jewelry on our website. For custom jewelry we work by appointment only. Please start by visiting the Custom design page (javascript:void(0))on our website and filling out our Custom Inquiry form.

Everything that we currently have available to purchase as ready to wear is on our website. We only sell jewelry that we produce ourselves. We do not keep a stock of other jewelry. Please visit our Custom design page to learn more about working with us on a custom or customized jewelry project.

No, we do not. We refer our local clients to Lifeforce Appraisals.(http://www.jewelryappraisalcalifornia.com/)

We are open to working with you on a payment plan, please contact us to discuss.

If you live locally to us we are happy to set up an appointment to take your ring size. ​ We also offer an eco-friendly wooden ring sizer that we can send you by mail. Order your sizer today.(javascript:void(0)) Most jewelry stores will offer this service at no charge, so if you are not local to us we recommend visiting a local jeweler to be sized as an alternative. There are various methods described online for sizing at home with a piece of string and a ruler. These are not reliable, and we don’t recommend relying on this for rings that cannot be resized (including all rings with stone and wood on the shank). You can read all about ring sizing here.(https://www.mercuriusjewelry.com/post/ring-sizing) Please contact us if you need help with determining your ring size.

Bespoke projects typically start at $5,000. There are many variables, including cost of materials and complexity of design which factor into pricing and we need to learn more about your project to give you an estimate. Part of our intake process is explaining costs to you and discussing your budget. We will help you understand the options within your budget. Please fill out our Discovery Call Form (javascript:void(0))and we will be happy to set up a complimentary call to discuss your project.

Our initial conversation via Discovery Call is complimentary This appointment gives you a chance to learn about the process of working with us, and for us to learn about the parameters of your project so that we can provide you with an accurate quote and timeline. If you decide to move forward with us we take a design deposit to begin the process.

Plan to allow at least 10-12 weeks from the date of your first appointment with us. We typically need 8-10 weeks to complete custom work from the time you choose a design and make a deposit. The most variable factor is how long it takes to decide on a design. Some people are ready to move forward after one meeting, and some people take months to select a design. The average time is about 2 weeks from the initial meeting. Another variable is if your project is very complicated or requires sourcing of unusual or custom cut materials, which can add to the length of the project. In cases like this we will let you know the expected timeline.

Our first meeting is dedicated to discussing how to bring your piece to life. We get to find out a little bit about who you are, and you get to find out about the process of bringing design into reality. This is the time to present any ideas you have already. During the meeting we’ll do some initial sketches and we will look at relevant samples of materials and pieces from our portfolio. This may be sufficient for you to decide to move forward, or we may need to follow up with additional sketches or more information. You might have a very specific design idea or you might have no idea where to start, either way is fine with us. Design details, choice of stones or metal, as well as directions to take a design are all things that can be introduced and refined as the meeting progresses. If you have design inspiration, whether jewelry you’ve seen or something more abstract, like a theme or color palette, you can have these ideas ready. Make a list, a folder of pictures, a collage, whatever suits your thinking process. You could also start a Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/themercurius)board which you can invite us to view prior to the meeting.

We are happy to consider jewelry you like for reference when designing a custom piece with you, but we will not replicate others’ designs. If you found a design you like elsewhere we strongly encourage you to contact that jeweler to order from them or ask them to customize their work for you. We will not copy other designs for a variety of reasons. Ethically speaking we do not want to profit from someone else’s artistry. From a design perspective, we need to be able to guarantee that a design meets our standards so that we can stand behind the quality of the piece. Frequently there are designs that look great in pictures, but may not meet the rigors of daily wear. We are happy to discuss the logistics of certain designs with you. If your inspiration is heirloom or antique jewelry that is no longer commercially available, we would be happy to discuss the project with you.

We are happy to work with estate stones that you may have inherited or that you have in an existing piece of jewelry and would like to remount in a new piece. However, we will not set newly sourced stones that you have obtained elsewhere. We are strongly committed to responsible sourcing and we will not use newly purchased stones that we cannot vouch for in our work. Sourcing high quality material with an ethical chain of custody is an important cornerstone of our business. Our industry relationships allow us to help you find the ideal gemstones at fair prices for your custom piece.

Since we alloy metals and do casting here on site we are usually able to reuse the gold our clients bring in. This is a wonderful and sentimental way to repurpose heirloom jewelry. There are times when we are not able to directly reuse the material you bring in, such as when there is too much solder or other materials mixed in with the gold. We are also unable to turn a white gold alloy back into yellow gold. In these cases, you can trade in the gold you have and we will give you a scrap gold credit towards the purchase price of your jewelry. We will always review your options with you in detail ahead of time and let you know if there are any limitations with using your materials in a project.

The best way to get an accurate ring size is to be sized in person by a jeweler. Most jewelry stores offer this service. If you are trying to be more secretive about getting this information we recommend “borrowing” a ring they wear on the same finger from their jewelry collection and sending to us (or taking into a jewelry store) for measurement. One free ring sizing is included with custom rings, although there are some designs which cannot be sized. In cases where it is difficult or not possible to resize, we will discuss that with you ahead of time.

No, we do not begin any CAD work without payment. We will send you a round of detailed hand sketches after our initial meeting. If necessary, we will do a follow up round of sketches based on your feedback. If you need to see a CAD rendering before you make a decision we are happy to provide you with a quote for this.

These designs, including hand sketches and CAD renderings, are our creative and intellectual property. They are provided to you as an example of the work we can produce for you and are not to be used in any other capacity. We store all of our CAD files and if you ever need a piece reproduced we are happy to work with you on that.

Custom pieces are non-refundable. Payment is due upon completion of your project. We offer one free sizing for custom rings within a year of purchase. We guarantee our workmanship for life, please come to us first if there are any problems with your custom jewelry. See our Warranty policy (undefined)and Care Instructions (undefined)for complete details.