30 Day Money Back Guarantee

If for any reason you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, simply return it so that we receive the merchandise back within 30 days of the invoice date for a full product refund. (Sorry, we cannot refund freight, gift-wrapping, special order and final sale merchandise or items with personalized inscriptions.) We can only accept returns or exchanges that are received back within 30 days of the invoice date. Please allow for sufficient transit time when shipping back any merchandise.

** If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with your purchase you have 30 days from date of invoice of order (date stated by Order Confirmation) to contact Gemstonegiant.com by e-mail or telephone to arrange a return.

• Item(s) must be received by us within 30 days of your order date and be in the exact same condition as shipped (no refund for damaged or tampered with items). If your initial payment was by check or money order, please include a self addressed stamped envelope with your return. If you fail to do so, cost of postage to mail your refund check will be deducted from your refund.
• Absolutely no refunds will be given for items not received by us within 30 days of the original invoice date.
• You will be responsible for return shipping and insurance costs. If you choose to return an item without insurance, loss or damage in transit is your responsibility as no refund will be issued for items lost or damaged in transit.
• A refund, (minus shipping) will be issued within 48 hours of receipt of item by Gemstonegiant.com.

** Dealer purchases are final sales.

Diamond & Gems

Even though we believe that most people are honest, we still have to protect ourselves from the small percentage of the population who would switch stones and then return the item.
Therefore, refunds will only be given on diamond and precious gem jewelry once it has been ascertained by our jeweler that the stone returned is the one shipped.

All jewelry purchased from Gemstonegiant.com is warranted for 1 full year against any manufacturer's defects. If a jewelry item fails within that period of time, Gemstonegiant.com, at its discretion, will either repair or replace the item.

Normal wear and tear, abuse, and the loss of precious, semi-precious stones or pearls from settings are not covered. A shipping and handling charge of $15 or 10% of the item’s cost (whichever is greater) will be charged to the customer.

Due to variations of stones, gold weight, and polishing, the dimensions, carat sizes and weights may very slightly + or - 10%. Item replacement is subject to current availability, as items occasionally undergo minor design changes or are discontinued altogether. If replacement is necessary, we will ship the closest available version of the item.

Pure gold is (fine gold) is softer than pure silver but harder than tin. Its beauty and luster are unmatched by any alloyed gold. The extreme malleability, ductility, and softness of pure gold make it practically useless for jewelry applications.

The addition of alloying elements (other metals) to gold are used to increase the toughness and hardness of the metal. While almost any metal can be alloyed (melted) with gold, only a select group of metals will not dramatically change the color or make the metal brittle. For example, we never mix indium with gold because it turns gold purple and gives gold the workability of glass.

Over time, certain percentages of gold have become legally recognized "karats." The karat indicates the amount of gold as a percentage of the total, i.e. 24 karat is 100 percent gold. In karated gold, there is a balance of metals in the non-gold percentage called alloys. These metals provide the various colors and hardness of karated gold. 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloys such as copper, nickel, silver or zinc. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy. Gold standards vary around the world. In the United States, 18, 14, and 10 karat gold are the only karats allowed to be sold as karated gold.

18 karat gold means that the metal is 18 parts out of 24 pure gold, or in other words, 75% pure gold. 18 karat gold is the standard for European jewelry. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold, or 58.5% pure gold. It is the standard for American jewelry.

The addition of alloying elements (other metals) to gold are used to increase the toughness and hardness of the metal, as well as change the color. Adjusting the proportions of coloring agents provides the array of colors on the market. Additional metals enhance properties such as castability, grain size, hardness, corrosion resistance, color, workability, ultimate strength, and others. These additions can dramatically change the properties of the karated metal for better or worse.

For example: 18 karat rose gold is 75%, or 18 parts fine gold and 25%, or 6 parts copper. It is the rich red copper combined with the pure yellow gold that creates a warm rosy tone. 14 karat white gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts white metal, either nickel or palladium. These white metals dominate the color, creating a warm gray tone.

Typical alloying elements and their color effect:
Copper - Reddening
Silver - Greening
Zinc - Bleaching
Nickel - Whitening
Palladium - Whitening

Examples of the compositions of different colors are:
Yellow Gold: copper, silver, zinc
White Gold: copper, nickel, zinc
Red (Rose) Gold: copper
Green Gold: silver

A carat is a unit of weight for gemstones, where one carat equals 1/5 of a gram, or 200 milligrams. 142 carats equals one ounce. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. The important thing to note is that carat is a unit of weight, not a unit of size. A one carat stone that is dense will be smaller than a one carat stone that is less dense. For example, sapphires are denser than diamonds, so a one carat sapphire will be smaller than a one carat diamond.

A karat is not a unit of weight. The word karat refers to the amount of gold in a particular item. Karats are measured in units of 24, where 24 karat gold is pure gold. 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloys such as copper, nickel, silver or zinc. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy.

Platinum is a precious metal that costs more than gold. It usually is mixed with other similar metals, known as the platinum group metals: iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium. All of the platinum jewelry sold by gemstonegiant.com is the highest grade platinum, which is 95% platinum.

Platinum is extremely dense, and is much heavier than gold or silver. Platinum has a remarkably high level of durability so it does not wear or tarnish like other metals. White gold is rhodium plated to give it the same white look as platinum, but eventually the rhodium wears off and the white gold takes on a yellow cast. White gold jewelry should be rhodium plated every few years to maintain its whiteness. Platinum does not yellow or tarnish and maintains its white appearance with little maintenance.

Platinum is not susceptible to problems like stress cracking or corrosion as can be the case with white gold. Though platinum can scratch, it is more durable than white gold and does not wear down or abrade like gold. Scratches can easily be removed by buffing, and all that is required to maintain platinum is to soak it in a mild solution of soap and warm water followed by a gently rubbing with a soft bristled brush.

Platinum is considered to be the "most precious" of the precious metals. Platinum is your metal of choice, when only the best will do. Rarer than gold, stronger and more enduring - platinum is also the choice of jewelry designers for fine heirloom quality jewelry.

Platinum History: Platinum evokes the future through the cool gray color and technological uses, but it also recalls the past. In the 1890's the world renowned Louis Cartier introduced the metal as a setting, and made it part of his most exquisite creations for kings and millionaires. During the first 40 years of the twentieth century, platinum was the preferred metal for wedding and engagement rings and was almost always used to enhance the beauty of diamonds and other gemstones. However, for the duration of World War II, platinum was declared a strategic material and its use in most non-military applications was prohibited.

Platinum Statistics:

1. Due to the unusual characteristics of this metal, a platinum smith must have a different set of tools than a goldsmith. For instance, platinum melts at 3225 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to fine gold which melts at 1945.
2. Platinum is more scarce than gold - The annual supply of platinum is only about 130 tons - which is only 6% (by weight) of the total Western World's annual mine production of gold.
3. Approximately 10 tons of ore must be mined to produce one pure ounce of platinum. Furthermore, the total extraction process takes six long months.
4. All the platinum ever mined throughout history would fill a room of less than 25 cubic feet.
5. Platinum is even heavier than gold, 11% more dense. One cubic foot weighs around 1,330 pounds.
6. Platinum has many more industrial uses than either silver or gold. In fact more than 50% of the yearly production is consumed (read destroyed) by industrial uses.
7. Also unlike gold, there are no large inventories of above-ground platinum. Therefore, any breakdown in the two major supply sources would catapult the price into orbit.

Palladium is one of six metals in the platinum family. It has similar characteristics of platinum, such as high melting temperature, cool gray color, durability and rarity, however, it is much less dense (lower specific gravity). Palladium is the metal of choice to mix with pure gold to create the finest white gold. The color of palladium white gold contrasts nicely with the white of sterling silver.

Mokume-gane is a Japanese technique developed about a century ago of layering non-ferrous, precious metal and patterning it. It originates from the ancient Japanese technique of creating Damascus steel which was used for sword blades. Two or more metals are stacked in alternating sheets and fused together. The billet is then forged and formed and filed to reveal an interesting pattern of the layers of sheet. "Mokume-gane" means wood grain.

Shakudo is a Japanese alloy made of 96% copper and 4% fine gold. It has a natural dark patina and, if worn away by sand or chemicals, it will naturally re-darken through contact with water, air, the skin, and chemicals such as ammonia.

Silver Sterling Silver is the whitest of all the metals. Fine silver is generally too soft for most jewelry applications. Sterling Silver is a mix of 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper. Silver products sometimes may be marked 925, which means that 925 parts per thousand are pure silver. 99.9% silver is called "Fine silver." Sterling components and jewelry made in the USA are often stamped "Sterling." Goods made for international trade are often marked "925" indicating the 92.5% fineness. "Coin" silver is used in some countries and could be marked "900" or "800" depending on fineness.

A carat is a unit of weight for gemstones, where one carat equals 1/5 of a gram, or 200 milligrams. 142 carats equals one ounce. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. One carat is divided into 100 points. A half carat stone is 50 points, a quarter carat 25 points. The important thing to note is that carat is a unit of weight, not a unit of size. A one carat stone that is dense will be smaller than a one carat stone that is less dense. For example, sapphires are denser than diamonds, so a one carat sapphire will be smaller than a one carat diamond. In pricing, there is a big difference between one carat total weight (1 ct TW) and a one carat stone. For example, a one carat diamond is much more valuable than a grouping of smaller diamonds that add up to one carat.

A karat is not a unit of weight. The word karat refers to the amount of gold in a particular item. Karats are measured in units of 24, where 24 karat gold is pure gold. 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloys such as copper, nickel, silver or zinc. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy.

Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in a laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, [name of manufacturer]-created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory- created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones.

Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth (1/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units, called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example, 7x5 millimeters).

A diamond's value is based on four criteria: color, cut, clarity, and carat. The clarity and color of a diamond usually are graded. However, scales are not uniform: a clarity grade of "slightly included" may represent a different grade on one grading system versus another, depending on the terms used in the scale. Make sure you know how a particular scale and grade represent the color or clarity of the diamond you're considering. A diamond can be described as "flawless" only if it has no visible surface or internal Includedions when viewed under 10-power magnification by a skilled diamond grader.

As with other gems, diamond weight usually is stated in carats. Diamond weight may be described in decimal or fractional parts of a carat. For example, ".30 carat" could represent a diamond that weighs between .295 - .304 carat. Some retailers describe diamond weight in fractions and use the fraction to represent a range of weights. For example, a diamond described as 1/2 carat could weigh between .47 - .54 carat.

Diamond Carat: The term carat is the unit of weight for diamonds. One carat is divided into 100 points. A half carat stone is 50 points, a quarter carat 25 points. In pricing, there is a big difference between one carat total weight (1 ct TW) and a one carat stone. For example, a one carat diamond is much more valuable than a grouping of smaller diamonds that add up to one carat.

If you are looking for a diamond for an engagement ring or pendant, find one that is the whitest white. Of the Four Cs of diamond valuation, many experts name color as the number one consideration. Diamond colors are graded on a simple system, beginning with "D" for colorless and move down the alphabet to stones with traces of color to stones with visible shadings. Stones with poor color can be found towards the end of the alphabet.

A diamond's ability to reflect and refract light is dependent on its whiteness. When white light enters the diamond, part of the ray is reflected back to the observer's eye, but the rest of the light penetrates the stone. Refraction occurs when the ray is deflected toward the center of the stone, then bounced back to the surface. The whiter the color, the greater the reaction.

Since color differences can be so subtle, they are impossible to determine by the untrained eye. To grade a diamond, gemologists often place it on a white background next to another diamond that has been previously graded.

• Flawless (FI): Flawless diamonds show no blemishes or inclusions when examined under 10x magnification.
• Internally Flawless (IF): IF stones show no inclusions and only insignificant blemishes under 10x magnification.
• Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2): VVS diamonds contain minute inclusions that are difficult for even a skilled grader to locate under 10x magnification. In VVS1, they are extremely difficult to see, visible only from the pavilion, or small and shallow enough to be removed by minor repolishing. In VVS2, they are very difficult to see.
• Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2): VS diamonds contain minor inclusions ranging from difficult (VS1) to somewhat easy (VS2) to see under 10x magnification.
• Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2): SI stones contain noticeable inclusions which are easy (SI1) or very easy (SI2) to see under 10x magnification. These diamonds are sometimes called "eye clean" because they appear flawless to the naked eye.
• Included (I1, I2, and I3): I-grade diamonds contain inclusions which are obvious under 10x magnification, and can usually be seen with the unaided eye. These flaws can seriously affect the stone's potential durability, or are so numerous they affect the transparency and brilliance of the stone.

In talking about the cut of a diamond, we are referring to the proportions of the diamond as opposed to its shape (round, marquise, pear, princess, etc.). The cut has the greatest influence on the fire and brilliance of a diamond. A well cut stone with the correct angles and number of facets will reflect and refract light back out the top of the diamond for maximum brilliance. A stone that is cut too deep or too shallow may appear lifeless or dark when compared to a correctly cut stone.

Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.

Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pearls. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which gives it luster. Jewelers should tell you if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated.