Everyone is rightfully concerned these
days about privacy, identity theft, and Internet security issues.
We have invested in shopping cart software that goes to great lengths to
implement excellent security tools. Please see our
Privacy Policy page for
complete details.
Sure! We publish a
newsletter
on our website from time-to-time and notify our customers and friends with
a brief email. It allows us to let you know when we have new
products, sales, holiday specials, and other types of news. It's
easy to
subscribe or unsubscribe
as you choose. And we never share your email address with anyone!
Can I change my address, UserID, password, email address, etc?
Yes, you can. Simply go to our
Manage Your Customer Profile page.
From there you can access a number of functions: » Check the status and amount remaining on a gift
certificate (no log in required). » Learn how to easily buy a gift certificate (no log in
required). » Request that a forgotten password be emailed to you. » Update your profile (change your UserID, password, address,
phone number, email address, etc.). To do this you will need to log in, so you'll
have to know your UserID. If you have forgotten it, simply
email
us and we'll send it to you.
We suggest that customers always use their full email address as a UserID. But if you didn't, or you have forgotten it,
you can send us an
email and
we'll send it to you.
The wire that we use to make our beaded jewelry is 49-strand nylon-coated
stainless steel, 0.46 mm in diameter, 26-pound test.
Although it is very
strong, it is made for jewelry, not for building a suspension
bridge, and can break if subjected to harsh treatment. See How do I care for my new bracelet? below.
For silver-color items, such as
clasps, charms, letter beads, and spacers, we use only .925 sterling silver,
the industry standard for fine silver jewelry. Our gold colored items are 14 kt. gold-filled. The
term gold-filled refers to a base metal or compound (usually
brass) that has been electrostatically coated with 14 kt. gold.
It looks like gold, retains its shine well, is harder and
withstands knocks better than gold, and is a fraction of the
cost. See How do I care for my new bracelet? below for
hints on keeping your bracelet looking great.
Yes. If any part of your
order is defective in materials or workmanship, we will repair or replace
it provided that you notify us by email within thirty (30) days of your receipt of
the item. This does not apply to resizing if we made the item
correctly according to the length you ordered (within plus/minus
1/4"). Please see
our Returns page
for complete details.
Treat it like the fine jewelry it
is. Probably the biggest threat is getting it snagged on
something. Even though we use very strong stainless steel
wire,
it can break if subjected to harsh treatment.
If your bracelet does break or the wire pulls loose, please visit our
restringing page for details
on getting it repaired.
We highly recommend that you remove your bracelet when you shower,
bathe, swim, soak in the hot tub, use cleaning products, or go to
sleep. Many chemicals have the ability to ruin your beads and
other components, and movements during sleep could put extra stress
and strain on the wire in your bracelet.
Silver can tarnish (don't blame us—blame mother nature!). But it's easy to polish and keep looking
bright and shiny. We
do not recommend that you use any liquid or paste silver polishes,
or, heaven forbid, toothpaste!
They tend to be too harsh, and the goop gets into the bead holes. We
do recommend using a soft silver
polishing cloth such as the Connoisseurs UltraSoft® Silver
Jewelry Polishing Cloth (barcode 0-78682-00070-0), available at Target,
Wal-Mart, and other similar stores (around $4.00), for keeping that beautiful shine.
Use the cloth on your bracelet regularly; if you wait until tarnish
becomes severe, it will be much more difficult to remove.
This is such an important issue we
have placed a Bracelet Length
link on virtually every page on our website. This link takes you to our discussion of
how to determine your proper length. We want you to be happy with
your bracelet, so we urge you to read it. Remember: we include the
clasp in the bracelet's measurement.
Note to husbands ordering gifts for
their wives: In our experience, you tend to order bracelets too
short.
Available on our child name bracelets, a
Grow-With-Me chain
is a one-inch length of our
single round link
style sterling silver bracelet chain. We attach one end of it to the
bracelet so that it dangles freely. She can then attach the lobster
clasp to any of these links, allowing the bracelet
to grow in small increments as she grows. Grow-With-Me chains
will only work with a lobster or
heart lobster clasp, not a toggle, so be sure to order the correct clasp
if you want the extender. Available on child bracelets only.
Remember, our child jewelry is intended only for ages 7 and above.
Please read our
Parents Safety Warning if you are considering the purchase of child jewelry.
Can I get two names (or a very long name) on one strand?
This question
can only be answered if we know the number of letters in the name (or names) you
want and the
bracelet length you are going to order.
We can only get so much material on a given length of wire (we
are, after all, subject to the laws of physics!). We need about
two inches on each side of the clasp to put your beads, crystals,
and spacers that give the bracelet its distinct look. The rest
of the space can be used by letters. So for an adult 7-1/2" (medium)
bracelet, that leaves 3-1/2" for the name—about 10 letter blocks.
If the name is longer than about 10 letters, we have to eliminate some
decorative
beads to accommodate the extra letters. (If your bracelet length
is less than 7-1/2", that leaves us even less room for letters. On
the other hand, if you order a length longer than 7-1/2", it will hold more
letters.)
If you need two names on one strand you will be faced with the same
decision, but you also need to allow a little extra for the space between
the two names. So if your two names total 10 letters, you have to
mentally add in another "letter" as the space (we actually use a bead
there, not a blank letter block). Therefore, if you want
two names on one strand, they will have to be reasonably short. We
can get JULIE and MARK on a 7-1/2" bracelet with no problem. One or
two letters longer will result in a small decrease in decorative beads.
If the names exceed a total of about 12 (including the space) on a 7-1/2"
bracelet, it probably
can't be done (if at all) without really eliminating a lot of beads. If you want
CHRISTOPHER and ELIZABETH on one strand, you're going to need a very long
bracelet. Think nicknames! CHRIS and LIZ (or BETH) would work
just fine. Another alternative is to use initials. In most cases
we can get three sets of three initials on one strand. Of course, the best answer is an
additional strand.
For those of you who are mathematically
inclined, you can figure out the number of letters your adult bracelet strand can hold
as follows: (1) determine the bracelet length you
need; (2) subtract 4" to allow for the clasp and the decorative beads; (3) divide the
remainder by .375 (and round up to the nearest whole number). That
will tell you how many letters you can comfortably get on the strand.
Example: (1) bracelet length 7.25; (2) subtract 4 for the clasp and the decorative beads,
leaving 3.25; (3) divide 3.25 by .375, which is 8.67, then round up.
We can get 9 letters comfortably on that strand. Any more letters
(and a space between names, if applicable) will eat into the decorative
beading.
For child bracelets we need a bit less room for the clasp
and decorative beads, but the same logic applies: the more letters
there are in the name the less room there will be for the beading for
a given length.
Up to eight letters on each strand of your bracelet are free; after
eight
we charge $2.00 per letter.
Please do not return anything to us
until you have contacted us by
email
and obtained a Return Authorization
Number (RA#). Returns that come to us without an RA# clearly visible on the outside
will be returned unopened. Please see
our Returns page for complete details.
To start the return process for a bracelet, please visit our
restringing page. After you have read
the information there, you can place an order to have your item restrung or resized. Just click on the
link at the bottom of the page that corresponds to the number of strands in your bracelet.
Please do not assume that the return address from your delivered
package will be the one you will return to. We have two locations, and not all
materials are stocked at both.
When you do return something to us,
after receiving your RA#, please use a method of shipping that
provides insurance and a tracking number, such as UPS, FedEx,
or insured mail from the U. S. Postal Service. We cannot be
responsible for packages that go astray and never reach us.
We accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express cards (credit or debit).
Your card is not charged by our shopping cart when you place your
order. We do it manually when we're ready to make your item(s),
typically one or two business before shipping.
Our shopping cart uses 128-bit Secure
Socket Layers (SSL) technology to obtain your card details. Your credit card
information will be securely encrypted.
Not on orders that are being
sent out of California. As a California business we are required by law to collect
sales tax on all orders that we ship to a
California address, irrespective of
where the purchaser lives.
We use UPS for all of our shipping. You can select the service level
(delivery speed) you would like (UPS Ground, UPS 3 Day Select, UPS 2nd
Day Air, and UPS Next Day Air) in our shopping cart when you check
out. The shopping cart will obtain your shipping ZIP code so
that it can contact UPS directly and obtain live rates from their
servers. You will then be offered a drop-down list of UPS
service choices, and the cost of each will be displayed so that you
can select the combination of speed and economy that's right for you.
UPS shipping rates are based on the speed of service that you choose, your distance from us, and whether you are in an urban
area where UPS has lots of trucks (cheaper) or a more rural area where
the big brown truck has to come a long way to see you (more costly).
The shipping speed that you
select only applies to your order's transit time with UPS—not the time
it takes us to make your order. Please read the next article
below, "When can I expect to receive my order?" to learn how long it takes us to make and ship your products.
Money-saving note: Before you select your UPS service level, take a look at our
UPS Ground Time-In-Transit Map, which is displayed as you check
out. You may already be just one, two, or three days away from us
by UPS Ground, so
don't spend money needlessly on a fast service when you'd get it just as quickly
via the cheaper UPS Ground rate. (The map does not apply to any
service except Ground.)
Almost all of our products are
custom-made and hand-crafted to your order, and thus take some time to make. Our
goal is to ship within five to eight
business days
after receipt of your order, although we try to get
orders out as quickly as possible. During our three high-volume
periods (Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas) we post a
shipping promise
with guidance on ordering deadlines.
Once your package leaves us, it's in the hands of UPS, and your selected level of service
will be controlling from that point onward. If you selected UPS
Ground, it will take from one to six UPS business days depending on your
distance from us (view our
UPS Ground Time-In-Transit Map).
If you selected a faster UPS service, it will take the
specified number of UPS business days (three, two, or one), assuming UPS meets their delivery commitment.
The shipping speed that you
select only applies to your order's transit time with UPS—not the time
it takes us to make your order.
While we can promise you a date when we will ship your
items, we can't
guarantee a specific delivery date as we have no control over UPS once
they accept your package from us.
We consider your online order as received by us on the day you place it if the shopping cart
timestamp is before 5:00 p.m. (U. S. Eastern Time) on a
business day.
Otherwise your order is considered as received by us on the next
business day.
(Exception: If your order involves a return, it is considered as having
been received by us on the day your package is delivered to us if a
business day. If it arrives on a non-business day, then we start
counting on the first following business day.)
If you have a specific need-by
date, such as a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion, let us
know by writing it in the Special Instructions box when you
check-out. We'll try to help (see the next article below).
Can you expedite my order if I need it really quickly?
We try very hard to accommodate our customers when they need a
"miracle" rush order. The best way to handle this is for you to
email
us and let us know the details: (1) what you plan to order, (2) when you
need it, and (3) where we are shipping to (include the city, state, and ZIP code). We
can then make sure we have all the materials in stock, and also
calculate the number of UPS days required to get your package to you.
If the package is going outside of our local "yellow"
next day
UPS Ground area, you may have to order UPS 3-Day Select, 2nd Day Air, or even Next Day Air in order
to make your need-by date. (3-Day Select typically costs about
$4 more than Ground, 2nd Day Air about $7 more than Ground, and Next
Day Air about $24 more than Ground. These are rough guidelines.
We will provide the exact cost on request if we have the destination
city and ZIP code.)
When deciding on your need-by date,
remember that UPS can deliver as late as 8:00 p.m. (to residential
addresses), so if you need it, for example, for a luncheon on Wednesday, you might really have to
arrange to get the package on Tuesday.
We'll help you sort it all out.
While we can promise you a date when we will ship your
items, we can't
guarantee a specific delivery date as we have no control over UPS once
they accept your package from us.
Sorry, but we do not gift wrap. In order to provide that service we would have to add more work space
and employees. This would force us to raise our prices, which we do not want to do. It would result
in all customers subsidizing those who ask for gift wrapping.
We will be happy to enclose
a gift card with your personal greeting whenever we ship an order to
someone else on your behalf. Just write it in the Special
Instructions box when you check out.
I bought a Sterling Sisters mothers bracelet a year ago and have had another child.
Can I get another strand?
Absolutely. Well, up to five
strands, anyway (on most styles). Just visit our
new strand page.
Unless you are having us do other work in addition, we charge the
cost of a new one-strand bracelet in that style plus $2 for each strand
currently on the bracelet. We will restring the existing strands,
too, so that you'll have all new wire in your bracelet.
Additionally, we use
separator bars so that the strands don't flop
around and get tangled in each other.
If you'd like us to add a new strand to a bracelet that you bought
elsewhere, we may be able to help. We might need to actually see
the bracelet to
be sure we can match the beads and letter blocks. Look at
our mothers bracelet pictures
to see if we use the same materials that you already have. There is a
$10.00 additional charge if we did not make the original bracelet.
My bracelet is too long or too short. What do I do?
We can resize your wire bracelet for
you. We charge a nominal fee of $10.00 for a single-strand, $15.00 for a double-strand,
$20.00 for a triple-strand, $25.00 for four strands, and $30.00 for five
strands, as we must completely disassemble your bracelet and provide all
new wire. If we did not make the bracelet originally we may still be able to
resize or restring it for you. If we do so, we charge an
additional fee of $10.00 per bracelet (not per strand).
We cannot change the length of our bangle bracelets or link charm bracelets,
as they are pre-sized at the factory.
Children's bracelets lengthened to 7" or more will incur
an additional charge to convert to adult size. This is because
we price our child bracelets based on shorter lengths (5" to 6-1/2"),
which require less material to make. If these shorter bracelets
are then returned to us for lengthening to adult size (7 inches or
more), we would have to provide extra wire, beads, spacers, and our
labor for just $10.00, which we simply can't do. Therefore, we
charge the difference in price between the child bracelet and the
equivalent adult bracelet (typically $10.00) plus the $10.00
restringing fee.
Lengths over 8" incur a small supplement. For each quarter-inch
over 8" we charge 50 cents per strand to cover the cost of additional
beads, spacers, and wire.
Don't let the chart force you into selecting a color you don't like. Some people don't want pink
birthstones on a strand with a boy's name even
if he was born in October. So pick the color you like. No one will know it isn't the birth month color
anyway!
We use the following styles/colors for our birthstones:
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