FAQ
OUR PRODUCTS
What is your jewelry made of?
Primarily, we use sterling silver, 14K gold fill and brass for our designs. We make every effort to use high quality metals while still keeping our prices affordable. We use only sterling silver and gold fill for jewelry components that consistently rub against the skin, such as chains and ear wires/posts.
Is there nickel in your jewelry?
No, all of our jewelry is nickel free.
What is gold fill? Will it turn my skin green?
Gold fill is a fantastic alternative to solid gold! It looks just like solid gold, but at a much more affordable price. Gold fill is a layer of gold bonded to a core base metal through heat and pressure. Gold filled jewelry will not wear off, peel or discolor the skin. It's safe to get your gold filled jewelry wet. You can wear it to bed, in the shower, and while exercising. Most people with metal sensitivities can wear gold fill with no reaction.
Are your products hypoallergenic?
Sort of?? We source our raw materials from a supplier who uses no trace nickel in their sterling silver, brass and gold fill. Using an industry-approved supplier is the key to knowing that our raw materials will always be safe and high quality. Alloys such as sterling silver by definition contain small amounts of copper, which can cause sensitivity in a very small amount of people. If you’re concerned about metal sensitivity, we are able to offer fine silver ear wires for many of our designs, upon request.
How do I determine my ring size?
Most of our rings can be made in any whole or half size. To determine your ring size, you can visit a jewelry counter at a department store or jewelry store and ask to have your finger measured. Or, you can print out a free ring sizer online. We like the one offered by Zales
What happens if my jewelry breaks?
We are proud to offer a lifetime, no-questions-asked, FREE repair guarantee. If your piece needs repair, please contact us for instructions as to how to return it to us.
I lost one earring! Can you make me a new one?
In most cases, yes, we will be able to make you a single earring replacement for 50% of the design’s most current retail price. Sometimes we will ask you to send us the remaining earring as a design reference, as many of our pieces are unique and made without patterns.
How do I care for my jewelry?
Sterling silver is a wonderful metal, but it does need a little bit of care. We recommend using a polishing cloth to keep it bright and sparkly. Our oxidized (blackened) jewelry can be brightened up by gently rubbing it with a Scotch-brite pad. Be careful to rub only the bright silver portions, not the black portions, as the rough texture will remove the black patina.
Gold fill jewelry doesn’t really tarnish but it does get dirty. We suggest swishing it in a shallow bowl with a tiny amount of mild soap to clean. Use a soft toothbrush to scrub if necessary. Typically, a few swipes with a polishing cloth will be all you’ll need to return gold fill to it’s original shine.
We recommend you take your jewelry off before swimming or going in a hot tub. It’s safe to shower and workout with our jewelry, but we suggest you remove it as sweat and soap residue will cause it to lose its sparkle more quickly.
ORDERING & SHIPPING
Can I arrange a local pick up?
Absolutely! If you’re in New Orleans, you can arrange to pick up your jewelry at our booth at the Palace Art Market (French Quarter/Marigny) or at our home studio (Irish Channel). Please let us know in the “message” box at checkout that you’d like to arrange for a local pick up. If you were charged shipping and will be picking up, your shipping charge will be refunded.
What is your production time/how long before my order ships?
Many of our designs are made-to-order and we typically ship within five business days of purchase. If you are in need of an item in a hurry, please contact us before you purchase. We’ll try as hard as we can to rush out an item if you request it, but you must let us know before you purchase.
What shipping speeds do you offer?
We ship all our domestic and international orders through the US Postal Service.
Shipping options within the United States:
USPS First-Class generally takes 3-5 business days.
USPS Priority generally takes 2-3 business days
USPS Priority Express generally arrives the next day
*Note that a faster shipping service doesn’t equal a speedier production time. If you’re in a rush to receive your item, we recommend contacting us about a “rush” order as well as upgrading to a speedier shipping.
Shipping options for international orders:
We offer one shipping speed for international orders, USPS First-Class International. Generally, most items arrive within three - four weeks; although transit times for items shipped internationally can be less predictable due to customs delays.
Items that qualify for our free domestic shipping promotion are sent via USPS First-Class mail.
Has my purchase shipped?
You’ll receive an email from us with a tracking number that allows you to see if your item has shipped or where it is in transit.
I never received my purchase!
Please let us know if it’s been more than 14 business days and your item(s) have not arrived (US purchase), or more than 30 days (International purchases). We want every customer to have a positive shopping experience and will take all reasonable steps to find or replace items lost in transit.
Do you offer gift packaging/can you include a gift message?
Of course! Depending on the size and style, we will package your gift in a jewelry box or cloth bag, and then in a gold foil stamped gift bag. We are happy to relay your gift message in a handwritten note to the recipient. Please include the gift message in the "message" box at checkout, or contact us after your purchase.
Can you make me a custom design?
Sometimes. Custom orders are truly a labor of love and take a lot more time to create than the pieces in our everyday line. We accept custom orders when our schedule allows.
I enter the wrong shipping address at checkout!
Eek! Hopefully, you caught the mistake before we shipped. Contact us as quickly as possible with the new shipping address as well as your order number. If we’ve already shipped your order, we need to wait for the order to be returned to us before we can reship.
Can I customize a piece in your current collection?
It depends on the piece, but typically we are happy to make modifications to a design in our current collection. This can be as simple as altering a chain length, to producing a design in a different metal or finish. We can also add or remove elements to our current designs. Contact us with your ideas and we’ll let you know what’s possible.
Do you make bridesmaid’s jewelry?
We’ve created many pieces for bridal parties! Whether you want something for your ladies (or guys!) to wear on the big day, or you’re searching for a unique handmade gift for your bridal party, we’ve got you covered. We offer a small discount if you’ll be purchasing a design from our current collection in bulk (five or more of one style). We also can custom create a design if our schedule allows. Contact us with any questions about bridal party jewelry.
What is your return policy?
Please read our return/exchange policy here.
How do I use my coupon code?
At checkout, you’ll see a box that allows you to enter a coupon code. Only one code is allowed per order. Don’t have a coupon code and want one? Contact us and request to join our mailing list; we send one out quarterly!
Do you charge sales tax?
Louisiana residents are charged sales tax.
Our Process and Company
Where is your jewelry made?
All designing, model making and most production work is done in-house by artist and owner Krista DeJoseph. Our little studio in the Irish Channel is where all the magic happens, from concept to finished product. We also work with a couple amazing US-based companies to help us do the things that we’re not able to do in our tiny studio – like plating and large batch casting.
How do you make your jewelry?
Goldsmithing is one of the oldest trades in the world. Even as technology advances and new tools and techniques become available, many jewelers still rely heavily on tools and techniques that have been around for thousands of years. Many of Queens Metal’s designs are created using traditional metalsmithing processes. We begin with raw materials (sheets of metal, coils of metal wire, chunks of jewelers wax) and using hammers, files, saws and heat, form them into jewelry.
Do you offer jewelry-making classes?
Not at the moment, although we love teaching and hope to be able to offer them again soon! Contact us to be added to our list
Can you donate a piece to my charitable organization?
We support a variety of local and national nonprofits. Our longest standing partnership is with an organization called Ophelia's Place, located in Krista’s hometown of Liverpool, NY. We’ve worked with this awesome nonprofit for more than a decade! We also donate pieces to charity auctions for several organizations in New Orleans. We receive lots of requests for donations and unfortunately we can’t give to every one. But we welcome your request and consider every one individually. Typically, we look to partner with 501c3 organizations that serve at-risk women.