FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  

GENERAL

WHAT WARRANTIES DO YOU OFFER?

Our warranty policy covers all of the jewelry purchased from Nautical Treasure Jewelry. This warranty covers all manufacturer defects in material or workmanship but does not cover neglect and abuse, natural wear and tear or stone loss over .20cts (this gets covered by your insurance).

Warranty exceptions and exclusions:

  • Any damage to jewelry caused by neglect, abuse or natural wear and tear. Damage, such as being hit or knocked, is easily detectable under magnification. 
  • Any jewelry that has been repaired by another jeweler. We cannot be held responsible for merchandise that has been worked on by another jeweler. 
  • The loss of a stone over .20 carats. Larger stones (over .20cts) can be covered by your insurance if you have submitted it for coverage with an appraisal. If you need to have a stone like this replaced, please go through your insurance company first.  
  • Damage to your gemstone. While diamond is the hardest mineral on earth, it is still subject to breaking or chipping. All other stones that are lower on the hardness scale are subject to damage from regular wear. Please be aware of this when choosing your stones of all stones emerald are the softest stones we set.. 


If you need to return merchandise due to defects, please contact us here. Once received, we will carefully examine the defected merchandise and determine if the above criteria is met. Once approved, we will ship out your replacement item at no additional charge within 10 business days. 

Nautical Treasure Jewelry reserves the right to reject any returns that do not comply with the our return policy.


DO YOU OFFER APPRAISALS OR INSURANCE? 

We offer appraisals for insurance purposes for $65 per piece. We do not offer insurance programs, but are happy to make recommendations on how to get your jewelry properly insured.


WHAT IS YOUR RETURN/EXCHANGE POLICY?

Nautical Treasure Jewelry wants you to love your new purchase. If however you need to return an item we are here to help.

For returns, please contact us within 30 days of receiving your order. We gladly accept returns and will offer a full refund on non-custom items. Items returned after 15 days may be returned for online and store credit only.

Returned items must be in original condition and not show any signs of wear or use. To request a refund or exchange, please email: NauticalTreasureJewelry@gmail.com. Include your first and last name, order number,  item name and reason for return. Once return is received, all items will be carefully examined and full refund or store credit will be issued within 5 days. Please note that refund/store credit will be issued for the value of merchandise returned only (shipping fees will not be credited). Store credit is valid for 12 months once issued.

All custom orders are nonrefundable.

We reserve the right to reject any returns that do not comply with the conditions stated above. If you have any questions about returns, please contact us here. 

CAN I VISIT YOUR STUDIO?

Yes, we operate by appointment only but do offer local delivery in South Florida from Jupiter to Key West. If you would like to come into the shop, or meet to discuss a custom design or try on jewelry (chains, pendants, bracelets, or cuffs) in stock, please contact us to schedule an appointment.

SIZING AND FITTING 

HOW DO I ESTIMATE THE WRIST SIZE OR CHAIN LENGTH?

Start by checking your existing jewelry, for necklaces/chains and bracelets simply open the clasp and use a ruler. If you're sizing a ring, try to take one frequently worn and bring it to a local jewelry store where they will be able to check the size.

If you don't have jewelry to base this off of, simply use a piece of string, twine, or braid / Monofilament fishing line as a reference. For bracelets you want to take the measurement between the hand and the wrist,  the correct size is usually an inch over that measurement. For Necklaces, most women wear 16 and 18” necklaces, and the size of the women will dictate the proper size but 18” is standard. For men, you can generally gauge the proper length by height, for instance a 6” tall man who has a 17” neck would wear a 24” chain, a man 5’ 10” tall or below would likely be more comfortable with a 22” chain.

I JUST GOT MY JEWELRY BUT IT DOESN'T FIT, WHAT DO I DO?

We know it is not always easy to get the perfect size on the first try. Nautical Treasure Jewelry offers one complimentary resizing down, but adding a larger shackle or lengths of chain are at the customers expense based on metal costs. (example: a 22” chain at 100 gram is 4.45 grams per inch, if 14K gold is $60 per gram the cost is 60 x 4.45 = $267). This offer is only valid for the first thirty days of receiving your jewelry.


WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY OLD JEWELRY?

We can do one of three things: 

  • We can buy your outdated,  broken,  and unused gold jewelry for weight (a negotiated price per gram after the gold has been inspected and tested to guarantee the content is what is hallmarked and that is it not plated).  
  • We can use your gold to make a custom piece of jewelry! We can repurpose all of your precious metals and give it new life. The cost for using your old gold on a single piece is $199, if we determine that the metal is at least 14kt. 
  • We can offer credit for your gold towards a new purchase. As for gemstones, we don't have a market for them so if you have a piece of scrap gold you want to use but feel like the stones are of monetary or sentimental value we can return them to you. 


WHY IS MY SILVER JEWELRY CHANGING COLORS?

This is very common for silver jewelry and it is called tarnishing. The good news is that tarnish only occurs on the surface and can be polished away. If you want to prohibit the tarnishing process you should always keep your jewelry clean and free of oils, salt, sweat and acids.
Understanding the properties of precious metals is important in their care and maintenance, silver tarnishing is caused by contact with sulfur compounds, mainly hydrogen sulfide in the air. Relative humidity (RH) also affects the tarnishing rate. Other common factors that expedite the tarnishing process are oils and salts from normal wear and excessive perspiration, cosmetics, lotions, and perfumes. 

HOW SHOULD I CLEAN MY JEWELRY?

With every purchase Nautical Treasure Jewelry offers a polishing cloth that is safe on all jewelry and gemstones. In addition to the cleaning cloth you can buy Hagerty’s Silversmiths’ Polish on our site (here hyperlink), preferred for its combination of tarnish protection and its ease of use. For your routine cleaning of silver and gold jewelry we recommend the simplest cleaning method: warm water, a drop of dawn dishwashing liquid, and a cellulose dish sponge. Thoroughly rinse off and dry.

WHEN IS IT SAFE TO USE CHEMICAL DIPS ON MY JEWELRY?

In a single word, NEVER!

“The Do's and Dont's of Using Chemical Dips” on Nautical Treasure Jewelry 

  • WE STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THE USE CHEMICAL DIPS like Tarn-X on your jewelry, especially silver. 
  •  Chemical Dips work by dissolving the tarnish on an object at an accelerated rate and also dissolve silver
  • Chemical dips will quickly remove highly desirable factory-applied patinas 
  • Chemical dips will quickly strip the Machined polish leaving a dull, lifeless appearance.
  • Chemical dips will cause pitting of the object's surface.
  • Chemical dipped jewelry will require  professional polishing and possibly repatination to restore the original finish.
  • Chemical dips are made up of acidified thiourea, like salt: acids are corrosive and will damage silver.

For more on How To Properly Clean Your Jewelry <Click Here>

DIAMONDS AND GEMSTONES

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KARAT AND CARAT?

Karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. Carat is used to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones. 

WHAT ARE THE 4 C’S?

The 4 C’s stand for Carat, Clarity, Color and Cut. 

Carat is used to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones.

Clarity refers to how clear a diamond is and is based on how many inclusions are inside the diamond. Inclusions can include minute crystals, growth patterns, tiny enclosed fractures, etc. Clarity is measured on a scale from IF (internally flawless) to I2 (included 2). The clearer a diamond is the rarer and thus, the higher the price.

Color refers to the color of a diamond. Diamonds tend to have a yellowish or brownish tint. The scale starts at D (colorless) and goes all the way down to Z (noticeable color). Most diamonds we see in the market are in the D-I range.

Cut refers to the cut of a diamond and is the most overlooked but possibly the most important! Cut is the only contribution by man, while all others are naturally occurring. Cut can really make or break the appearance of the stone. If a diamond has excellent proportions, symmetry and angles it is going to have optimal light return and be very sparkly. If a diamond has poor angles, poor symmetry and poor polish, it will appear dull and dark.

WHAT IS A SYNTHETIC DIAMOND OR SYNTHETIC GEMSTONE?

A synthetic diamond or gemstone has essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, optical and physical properties of its natural counterpart. The main difference is that one is grown in a lab in a matter of months or years, and the latter is formed deep inside the earth over the course of millions of years.

WHY CONSIDER GETTING A NATURAL GEMSTONE OR DIAMOND OVER A SYNTHETIC ONE?

There is something magical about owning a natural gemstone or diamond. Naturally occurring gems are a wonderment in and of itself, not to mention the fact that they took millions of years to make their way to your jewelry and some in the form of lost treasure have made it to the bottom of the oceans and back. You can make a positive impact on mining communities and families when you purchase responsibly sourced or traceable gemstones or diamonds. As the demand increases for responsibly sourced and traceable gems.

For Our Custom Design Process <Click Here>