Frequently Asked Questions

We offer a seven-day return or exchange against manufacturing defects — prong defects, porosity, design flaws, and the like. Send the piece in for evaluation; if the fault is ours, the repair is free.

Beyond that window, every piece stays covered for life against manufacturing defects. Everyday wear and tear, abuse, and neglect are not covered.

Yes — fifteen boutiques, most of them in Robinsons malls, plus Eastwood Mall, Venice Grand Canal, SM City Rosario, and our original Manila shop in Santa Cruz.

See all branches and addresses, or reserve a private appointment so the pieces are ready when you arrive.

Orders are processed in one to three business days, or five to seven during peak periods. Nationwide LBC door-to-door takes five to fourteen days; international FedEx Priority takes seven to twenty-one.

Full shipping and returns terms.

Start with karat: it measures the purity of gold. Pure gold is 24kt. 18kt is 75% gold; 14kt is 58.5%. Alloys are added for strength — 24kt is too soft for daily wear, which is why most fine jewelry is made in 14kt and 18kt.

14kt gold

White: 58.5% gold, rhodium-plated for a bright white. Strong, durable, and the most cost-effective white-toned option. Rose: alloyed with copper; the tone ranges from pink to orange between pieces. Yellow: a pale golden colour. All three suit everyday wear.

18kt gold

White: 75% gold, so slightly softer than 14kt and warmer in tone — the rhodium wears through sooner. Rose: richer, closer to brownish-red, because it has more gold rather than more copper. Yellow: the most saturated yellow we offer.

Platinum

Almost twice as heavy as gold, and priced accordingly. Hypoallergenic, and it has no metal memory — set prongs stay put where white gold can loosen around a stone. If the price is not in the way, we recommend it.

Sterling silver

Affordable, and the only metal here that tarnishes. Keep it dry and away from hairspray and sunscreen; tarnish is surface-only and polishes off. Because silver is soft we do not use it for stone-set pieces or thin bands — it suits wide bands and first-time jewelry wearers.

That is tarnish, and it is normal for silver. It only affects the surface and can be polished away. If you would rather it never happened, choose white gold or platinum — neither tarnishes.

Karat measures the purity of gold. Carat measures the weight of diamonds and gemstones.

Bring it in and let us make something from it. We can repurpose your gemstones and diamonds directly. The old gold cannot go into the new piece, but we will credit it against your commission.

If you would rather keep the metal, we remove the stones carefully and return the gold to you.

Warm water, a drop of dishwashing liquid, a soft toothbrush, and patience. Follow the full eight-step method.

Carat is the weight of the stone.

Clarity is how clear it is, judged by the inclusions inside — minute crystals, growth patterns, tiny enclosed fractures. The scale runs from IF (internally flawless) down to I2. Clearer is rarer, and priced accordingly.

Colour runs from D (colourless) to Z (noticeably tinted). Most stones on the market sit in the D–I range.

Cut is the most overlooked and arguably the most important, because it is the only one contributed by a person rather than by the earth. Good proportions, symmetry, and polish return light and sparkle; poor ones leave a stone looking dull no matter how clean or colourless it is.

A lab-grown stone has essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical and physical properties as its natural counterpart. The difference is time and place: months or years in a lab, versus millions of years underground.

Yes, and we enjoy it. An heirloom stone carries meaning no new purchase can, and reusing it is the most ethical option available to you.

We inspect the stone in detail first and tell you honestly whether it will survive rework without chipping. We will send a form to complete and sign before you hand it over.

Yes — it is a large part of what the bench does. See how a commission works.

Four to eight weeks from start to finish, depending on material availability and how complex the design is. Sourcing a hard-to-find stone can push it to twelve or fourteen weeks; small changes to an existing design can be done in about four.

Yes. Family stones are inspected thoroughly before we work with them, so we can guarantee they will withstand rework without chipping or breaking.

After the first discussion we send computer renderings of your piece. Two revisions are included. Beyond that there is a design fee.

If the design changes completely after the first full design plus two revisions, a charge applies along with any fees for the additional design time.

• Every ring order includes one complimentary resizing — you only pay return shipping.
• All jewelry is covered for life against manufacturing defects. Normal wear and tear and accidental damage are not covered.
• All custom orders are non-refundable.
• The balance is due on completion. Late payments accrue 5% of the balance per month past the completion date.