- What materials do you use to create your jewelry?
- If I have nickel allergies, can I wear stainless steel?
- How do I clean my jewelry? Will it tarnish?
- How do your chainmaille rings fit and wear?
- Can your GEMSTONE rings be re-sized?
- How long are your bracelets?
- How long are your necklaces?
- I lost an earring. Can you make me a new one?
- Do you accept custom orders?
What materials do you use to create your jewelry?
Providing a high quality product is very important to me. Rapt in Maille jewelry is made predominantly from stainless steel, a very durable, affordable, and easy-to-care-for material. Almost everything that is silver in color is stainless steel, including all jump rings, chains, findings, and clasps. Exception: the spike on the METAL Large Spike Pendant is die-cast zinc and will not change color.
If I have nickel allergies, can I wear stainless steel?
Very few people with metal allergies are allergic to stainless steel. That being said, stainless steel does contain a trace amount of nickel, which is most often the culprit of metal allergies. However, the nickel is bound tightly within the structure of the stainless steel, so it is generally non-reactive with skin. In fact, I have a large amount of customers with nickel allergies that specifically buy my jewelry because they can wear it with no problem. You are the best judge of what you can and can’t wear, according to your past history. Everyone is different.
How do I clean my jewelry? Will it tarnish?
Stainless steel will not tarnish or rust in normal conditions, but may appear to get dull over time from excessive wear or exposure to the environment. It is not the metal turning color by a chemical reaction, it is simply surface residue from your skin’s natural oils and/or dirt or other substances from the environment.
If needed, you may easily shine up your stainless steel by rubbing it between your hands with a liberal amount of liquid dish soap (I recommend one that is great for “cutting through grease”). Rinse well and dry thoroughly with a towel. If you would like to send your jewelry back to the studio, I would be happy to re-polish it for you via a tumbling process.
Use caution when cleaning any jewelry with beads, stones, or any other non-stainless material. You may try a jewelry polishing cloth or a very soft brush with soap to clean the metal parts, while avoiding the stones.
The best way to care for or store any jewelry is by keeping it in an air-tight container, such as an air-tight baggie or a jewelry box. Rapt in Maille jewelry is very durable, but nothing is indestructible. It is always best to handle the items with care. How you treat your jewelry will affect how long it lasts. So be good to it!
How do your chainmaille rings fit and wear?
It is best to know your exact ring size when ordering. If you do not know, I recommend visiting your local jeweler to get measured. I then do my best to make the exact size that you request.
Never try on your ring for the first time when your finger may be swollen, like on a hot day or after vigorous activity, exercise, etc. Chainmaille rings are especially susceptible to not fitting correctly if your finger is not at its true size (at rest in comfortable temps). For most people, there is a significant finger size difference between a hot day and a cold day.
Your chainmaille ring will not stretch, but may appear to get larger during the first few hours of wear as the chainmaille settles. When the ring is first worn, the chainmaille will relax and spread out to its fullest potential. As a result, the ring size may increase by about 1/4-1/2 size. Make sure when you first try on your ring that it is a snug fit, but not uncomfortable. Also test the size by putting on the ring and vigorously shaking your hand towards the ground. If it slides off at all, it’s definitely too big, and there is danger it will slide off your finger and get lost. (Rapt in Maille is not responsible for lost items). The larger designs that are densely woven will be especially tight at first. If your ring is too small or too large, please contact me for resizing. When you have the right fit you will find this is the most comfortable ring you’ve ever worn!
Can your GEMSTONE rings be re-sized?
Unfortunately, no. If you order a GEMSTONE ring and it doesn't fit, please contact me for a return or an exchange.
I try to design every bracelet to be an average length of 7.5,” or to fit like a 7.5” bracelet, but some may be slightly shorter or longer to accommodate the design. If you need an especially short or long bracelet, please contact me by email or phone before placing your order to get confirmation that I can in fact easily make that adjustment. If I feel that altering a design for a specific fit will require a considerable amount of extra labor, there may be an extra fee for that service.
Be sure to send me a separate email after ordering to remind me of any approved special instructions. You can easily do this by replying to your emailed order confirmation.
Almost all necklaces are adjustable for length by 2-4 inches, depending on the design. Some designs, such as lariat necklaces and some of the long necklaces, are not adjustable. Short pendants are on average 17-19.” Please feel free to inquire about the specific length of any design by email if it is not listed. Instructions for specific length requests are the same as for bracelets. Please refer to the above answer.
I lost an earring. Can you make me a new one?
If I have the materials on hand to make a new one, then yes. The cost of a replacement earring is 60% of the current cost of that pair of earrings, plus shipping and any applicable tax. In some cases, I may need you to ship the remaining earring back to me so I can best match it. If my current stock of the material doesn't match the original, then it will be necessary to purchase a whole new pair.
Due to my current workload, I cannot accept any custom orders at this time. I can, however, accept orders that only require special sizing or simple adjustments to current designs.