Frequently Asked Questions
If I want to reuse my old gold/gemstones how do I ship my package to you?
To securely ship your old gold and gemstone jewelry to us for redesign, please read these instructions before you begin.
- It is highly recommended you contact your home insurance provider to ensure coverage before shipping your own gold and gemstones to and from our studio.
- If you email us a photo of your jewellery pieces we can email a document to you with this photo attached, describing each piece and their suggested replacement value for coverage. Tell your insurance company you are having this jewellery repurposed or repaired. They will let you know if they’ll cover you for damage or loss. Most courier companies will not insure jewellery packages or contents of value over $500.
- If you are shipping from outside of Canada describe your shipment as “jewellery items for repair” with a value of $500 or an expensive duty fee will be charged on our end and applied to your invoice. There won’t be a duty fee charged when we ship from Canada to the USA or internationally.
- Pack your jewellery securely in a container or pouch within a plastic shipping bubble envelope or box. Send using your preferred method: courier or expedited postal service with tracking and signature required upon delivery.
- Once we receive your package, we will weigh your metal and send you an email to confirm its delivery and the weight of your jewellery. In the email, I will include:
1/ A photo of your jewellery items on our scale, displaying its weight in grams
2/ An invoice for the work to be done. You can either call me with your credit card info (902) 393-6376 or send an e-transfer or I can email you an invoice for credit card payment so you can make a deposit of half the total amount of your order.
I would like to use my own beach sand to create the texture on my customized piece. What is the process?
Collect sand from your favourite beach or other local and we’ll use it to create a one-of-a-kind texture on your wedding bands or other jewellery. Click on the following link to find out what quick & easy steps we need you to do. Use Your Own Sand.
How does the Custom Design Process work?
1/ Once you fill out the Custom Design Request Form, I’ll look over the details and get back to you within 24hrs (1 business day). I may need to ask you a few questions before I get started on design work and quotes. Drawings, quotes and consultation are free.
2/ A Skype or In-house design consultation might be necessary if we need to collaborate on ideas otherwise once design details are narrowed down I’ll prepare personalized drawings and quotes for you to choose from.
3/ Once the design is approved I’ll give you a completion and shipping date for your order. I’ll require a deposit of 1/2 the total price of the jewellery item before I start the bench work.
4/ I will carve a wax model of your design and an image will be emailed to you if you are unable to meet in person at Walker Studios. Changes can be made at this point if necessary. Once final approval is made I’ll cast the metal.
5/ Once the work is completed (within 4 to 12 weeks depending on the labour involved) I’ll email an image of your finished jewellery. Once approved I’ll process the amount owing and prepare to ship your order.
6/ Once the shipment has been made I’ll email the tracking information to you for your reference.
7/ Shipments of jewellery made using my materials will be fully insured. If you are sending us your old gold/gemstones please read the directions at the top of this page.
How do I pay for my order?
Canada: An email invoice will be sent to you. Payments can be made by credit card or etransfer.
If you prefer you can call our studio to give us your credit card info. +1 (902) 393-6376
USA and International: An email invoice will be sent to you. Payments can be made by credit card or PayPal or Wire Transfer. If you prefer you can call our studio to give us your credit card info. +1 (902) 393-6376
You DO NOT need a PayPal account in order to pay by credit card through PayPal. Just click on the PayPal link and follow the directions — it’s safe and easy!
For custom orders, we typically require a 50% deposit upfront, with the balance due upon completion.
How long will it take to make my piece?
Once a deposit has been made your order will be completed and ready to ship within 4 to 6 weeks for existing JwJ designs and 6 to 10 weeks for “Customized” or “One-of-a-kind” bespoke commissions. We’ll confirm the completion date with you before your payment is processed. Wedding and Christmas/Holiday seasons are particularly busy so it is best to start the design process 3 months in advance in order for you to receive your order in due time without concern.
Will you create anything I want?
We create within our design aesthetic and will customize within this style. W do not replicate jewellery pieces from photos off the internet or magazines or duplicate other jewellery artists designs.
We only work in gold (yellow, rose or white) or platinum. I’m sorry but we no longer offer our work in sterling silver.
What metal or gemstones of mine will you recycle?
Yellow and rose gold (of any karat) can be recycled with great results, however, white gold can be difficult to reuse due to its extreme brittle nature. If you are wanting to use your old white gold, send me an image of the jewellery and we’ll discuss design possibilities. The colour of your gold cannot be changed.
Your precious gemstones must be in good condition and be approximately 2mm or larger in size. A beautiful and varied selection of lab-grown or sustainable gemstones could be added to your design of choice as well as the following metals:
- 14kt or 18kt yellow, white, rose, green gold
- 22kt yellow gold
- palladium
- platinum
I am passionate about using your recycled diamonds and gold to create your renewed fine jewelry pieces. Additionally, I provide eco-ethical diamond alternatives for clients as well as beautiful sustainable or lab-grown precious gemstones. I use recycled or reclaimed materials whenever possible, and I believe ethical sourcing requires a transparent supply chain. 30% of my sterling silver jewellery pieces are cast at HL Casting Ltd in Toronto, a small family run operation of the highest standard in ethics and cast with refined metals. I purchase my precious metals from Umicore Precious Metals who are ranked #1 in the Global 100 most sustainable companies in the world index. To find out more go to http://www.umicorepreciousmetals.com/Sustainability/
How do I ship my old gold and gems to your studio?
1/ Once you have filled out the Custom Request Form below we’ll reply within 48hrs to give you a quote for the work to be done. When you are ready to proceed with your order contact us and we’ll send you are secure mailing address, it will depend on whether you are shipping by Courier or Postal Service.
2/ You can weigh your jewellery items before you ship at the post office, that way you will have a record of what you are sending along to us. Place your materials in a light weight box, envelope or plastic bag, then wrap it in bubble wrap and/or tape to make sure the contents will not fall out of its container. Ship using expedited post or courier that offers tracking and signature required upon delivery. If you live in Canada we recommend shipping by Canada Xpress Post with signature required ( 3 business day delivery ).That way you will be able to trace the travel of your shipment and be notified once we have signed for and received the delivery. If you wish to contact us before the shipment is made we will be able to give you an approximate value for your jewellery for insurance purposes. If you are shipping from the USA make sure to label your jewellery items ” Jewellery items for repair” or else you will be charged a duty fee for the insured value of your package (For example an insured value of $1000 will incur a $70 duty fee). This fee will be added to the price of your order.
3/ Once we receive your package we will weigh your jewellery and confirm all of the details. An email is sent to you with a full description of the jewellery items received along with a photograph. A deposit of 1/2 the cost will be required to start the work. We accept payment by Paypal email invoice, email money transfer or you can call us with your credit card info.
4/ It will take 4 to 12 weeks to complete your order, once your new jewellery is finished we’ll send you a photo and an invoice for the balance owing.
5/ Your new jewellery piece and left over materials will be sent to you the next day after full payment has been made. We will email the tracking # of your package for your reference. Your signature is required upon delivery.
What if my new ring doesn’t fit properly?
We suggest you pop into your local jeweller and have your finger sized properly before we start your new ring. Make sure the finger you have sized is the same one you’ll be wearing the ring on!
If we made a sizing mistake, we will resize your ring free of charge and pay for the shipping both ways.
If your finger has changed size (or you want to wear your ring on another finger), rings or bands can be re-sized for a minimal charge — shipping costs/insurance are the customer’s responsibility.
What are the added costs of custom design work?
We charge $150 to $300 CAD design fees for “Customized” or “One-Of-A-Kind” services. These fees are non-refundable but will be applied to the total cost of your order.
If you are ordering custom designed wedding bands, please order early. Depending on the item, we may require up to 10 weeks to complete your order.
What if I am unhappy with the finished result?
Since you will be required to approve the process every step of the way it isn’t likely this will happen, however, if you are not satisfied beyond your expectations we will do everything possible to rectify the problem.
We guarantee the quality of our craftsmanship 100%.