Frequently asked questions
Is South Jewellery an ethical & sustainable jeweller and can you tell me about the luxury materials you use?
Yes! Sustainability is at the heart of South Jewellery. We specialise in repurposing natural sea glass alongside conflict-free ocean diamonds and sustainable gold and silver. We are dedicated to ethical craftsmanship, ensuring every bespoke piece is created with a deep respect for the environment.
For a full breakdown of our sourcing and ethics, please view our Materials, Ethics & Sustainability page in the footer below.
Do you make bespoke commissions?
We sure do! As a bespoke jeweller, handcrafting bespoke commissions is what we spend 99% of our time doing and we love it! Please click on Bespoke Commissions in our navigation menu at the top of this page for more information.
How do I order a bespoke commission? What payment installment plans are available at checkout?
Once the details of your bespoke commission have been confirmed and you are happy to proceed, we will send an email to you that contains your order summary and a payment link. Payment can be made by credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, Klarna, or PayPal. We kindly ask that bespoke commissions are paid for in full before we order the materials and begin making. We appreciate that paying the full amount upfront may not always be possible for high-value orders. In these cases, various installment plans may be available at checkout via Shop Pay, Klarna, or PayPal. On the date the full payment or the first payment is received, you will officially enter our bespoke commissions' diary. Depending on the intricacy of your bespoke commission and how busy we are, lead times can vary from 2 to 16 weeks to be handcrafted. If you need your bespoke commission for a specific date, please let us know and we will try our utmost best to accommodate your time frame. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Important information about installment plans: South Jewellery Ltd is not a lender. Various installment plans are available via Shop Pay, Klarna and PayPal. While these plans can be a helpful way to manage the cost, please remember they are a form of credit. To ensure your bespoke commission remains a cherished purchase, we encourage mindful repayment as missed payments can influence your future credit score. Eligibility is subject to status and T&Cs apply. 18+ UK residents only.
How do I measure my ring size?
Ring sizes are measured alphabetically from A to Z in the UK. To find out your ring size, we can send a professional ring sizing kit directly to your home and offer our expert assistance free of charge.
Can my ring be resized?
Yes, both silver and gold rings can be resized in almost all cases. However, we strongly advise that we try our very best to get the correct ring size first time round by measuring the finger with a ring sizing kit or secretly measuring a current ring with a ring sizing stick. It is best to measure your finger multiple times throughout the day when your hands are hot & cold over the period of 3 to 4 days to gain an accurate overall size. Due to the nature of sea glass rings, ring resizes require labour intensive specialist expertise and tools to safely resize the ring whilst protecting the sea glass. Ring resizes vary in price from £175 to £275 in the majority of cases. On the very rare occasion that an extremely complex ring resize is required, the cost can be higher dependent on the design, intricacy & precious metal. We are always happy to help & advise.
What is sea glass?
Sea glass is weathered glass that is found on beaches after being washed up by the waves that crash on our shores and by the currents that travel along our coastlines. The oceans natural weathering processes create naturally shaped, frosted and textured glass. Sea glass can take between 5 to 50 years and in some cases up to 100 plus years to acquire its desirable characteristics, thus allowing it to be considered sea glass.
Sea glass is so special because it is available to any person that wants to put in the time to discover it on a beach. This makes it very unique as we cannot go searching for our own diamonds or precious gemstones. This allows the wearer of the sea glass jewellery to feel an unmatched tangible connection to the power of the ocean.
Sea glass originates from many products such as vases, art glass, bottles, kitchenwear and ornaments which have been discarded into the ocean. Every piece of sea glass is exclusive and unique in its own way due to this. Sea glass comes in a huge variety of stunning colours and shapes. Sea glass rarity and value are tied to the simple rule of supply and demand. The more rare the sea glass colour, the greater the likelihood that there is a very limited and exclusive supply of that colour to be found on our beaches. Our basic guide to sea glass colour rarity is as followed:
Treasure Chest: A piece of flawless sea glass that combines all of the most desirable characteristics which equate to a true once in a lifetime find.
Legendary: Tealquoise | Rainbow | Multicoloured | Galaxy | Marbles | Patterened
Ultra Rare: Purple | Turquoise | Red | Yellow | Orange | Pirate Black | Teal | Grey | Pink | Green Blue | Electric Shades | Midnight Shades
Rare: Aqua | Cobalt Blue | Cornflower Blue | Storm Blue | Milk Glass | Flash Glass
Unfrequent: Amber | Sea Foam Green | Green
Frequent: White | Brown | Olive Green
Other sea glass characteristics such as shape, age, size, texture, condition, location, and patterns also contribute to sea glass rarity and value.
When we handcarve sea glass into an artisan shape, we leave the surface & part of the sea glass that you will see once it is set in your jewellery completely original & untouched. This maintains the beautiful texture and frosting which has been weathered into the surface of the sea glass from many years spent adrift in the ocean. This texture is unique to every piece and it is the oceans signature.
Unless you send your own beautiful piece of sea glass to us to be made into a piece of jewellery, the majority of the sea glass we use in our jewellery has been proudly beachcombed by ourselves.
If you would like to use your own sea glass, we can post a pre written Royal Mail Special Delivery return envelope to you so you can safely post your sea glass to us. We are always happy to help and make this as straight forward as possible for you.
When we first started South Jewellery we did not use sea glass that had been found by others and given to us or purchase sea glass from professional beachcombers that live in sea glass hotspots where rare colours are much more likely to be found. We originally found value in the idea that all of the sea glass we used was found by ourselves. However, as sea glass levels continue to rapidly decline we have realised this is simply not possible or sustainable anymore. As it stands, we are currently beachcombing hauls that are only 20% as fruitful as they were 9 years ago when we first started beachcombing. That's right, our sea glass hauls used to be 5 times as good as they are now! After feedback from many clients, we realised that sea glass colour, quality and of course its origin being the sea tops all other desirable aspects unless it is a sentimental piece of sea glass that the client found themselves. Due to this feedback, we now outsource to other trusted UK beachcombers as well as a few abroad beachcombers for specific sea glass colours if we do not have them in stock in our own Cornish collection. These relationships have been built on trust and transparency which allow us to continue to offer the best quality and selection of sea glass. Please let us know if you have a particular preference as to what location the sea glass was found.
How will you handcraft my jewellery?
We use and/or combine various techniques to handcraft your jewellery. Hand forged is the most traditional way of making handmade jewellery. In simple terms, silver or gold is melted into an ingot and a design is drawn or formed in the mind of the jeweller. The silver or gold is then rolled, hammered, pressed, bent, formed and different components are soldered together to make the finished piece of jewellery. The other technique that we use to create handcrafted jewellery with is what we refer to as basic casting. With some high value or intricate designs, this process can result in a stronger, more tarnish resistant, and sustainable piece of jewellery. There are two ways to do this. A design can be hand carved in jewellers wax or a basic design can be hand forged in recycled silver. A mould is then made around the wax or silver design. Molten silver or gold is then poured into the mould to create a basic but unfinished peice of jewellery from the initial wax or silver design. We only cast designs in their most basic jewellery design form because this then allows us to finish the majority of the processes by hand which adds to the uniqueness and exclusivity of the piece. The finishing process can include but is not limited to, soldering shanks to settings, soldering various basic castings together, work hardening the precious metal, shaping, sizing and texturing the band, sanding and polishing, burring and cutting the holes for gemstones or sea glass, setting the gemstones or sea glass. All basic cast pieces cost us more to produce and take more time to handcraft overall but some high value designs do greatly benefit from this way of making as the basic cast piece reduces or has no solder joins. Lots of solder joins are prone to tarnish and can be the structually weakest part of the design. At our discretion and with our expert knowledge, we create every piece jewellery with optimum function and durability in mind so you can be sure that your jewellery will last a lifetime and our chosen handcrafting techniques reflect this. Finally, you will never see a high street looking piece of jewellery leave our studio. Every piece we make is completely hand forged or a basic casting is made that is then more than 75% hand finished. There will also be individual subtle makers marks on every piece of jewellery which come from the numerous handcrafting processes which makes every piece of jewellery unique in its own way and one of a kind.
What are ocean inspired jewellery finishes, ring textures & hidden textures?
Jewellery Finishes: First of all, you can choose from a traditonal highly polished finish or a rustic looking satin finish. Highly polished is where the jewellery is polished with soft brushes which create a bright reflective shine and is our standard jewellery finish 99% of the time. A satin finish can be requested instead and is where the jewellery is polished with abrasive brushes which create tiny scratches for a non reflective soft glow. For rings, you can also choose a desired textured as outlined below.
Ring Texture Smooth Ocean: The band is sanded smooth and has no texture. This is the traditional ring finish and is comparable to a tidal pools surface on a perfectly flat & calm day when there is no wind.
Ring Texture Hammered Ocean: The band is hammered with a ball-peen hammer which leaves unique dents in the band. This finish looks like the oceans rippling & textured surface when there is a gentle breeze of wind.
Ring Texture Hammered Storm: The band is beaten with a piece of reef that we found at the most storm battered harbour in the South West, Porthleven after one of the biggest storms of the century. This rustic finish looks like weathered rock and reef.
Hidden Textures: All of the jewellery that we handcraft will also have hidden & subtle textures. After completing a highly polished finish with traditonal jewellers rouge, every piece of jewellery then gets burnished inside a barrel tumbler with a custom fine steel shot which creates a very subtle sand like texture on the surface of the precious metal. This can only be noticed under magnification but it adds another beach inspired element to our designs whilst also making the precious metal far more resilient to fine surface scratches. Almost all of the jewellery we make uses our signature thick bezel or flush settings to secure the sea glass, ocean diamond or precious gemstone in place. This is done by hammering the gold or silver bezel walls over the top of the stone to permanently secure it forever. Bezel & flush settings are the most secure and labour intensive type of settings to make in jewellery. After the gold or silver is hammered over the edge of the stone to secure it in place, the top of the bezel is then sanded & polished smooth and the inside edge of the bezel is neatened up with a tool called a graver. The graver cuts a smooth clean reflective line around the inside of the bezels edge. This is called a bright cut. To add another ocean inspired texture to our bezel & flush settings, we do a textured bright cut. This is created by using a graver that has been sharpened and then textured with sand from a Cornish beach which means that every textured bright cut will look ever so slightly different. Finally, instead of using a traditional polishing drill bit, we use a handcrafted Cornish sand infused drill bit to texture the very inside of our bezels before the stone is set. This is unnoticeable and hidden once the stone has been set but adds further ocean inspired exclusivity and uniqueness to the piece of jewellery. After all, it is these little carefully thought out details and processes that make our ocean inspired handcrafted jewellery special and unique whilst being distinctly different to a traditional high street jeweller.
Why do you use high-end palladium 18ct white gold and not traditional 18ct white gold?
At South Jewellery, we believe fine jewellery should be as enduring as the stories it represents, which is why we use the highest quality 18ct white gold alloyed with palladium.
While gold is naturally a warm, yellow metal, the process used to turn it white defines the longevity and quality of the piece. In 18ct gold jewellery which is the most luxurious and premium carat gold to make jewellery in, 75% of the metal is pure gold, while the remaining 25% is an alloy of other metals; and it is this crucial 25% that sets our craftsmanship apart.
Traditional white gold is commonly alloyed with nickel, a hard but inexpensive metal favoured by high street manufacturers for its low cost. Unfortunately, nickel based white gold possesses a naturally dull, grey appearance with a distinct yellow undertone. To mask this, manufacturers plate the jewellery in a thin layer of rhodium. While this provides a temporary, brilliant white sparkle, the finish eventually wears away to reveal a yellowed surface, forcing owners into a cycle of costly maintenance and re-plating every year. Furthermore, nickel is a known allergen, often causing skin irritation for those with sensitivities.
At South Jewellery, we exclusively use premium 18ct white gold alloyed with a high palladium content. As a rare member of the platinum family, palladium is a precious metal that shares platinum’s most desirable traits: it is naturally white, exceptionally durable, and hypoallergenic. Because this alloy is white all the way through, it does not require rhodium plating to hide its true colour. It will never turn yellow, it will never tarnish, and it does not need to be rhodium plated. Simply put, it is the most refined choice for handcrafted jewellery designed to last a lifetime without the hidden costs or inconveniences of traditional alloys.
This unique composition also makes our 18ct white gold the ideal choice to wear alongside a platinum ring, as many of our clients choose to do. Because palladium is a sister metal to platinum, they share a similar cool, prestigious hue, hardness, and high level of durability. While platinum has a slightly brighter tone when new compared to the softer, sophisticated greyish white of palladium 18ct white gold, this subtle difference is barely noticeable to the naked eye when the rings are worn together. As a platinum ring develops its characteristic soft, satin, greyish patina over time, the palladium 18ct white gold matches this transition at a similar rate. This ensures the two rings maintain a cohesive, seamless appearance for decades to come.
How do I care for my jewellery?
Sea glass can be easily cleaned using washing up liquid & water with a cloth or soft bristled toothbrush. To give the sea glass a shinier or wet look, a small amount of coconut oil can applied to the surface of the sea glass which will intensify its natural colour and glow whilst making it look less frosted. All of our jewellery is made from 925 sterling silver, 9ct gold, 14ct gold or 18ct gold. Silver & gold jewellery can naturally tarnish very slowly over time due to various reasons but do not worry, it can always be cleaned. We advise that you use a Talk Town silver or gold polishing cloth and give your jewellery a light polish from time to time. We also strongly advise that you do not let your silver or gold jewellery come into contact with salt or chemicals so its best to keep your jewellery away from salt water, swimming pools and household & cleaning products to prevent accelerated tarnishing. Finally, you should follow the simple rules of last to put on (After make up or perfume!) and first to take off (Before showers or activities!). If you follow the above advice, you'll keep your jewellery looking as good as new and reduce the chance of tarnishing. If you have any questions about caring for your jewellery, please feel free to ask us for advice.
With all of our jewellery that uses closed bezel settings, it is extremely important that you follow the above guidelines. Despite aqua sealing all of our bezel settings, if salt or chemicals do manage to get inside the bezel underneath the sea glass, it can cause black tarnish underneath the sea glass on the silver or gold, thus causing an undesired effect. The chances of this happening with our aqua seal is less than 1% but please do not take the risk. Deep cleaning and resetting a bezel is a time-consuming and very costly process that can be completely avoided if your jewellery is cared for properly. For higher value jewellery over £750, we dedicate the additonal time, skill and labour in handcrafting open back bezel settings which do not have a closed back bezel, therefore do not require aqua sealing. They can be carefully cleaned by being soaked in warm water with washing up liquid and then gently scrubbed with a soft bristle toothbrush. For a deep clean, the jewellery can be cleaned by a professional jeweller in an ultrasonic cleaning machine but this must be done with care to prevent damaging the stones.
How will my jewellery be delivered?
We post all of our jewellery by UK Royal Mail Special Delivery - Guaranteed Next Working Day - GPS Tracked & Signed For & Fully Insured which is £19.95. We package our jewellery in a branded small protective cardboard box that is then placed inside an official Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope which is security sealed. The external packaging and return address gives no indication that there is jewellery inside or that it has been sent from South Jewellery. We believe this is the safest, most comprehensive and premium method of delivery available in the UK.
When your order is dispatched by UK Royal Mail Special Delivery, we will send you a discreet text alert, notifying you to check your email. The email will contain your tracking number and your order will then be delivered on the next working day. If that does not suit you, please head to the Royal Mail website, input your tracking number and reschedule for it to be delivered on a different working day or collected from your nearest post office.
What if I need to return an order?
We pride ourselves in satisfying our customers, we accept returns on all stock orders. You need to contact us within 14 days after you have received your order to be eligible for a refund. We do not accept returns on bespoke orders unless agreed otherwise.
If you have any questions or would like to return an order, please contact us at info@southjewellery.co.uk for our delivery address and details on how to safely return your order. Please refer to our "Refund Policy" for full details.
I have another question!
No problem at all, we are always happy to help. Please click on "Contact Us" in our footer menu at the bottom of this page for more information on how to get in contact with us.
Bex Donovan & Ali Donovan
Founders, Executive Directors & CEO