FAQ

1. What are your ethical standards?

All Valkyrie Brand jewelry is handmade from ethically sourced materials in the USA, specifically in my studio in Nashville, TN.  Valkyrie jewelry is cast using only recycled and reclaimed metals, and our stones are conflict-free.  Many of our stones are sourced directly from the cutters in India or Thailand to support equitable and fair working conditions.

All other merchandise is sourced exclusively from American vendors, particularly woman-owned businesses whenever possible.

2.  I don’t know my ring size.  What should I do?

You may have seen printable ring size measurements on various websites when shopping for jewelry.  In my experience, measuring your finger with a strip of paper, a string, or any other material wrapped around your finger is never accurate.  You have two options for determining your ring size:

A.      Go to a local jewelry store and ask them to measure your fingers.  Most stores offer this service for free, but it’s rude to enter a store with no intention of buying anything and ask for free labor.  Support small businesses and offer to pay a reasonable service charge for their time.

B.      You can go the self-service route.  We offer an inexpensive ring sizer here: [Plastic Ring Sizer].  Valkyrie will send you the ring sizer and you can measure all of your fingers yourself.  I always suggest going with the largest size that will not fall off your finger in cold weather.  This gives your fingers more room for normal fluctuations.  Be sure to measure both hands, as most people vary between right and left hands!

3.  My ring doesn’t fit.  What now?

No problem, these things happen.  We will perform the first resize of your ring for free!  If your fingers change later on, we will resize your ring for a nominal service fee.  The buyer is responsible for return shipping.

4.  Why is 14k white gold more expensive?

The color of white gold comes from pure gold being mixed, or alloyed, with white metals.  Typically, the white gold alloy most commonly used in manufacturing has a natural yellow tint to it.  This slightly yellow alloy is cheaper to use in mass production, and it’s standard practice for this white gold jewelry to be rhodium plated to look white.  This rhodium layer is microscopically thin and temporary.  With normal wear and tear, consumers have to continually pay to have their jewelry re-plated with rhodium just to make it look as it did when new.

After years of plating all white gold jewelry that came across my workbench, I decided that this standard practice is ridiculous.  The metal in your jewelry shouldn’t need to be doctored to a certain color, and you shouldn’t need to continually plate your jewelry just to look a certain way.  The exception to this is the oxidation of silver, as this is a natural chemical reaction that will occur regardless of whether the jeweler hastens it during manufacturing. 

Instead, Valkyrie uses different alloys of white gold that are naturally whiter.  These alloys are more expensive because of the trace metals used but produce a superior product that does not require rhodium to keep from looking dingy.  The white gold alloy I have chosen to use does contain nickel, but is certified to not release it in large quantities for nickel-sensitive people.  If you have a nickel allergy, I can also offer a palladium white gold alloy or platinum by request. [Contact – Valkyrie Brand] with your questions about metal options.

5.  Why is the jewelry made to order?

All jewelry is made to order because it can be manufactured in so many metal/stone/size permutations. It becomes impractical and expensive for a small business to keep an inventory.  By minimizing resources tied up in inventory, I can control costs much more effectively and continue to offer the most reasonable prices possible to my customers. 

I prefer to make all rings in your exact ring size, as it is my professional opinion that a ring should not be cut and sized before you get a chance to wear it.  That being said, sometimes the ring size just isn’t right.  Bodies fluctuate and finger sizes can be mis-measured.  I will still size your ring to the highest professional quality standards, I just want to minimize how many times this occurs in the life of a ring.

6.  How long does it take to get my items?

Jewelry from the catalog will be ready to ship within two weeks of the order date.  In-stock, ready-to-ship merchandise will ship within three days of your order.  If you have ordered custom-designed jewelry, the custom process takes 4-5 weeks.

7.  Can I order only one earring instead of a pair?

Absolutely!  Mix-and-match styles are awesome.  One advantage of made to order is that I can offer a single earring to you without splitting up a pair.  Curate your ears however you want; we’re here for it.

8.  Can you customize my order?

Everything can be customized!  The extent to which the item is changed for you will dictate the cost, but don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.  Do you want a different size? Want to add stones?  Want to combine components?  Want to add a personalized design element?  The vast majority of the time, I can make your changes happen.

9.  Do you make completely custom jewelry?

Absolutely! Reach out with your custom requests.  I have been specializing exclusively in custom design for almost a decade.  Reach out, and I will walk you through the process and provide an estimate.

10.  Do you offer repair services?

We will repair any jewelry purchased from Valkyrie, but we do not offer generalized repair services for jewelry obtained elsewhere.  We can, however, offer some suggestions for finding and vetting a reputable local jewelry repair service.  Feel free to ask questions!

11.  Do you offer your merchandise at wholesale?

At this time, there are no plans to sell Valkyrie merchandise at wholesale.  The direct-to-consumer model enables us to keep our prices as low as possible.  However, we would consider selling to the right company that aligns with Valkyrie Brand values.

12.  What is your return policy?

Unfortunately, we can not accept returns on made-to-order or custom merchandise.  However, we do resize once for free!  We do consider returns for store credit on a case-by-case basis, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Ready-to-ship merchandise can be returned in unused, original condition up to 30 days after receipt.

13.  What is your warranty policy?

All jewelry is warrantied against manufacturing defects for two years from the date of purchase.  This means that if we made a mistake at any point during manufacturing which affected your item’s quality and/or longevity, you’re covered.  The warranty does not cover normal wear and tear or negligence.  Precious metals are soft and need to be looked after to prevent excess damage, and scratches are normal for active people going about their daily lives.