Frequently Asked Questions

Drill holes may vary in size from bead to bead. As a general rule of thumb a 26 (0.4mm) or 28 (0.3mm) gauge wire will fit the majority of our beads - additionally some larger beads will be able to take a 24 (0.5mm) gauge wire (we sell all three sizes in cut lengths). To avoid the risk of breakage it is always better to use soft (rather than half-hard) wire that will comfortably pass through a drill hole, rather than forcing through a larger gauge wire.

If your order is urgent please select Special Delivery (UK customers only) as your delivery option and place your order before 2pm for same day dispatch. Overseas customers should select UPS or DHL before 12 noon for a same day dispatch service. We aim to dispatch all other orders within 1-2 working days and orders are processed in the order they are received to make it fair for all customers. We appreciate your understanding and assistance with this.

Detailed information on the various shipping options we offer can be found on our delivery page

We are happy to provide a refund for goods within 30 days of receipt if you are unhappy with your purchase (minus the delivery charge paid). We do not offer exchanges. Goods must be received in the same condition as shipped, unused and strung as sold (we do not accept returns for individual beads sold as part of a strand, you must return the entire strand). We are unable to offer returns for the following items:

 

- pierced ear findings (for reasons of hygiene).
- any item that is cut to order, such as wire or chain.
- any personalised item, eg engraved products
- beads broken by the customer as a result of unsuccessful wrapping attempts (for more information about our beads click here).

Goods should be packaged carefully to prevent damage in transit and a note of your name and order number must be included along with your returned item(s). We recommend you use an insured and tracked delivery service, and retain your proof of postage, as we cannot be held liable for goods lost or damaged in transit.

Items returned from overseas should clearly state "Returned Goods - Unsuitable" on the outside wrapper and a Customs Declaration form should be completed as failure to do so may incur UK taxes which will be deducted from any refund.

Please return to: TCG, 1 Duddingston Yards, Edinburgh EH15 3NT, UK

We always try to offer the very best prices for our high quality goods. For wholesale purchases we currently offer the following discounts (calculated automatically at checkout):

  • Orders over £100: 5% discount
  • Orders over £300: 10% discount
  • Orders over £600: 15% discount
  • Orders over £1000: 20% discount

Please note: discounts do not apply (or a lower discount rate may apply) if items are returned and the total order value then falls below the wholesale minimum amount. Discounts do not apply to products already on sale or reduced in price.

We would be delighted to assist and create a special order for you. Please contact us with the item code(s) and quantity required and we will get back to you with a price and lead time (generally around 6 weeks). Payment must be made in advance and returns are not possible.

Please contact us to see if your order can be amended. We'll try our best but unfortunately we are unable to amend orders once they have started to be processed.
All hand cut gemstones have a standard industry tolerance of +/- 0.25mm. If you buy gemstones and want them to fit our pre-made bezel settings then please add a note at checkout and we will try our best to ensure that the stones we select will fit the settings.
You should use a bead cap that is roughly two thirds the size of the bead you are using.
You should use a pearl cup that is roughly two thirds the size of the pearl you are using.
Unless your order contains hundreds of engraved items we aim to dispatch it within 1-2 working days, in line with our standard order processing times.
All our bead strands are strung by hand and small variations in length can occur from strand to strand. The length stated in the description is therefore an average and approximate length but we do try to be as accurate as possible!
Yes - our registration number is GB 982280502. Value Added Tax (VAT) is chargeable on all goods sold to the UK only. VAT is not applicable to goods sent to countries outside the UK and is automatically deducted at checkout once you select your delivery country.
We are an internet-only business and are not able to show our products to customers at our offices. However you are more than welcome to purchase from the website and return any items which are unsuitable.
No, at present we only offer an online catalogue. Our product range is very dynamic with many ‘one-off’ items thus any printed catalogue would be out of date as soon as it was printed.
For your convenience we display prices in GB Sterling (£), Euro (€) and US Dollars ($) - please choose by selecting a flag at the top of your screen. Important: the prices displayed in US Dollars ($) and Euros (€) are approximate only. Payment will be taken in GB Sterling (£) and automatically converted to your own currency by your card issuer or Paypal using an exchange rate as set by them on the date of purchase.
Our Hallmark Dealer's Notice can be found here.
Shop as usual on the website and on the shopping basket page enter the code for the voucher you wish to redeem in the appropriate box. After entering the code your order will be automatically updated with credit to the value of the voucher. If there is any balance to pay you can use your credit/debit card or Paypal in the usual way. Vouchers can be used multiple times until the value of the voucher has been spent.

Terms and conditions: Gift vouchers are redeemable online only via thecuriousgem.co.uk; they cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash; they are valid for 24 months from the date of purchase.

The payment process for your order is quick, easy and secure. Once you have finished shopping proceed to the checkout. If you have not already created an account you will be prompted to do so, otherwise, you should sign in to your account. Once you have confirmed the details of your order and shipping information you can choose how you wish to pay. The following methods are available:

 

  • Paypal
  • Credit/Debit Card
    • Visa
    • Mastercard
    • Maestro

Once you have paid for your order you will immediately receive an automatic email confirming your purchase, followed by another email once your order has been dispatched.

We are also able to take credit/debit card payment for orders over the telephone - please contact us for assistance.