FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What size wire will fit your beads?
How do I contact The Curious Gem?
Can you send my order out today?
How much do you charge for delivery/shipping?
What is your refund policy?
Do you sell wholesale?
I need to make a change to an order I've placed. What should I do?
Will your gemstones fit the bezel cup settings?
What size bead cap should I use for my beads?
What size pearl cup should I use for my pearl?
If I order engraved items how long will it take to process my order?
Why is one of my bead strands not quite the length advertised?
Are you VAT registered?
Can I come and see your products in person?
Do you have a printed catalogue?
How much will my beads cost in my own currency?
Do your metals findings conform to EU regulations relating to nickel, lead and cadmium?
Can you provide a link to your Hallmark Dealer's Notice?
How do I redeem a gift voucher?
How do I pay for an order?

What size wire will fit your beads?
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.  

How do I contact The Curious Gem?
If you would like to contact us please use one of the methods below:
By post: The Curious Gem Limited, 1 Duddingston Yards, Edinburgh EH15 3NT, United Kingdom.
By email: contact@thecuriousgem.co.uk
By telephone: call us on 0131 661 6632 (if calling from abroad call 0044 131 661 6632) (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)

Can you send my order out today?
We aim to dispatch all orders within two working days and orders are processed strictly in the order they are received to make it fair for all customers. If your order is urgent you will need to select Special Delivery (UK customers only) as your delivery option and place your order before 2pm. These orders are prioritised because you are paying for a next day delivery service. Overseas customers should select UPS or DHL before 12 noon for a same day dispatch service. We appreciate your understanding and assistance with this.

How much do you charge for delivery/shipping?
Detailed information on the various shipping options we offer can be found on our delivery page.

What is your refund policy?
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

Do you sell wholesale?
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):

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/clearance.

I need to make a change to an order I've placed. What should I do?
Unfortunately we are unable to make changes to an order once it has been placed.

Will your gemstones fit the bezel cup settings?
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.

What size bead cap will fit my bead?
You should use a bead cap that is roughly two thirds the size of the bead you are using.

What size pearl cup will fit my pearl?
You should use a pearl cup that is roughly two thirds the size of the pearl you are using.

If I order engraved items how long will it take to process my order?
Unless your order contains hundreds of engraved items we aim to dispatch it within two working days, in line with our standard order processing times.

Why is one of my bead strands not quite the length advertised?
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.

Are you VAT registered?
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.

Can I come and see your products in person?
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.

Do you have a printed catalogue?
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.

How much will my order cost in my own currency?
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.

Do your metals findings comply with EU regulations relating to nickel, lead and cadmium?
All our findings and wire meet the EU regulations regarding cadmium, lead and nickel. We send a random selection of our products for due diligence testing on regular basis - an example of a test report can be viewed here.

Can you provide a link to your Hallmark Dealer's Notice?
Our Hallmark Dealer's Notice can be found here.

How do I redeem a gift voucher?
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.

How do I pay for an order?
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 - again, please contact us.