Frequently Asked Questions

Please allow 6-8 weeks for your ring to be made in your size just for you.

If you have a date that you’ll be needing the ring for, please add a note at checkout. We’ll do our best to accommodate your needs!

If you’re needing the ring made urgently, we may be able to accommodate for a rush fee. Please get in touch with us to check.

If your ring needs resizing, please keep in mind that it will take us typically 2-4 weeks to do this for you. During busy times, resizing can take longer, so if there is a date that you need your jewels by please let us know in the order notes at Checkout and we’ll do our best to meet your needs.

If the required size is a significant jump up or down from the original size, we may have to remake the ring entirely. This is no problem at all and is of no cost to you, however it will take us about 6-8 weeks to make your new ring.

If you’re needing the ring remade urgently (2-4 weeks) we may be able to accommodate for a small rush fee, please get in touch to check.

Please see the “Can you resize a ring?” section below if you have already received your ring and need to send it back for resizing.

Please check here for up to date info on Bespoke pieces!

We do our best to reply to your emails quickly, but we are just a tiny team of 2 running the show here at Clean Carats. We read your emails as they come in, so if your query is urgent, don’t panic!

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding, if you have emailed us we will reply as soon as possible!

Alex & Sam x

If you need your ring urgently, our recommendation is to select a ring that is made and ready to ship (it will say “Only 1 Available”). The ring can be shipped immediately in its current size and resized later if you need it super urgently, or see above timeframes if you’d prefer to resize the ring first.

If you have decided on a ring but don’t know the size you need it in yet (for example if the ring is for a surprise proposal and it’s too tricky to find out their ring size sneakily) - you can go ahead and order the ring now so that it can arrive sooner, and then reach out to us at a later date to resize it after the proposal or once you know the correct size. Just let us know in the order notes so that we can expect an email from you in the (near) future.

Ready to Ship items will be sent within 3 days via tracked courier for a flat rate of $10.

If your ring needs resizing, please keep in mind that it will take us typically 10 business days to do this for you. During busy times, resizing can take longer, so if there is a date that you need your jewels by please let us know in the order notes at Checkout and we’ll do our best to have them ready in time for you.

Australia:
Ready to Ship items will be sent within 3 days via tracked courier for a flat rate of $39 NZD.

If your ring needs resizing, please keep in mind that it will take us typically 10 business days to do this for you. During busy times, resizing can take longer, so if there is a date that you need your jewels by please let us know in the order notes at Checkout and we’ll do our best to have them ready in time for you.

UK:

Ready to Ship items will be sent within 3 days via tracked courier for a flat rate of $80 NZD.

USA & Rest of the World:

Ready to Ship items will be sent within 3 days via tracked courier for a flat rate of $100 NZD.

All our packaging is sustainable and supports local businesses, everything is sourced from New Zealand based suppliers.

We use:
Recycled mailer bags
Recyclable cardboard mailer boxes
Compostable & recyclable stickers and tissue paper made from soy ink and FSC approved paper
Compostable pop starch/packing peanuts
Vegan leatherette jewellery boxes (standard)
Wooden presentation ring boxes made from sustainable timbers (available for purchase here)

If your order is a secret, not to worry - the outer packaging is discreet, we do not include our business name on the label or packaging. No one will be able to tell from the outside what it is!

Our standard jewellery boxes are made from vegan leatherette by a local business.
All white, they are very luxe with our logo in gold foil and will keep your jewels stored safely.

Our wooden presentation jewellery boxes are handmade from sustainable timbers and a percentage of profits go toward forest regeneration initiatives.
Like our jewellery, no two are the same as each has its own unique wood grain.
They are perfect for proposals - available for purchase here!

One of a Kind/Ready to Ship rings:
Yes! Resizes happen more often than not, rings are rarely the perfect size to begin with unless you’re really lucky!

Resizing is complimentary - we want the ring that you purchase to be a perfect fit.

Select your size from the drop down once you’ve added a ring to your cart or if you’re not sure what the size is yet, please select any size then make a note at Checkout to let us know you’re unsure of your size & we’ll get in touch via email.

If the required size is a significant jump up or down from the original size, we may have to remake the ring entirely. This is no problem for us to do and is of no cost to you, however it will take time to make your new ring. Please check the above Current Timeframes for resizing.

If there is a date that you need your jewels by please let us know in the order notes at Checkout and we’ll do our best to have them ready in time for you.

If you don’t see your size listed, please get in touch with us as we aim to be as size inclusive as possible!

Made to Order rings/If you have already received your ring:
We can absorb the cost of the resize/remake if we do it before sending it out, however if we are performing the resize/remake after that we do need to add on the resize cost (we always charge the absolute minimum possible and the amount is dependent on the complexity). Cost varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the complexity & size jump starting from $55 for minimal/simple resizes up to $250 for remakes.

For the most accurate measurement, we recommend visiting any jeweller local to you as opposed to an at-home method.

Next time you’re out, just pop into the nearest jeweller and ask them to measure your ring size! Make sure to make a note of it on your phone or have them write down your size on a card so you don’t forget.

We can remake most of our pieces.
Lead times and pricing may vary as we may have to source the gemstones just for you from our network of artisanal gemcutters, or we might have the right stone already on hand.

Many of our gems are incredibly hard to come across and completely one of a kind so in some cases it may not be possible to recreate a ring identically.
If you’d like to purchase a design of ours but want to put your own spin on it with a different centre stone or side stones, this is entirely possible too!

Please get in touch with us at bespoke@cleancarats.co or send us a message via the Bespoke form and we’ll do our best to accommodate your wants and needs!

We can most definitely customise a piece for you!

We mainly work with sapphires and diamonds, but do also have a small selection of other gemstones in our vault.

We can also source sapphires and diamonds especially for you from our network of artisanal gemcutters, or even have one custom cut, if you’re looking for something extra special.

If you’d like a different metal or metal colour (white/rose gold, platinum etc.) please reach out as we can easily accommodate this.

Depending on the design, we can also add extra side stones, add extra prongs, add engravings, change the thickness of the band etc.

Discover more about how we create a Bespoke piece here.

Please send us an email at bespoke@cleancarats.co or send us a message via the Bespoke form to find out what’s possible!

Yes! We love creating new pieces and working with you to tell your own story through our jewels.
The best way to do this is to make a note of which designs of ours you like first, and gather any photos as inspiration for your Bespoke piece.
Please keep in mind that we will only take on work that fits our aesthetic - this is why our existing designs are the best starting point, we do not recreate identical pieces of jewellery from elsewhere.
Every piece we make is unique, you won’t find them anywhere else.

Check out The Bespoke Process page where we outline what this process looks like.

If you’re ready to get this process started, please enquire via the Bespoke form or send us an email at bespoke@cleancarats.co!

The gold we use to handcraft our piecesis a mix of recycled or alluvial.

Most of our gold comes in the form of gold flakes, nuggets and dust flowing through the rivers of the West Coast in the South Island of New Zealand.
These alluvial operations are not destructive to the environment and comply with strict protocols put in place by DOC.

Our platinum is a mix of recycled and responsibly sourced platinum that has been refined using sustainable and eco-conscious methods.

Visit Our Materials page to learn more.

All our gemstones & diamonds are conflict-free.
We built Clean Carats from the ground up — with our values at the core of our decisions.

We work directly with small family owned mines and artisanal gemcutters.
We have close relationships with our gemstone suppliers - we like to get to know the people behind the gems - making sure that they abide by fair labour practices, environmental operations, and can trace back the origin of their stones.

Our diamonds are supplied to us by trusted diamond suppliers in the industry who abide by the UN approved Kimberley Process.

Visit Our Materials page to learn more.

Yes! At Clean Carats, we've made it a priority to give you the complete sustainable shopping experience.

It's so important to us that from the sourcing of the gems and fabrication of your fine jewels, right up until the exciting moment they arrive at your doorstep, we stay true to our values and yours.

All our packaging is sustainable and supports local businesses as it’s all sourced from New Zealand based suppliers.

Our blog post outlining the packaging we use coming soon!

All items are shown in NZD (New Zealand dollar).

For a quick estimate on pricing in your currency, you can Google search the conversion to your currency e.g. “$2000 NZD to USD”.
The total price of the items in your cart will convert to your currency at checkout.

Although many people believe they are allergic to gold, the sensitivity is actually caused by the nickel content in gold (and other metals).

None of our jewels contain the presence of nickel, including our white gold.

Platinum is also another great option if you like a white toned metal, it is known for being hypoallergenic and wears well over time.

Our white gold is made with palladium (a metal in the platinum family). It strengthens the gold and gives it its white colour.

The two main reasons we use palladium instead of nickel (which the majority of jewellers use as it is cheaper) are
1) nickel is the main culprit behind metal allergies, and
2) unlike nickel, the white tone of palladium white gold will never fade.

You may be familiar with white gold yellowing over time, requiring constant rhodium replating usually every 6 - 12 months. Our palladium gold does not need maintenance - it will keep its white tone forever, saving you the hassle and added costs that nickel white gold requires.

If for any reason your jewels arrive damaged or faulty in any way, we will do everything we can to make it right - through repair, replacement or refund.

All Clean Carats pieces come with a 6 month warranty.
Resolution will be assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of the damage.

If a piece has become damaged from wear and tear or needs an adjustment outside of this period, please let us know and we will assess what can be done. If the piece is fixable, we will promptly let you know and will advise the repair cost. This cost is dependent upon material availability and the nature of the repair.

You may send your piece back for a complimentary clean and repolish (postage not included).
We want your ring to be looked after and as shiny as the day you received it!

While diamonds and gemstones are ‘hard’ they can be broken and chipped if not taken proper care of by the wearer. Stones in this condition are not covered under warranty.
Similarly, diamonds and gemstones that have become loose or lost due to damage are not covered under warranty and will be quoted for replacement or repair.

Please visit our Returns Policy regarding returns and exchanges.

Under our 6 month warranty with every Clean Carats piece, you may send your piece back for a complimentary clean and repolish (postage not included).
We want your ring to be looked after and as shiny as the day you received it!

If it has been more than 6 months since you purchased your piece, please get in touch as we would be happy to provide this service for a small fee.