Vintage Yard

Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions


Does Vintage yard accept returns?
Absolutely! Customer satisfaction is our highest priority! Although we put an enormous amount of effort into making sure that our descriptions and photos accurately represent the fine jewelry we offer for sale, we realize that sometimes minds change or items can look different in person. You have every right to expect your shopping experience with us to be easy and stress-free. We stand behind the quality and value of every item offered in our fine jewelry collection and we unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction with any item purchased from us. It is in this spirit that we are proud to offer a no questions asked 100% MONEY-BACK return policy for 30 days from the time you have received an item from us. Again, we want you to be completely satisfied with your shopping experience at Vintage Yard.

If you have browsed for antique jewelry on the internet before, you may have noticed that the majority of online antique jewelry stores and many "bricks and mortar" physical fine jewelry stores have a very short return period, or do not give refunds at all - most issue store credits (which means you are required to spend with that merchant only) and many have an "All Sales Final" policy, so it is very important before making a buying decision to consider whether you wish to do business with a company that does not stand behind the merchandise they sell.

For more details, please read our return policy information.
Can I place my order over the telephone?
Yes! Our sales representatives are waiting to answer your questions and accept orders from 9 - 6 Monday through Friday, Pacific Standard Time. Our toll-free telephone number for calls originating within the United States is 1-800-570-5699. For international orders, our telephone number is 1-800-570-5699.
Does it make any difference whether I place my order on the internet or the telephone?
We welcome telephone contact with our customers and would be happy to take your order by telephone if you prefer. If you are familiar and comfortable with ordering items online, that is fine too. Your information will be secure and protected in what ever way you decide to do business with us, by telephone or over the internet.
Is my personal information secure?
We process all of our orders through Secured Server, which utilizes the highest state-of-the-art industry standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to protect all personal information for secure e-commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information including credit card number, name, and address, so that it cannot be read as the information travels over the Internet.

Tens of Thousands of online orders are processed safely through our servers every year. What this all means is that our customers can buy with confidence knowing that their credit card information is EXTREMELY safe and protected by the highest level of technology available. We also do not send unsolicited e-mail and NEVER sell or share any customer information with anyone.
How will I know whether you received my order that I placed on the web?
After you submit your order, Vintage Yard will immediately send you an e-mail confirming your order was received. You will be sent another e-mail when your order has shipped, which will contain a shipment tracking number for your reference so that you can track your package online.
Can I change or cancel my order once it has been submitted?
To change OR cancel your order, you will want to contact us by e-mail as soon as possible after submitting it.
What happens if my order is lost or stolen during shipping before I receive it?
All shipments from Vintage Yard are sent fully insured via the United States Postal Service or Federal Express. You are not in any way responsible for the loss of a parcel until you or someone at your shipping address has signed for it.
Why does my order require a signature?
Your order requires an adult signature because all orders are sent insured for your protection, and both the United States Post Office and the private insurance company that insures our Federal Express shipments require that an adult at your shipping address signs for your insured package.
Can I have an order sent to an address other than my billing address?
Of course! If you would like to have an order delivered as a gift or to an address other than your credit card billing address (such as work or school), simply notify your credit card provider that you would like an alternate shipping address for the purpose of internet and mail order purchases added to the notes in your account so that your shipping address can be verified by our billing department.
Does the Vintage Yard ship jewelry to other countries?
We receive many orders from outside the United States and have satisfied happy customers from all over the world! International ordering information is viewable on the information center.
Does the Vintage Yard charge sales tax or handling charges?
We do not collect any sales tax and are not obligated to by law. We do not charge any "handling" or "service" charges of any sort. We do not collect any United States sales tax on international orders, but any additional Duty fees, Customs, VAT, Import Taxes, or other point of entry charges for shipments outside of the continental United States that may be owed to a foreign country are to be paid by the customer.
Do you have a store that I can visit?
We do not have a retail location, and do not sell our antique and vintage items or our reproduction jewelry designs to retail jewelry stores. Our live customer service associates are more experienced and have more gem and jewelry education than the average retail are available to answer your questions by telephone or via email. You can feel comfortable contacting us with your questions as our associates do NOT work on commission - we are proud to offer our customers an enjoyable personalized online shopping experience free of sales pressure.
How can I learn more about diamond quality before I purchase an engagement ring?
You can learn more about all kind of jewelry including diamond at our information center . The Gemological Institute of America set the standards for diamond grading that the entire jewelry industry follows today. Their website at http://www.gia.edu has a fabulous FREE tutorial: "How To Buy A Diamond" that takes about 10 minutes to complete and is very informative and an excellent place to start.
What is the Vintage Yard position on Conflict Diamonds?
We receive many inquiries from thoughtful consumers who have heard about "conflict diamonds" and who are legitimately concerned about any possible ethical ramifications of purchasing diamonds. In 2003, President Bush signed into law the Conflict Diamonds Bill, which prohibits the sale and trade of illicitly traded diamonds in the United States.

What this means is that NO company doing business in the United States, including the Vintage Yard, can legally sell or trade conflict diamonds.

We obtain diamonds ONLY from suppliers and diamond producers that are NOT involved in funding conflict and which are in compliance with United States trade law and United Nations resolutions.

These suppliers and diamond producers must legally adhere to to the Kimberley Process, which is composed of 43 Participants, including the United States and the European Community. Under the Kimberley Process, diamond-producing countries certify that diamonds have been mined and sold through legitimate channels. This program is designed to prevent conflict and illicit diamonds from entering the international mainstream diamond trade. Kimberley Process Participants account for approximately 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds.

The original statement from President George Bush on the passing of the conflict diamonds bill is reprinted below for your convenience.

Bush Passes Conflict Diamonds Bill - Statement by U.S. President George W. Bush: April 25, 2003.

I have today signed into law H.R. 1584, the "Clean Diamond Trade Act." The Act enables this Nation to implement procedures developed by more than 50 countries to exclude rough "conflict diamonds" from international trade, while promoting legitimate trade. Conflict diamonds have been used by rebel groups in Africa to finance their atrocities committed on civilian populations and their insurrections against internationally recognized governments. The United States has played a key role over the past 2 years in forging an international consensus to curb such damaging trade and has therefore strongly supported the "Kimberley Process." Diamonds also are critical to the economic growth and development of African and other countries, so preserving their legitimate trade is an important foreign policy objective.

This Act directs the President to implement regulations to carry out the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). Although under this Act I have discretion to issue regulations consistent with future changes to the KPCS, under the Constitution, the President cannot be bound to accept or follow changes that might be made to the KPCS at some future date absent subsequent legislation. I will construe this Act accordingly.

Section 15 of the Act provides that the legislation takes effect on the date the President certifies to the Congress that either of two specified events has occurred. The first event is that "an applicable waiver that has been granted by the World Trade Organization is in effect." The second event is that "an applicable decision in a resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council pursuant to Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations is in effect." Once the Act takes effect, it "shall thereafter remain in effect during those periods in which, as certified by the President to the Congress, an applicable waiver or decision" by the World Trade Organization or the United Nations Security Council, respectively, "is in effect."

If section 15 imposed a mandatory duty on the President to certify to the Congress whether either of the two specified events has occurred and whether either remains in effect, a serious question would exist as to whether section 15 unconstitutionally delegated legislative power to international bodies. In order to avoid this constitutional question, I will construe the certification process set forth in section 15 as conferring broad discretion on the President. Specifically, I will construe section 15 as giving the President broad discretion whether to certify to the Congress that an applicable waiver or decision is in effect. Similarly, I will construe section 15 as imposing no obligation on the President to withdraw an existing certification in response to any particular event. Rather, I will construe section 15 as giving the President the discretion to determine when a certification that an applicable waiver or decision is no longer in effect is warranted.
What is a Gemologist?
A gemologist is a person who has completed the Graduate Diamonds, Diamond Grading, and Graduate Colored Stones courses of study at the Gemological Institute of America. Only a small percentage of jewelers ever complete the G.I.A. course of study.
How can I be sure that what I am buying is genuine?
Our G.I.A. Graduate Gemologists appraise every piece that comes into our inventory and we guarantee our description of every item to be accurate and correct. You can feel completely confident shopping with us risk-free as we would not be offering FREE shipping and a liberal return policy if we were misrepresenting our jewelry - our money back guarantee ensures that you can be completely satisfied with the quality of merchandise that you order. Our 30 day return policy gives our customers plenty of time to have their purchase evaluated by anyone they choose and to return an item for a full refund if they wish, but in practice we have very few customers who actually make the decision to return their purchases.
Do you use genuine gemstones in your jewelry?
All of the gemstones offered in our jewelry are naturally occurring and NOT synthetic or simulated gemstones, but it is of note to add that the overwhelming majority of natural rubies, sapphires, aquamarine, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, amethyst, and citrine available on the market are subjected to heat treatment under high heat in a kiln to intensify their color and remove natural impurities and imperfections, which is a practice that has been going on for centuries. Gemstones that have not been enhanced in this way are extremely rare and command high prices. Heat treatment is a stable and permanent enhancement which completes a process that nature started, enhancing a gemstone to beautiful and intense colors, and is not done by jewelers like us, but by the gemstone miners/producers and cutters themselves. The jewelry industry completely accepts heating as an acceptable and permanent treatment for corundum (rubies and sapphires), aquamarine, amethyst, and other gemstones.

Please note that we do NOT offer any jewelry with fissure filled or fracture filled gemstones, nor do we offer diffusion treated (dyed) or laser drilled gemstones as we feel that these treatments are too extreme and compromise the stability and durability of a gemstone.

You may read more about gemstone enhancement on the American Gem Trade Association website here: http://www.agta.org/gemstones/index.html
Can I get a ring I see on the website set with other gemstone(s)?
It is possible to re-set many of our rings with other gemstones. We have our own jewelers so it is easy for us to set the gemstone(s) of your choice in a ring so that you can personally design a unique customized fine jewelry piece. For details, please contact us via e-mail or telephone, with the item number(s) of the ring(s) you are interested in, and we would be happy to provide you with more information.
What is the difference between platinum and white gold?
White gold appears very similar to platinum, but the two have different properties and prices. Platinum is whiter and more lustrous than white gold. Platinum is extremely dense and is much heavier than silver or gold, which makes platinum jewelry heavier than white gold jewelry of the same design and size. Platinum is a very strong metal and will not tarnish. It is hypoallergenic. Platinum is more rare than gold which makes it more expensive. Platinum belongs to a family of six metals, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. Platinum is the best choice for setting extremely valuable gemstones most securely, and its neutral color complements colored stones beautifully and enhances the brilliance and whiteness of diamonds. Platinum will not wear out easily and is difficult to damage but it is also difficult to repair and fewer jewelers have the tools and experience for working with platinum. Platinum jewelry is 90% platinum content or greater.

Gold in its pure form (24 karat) is too soft to withstand extensive daily wear, so it is alloyed with other metals to give it strength. This strength makes gold an excellent choice for rings, which of all jewelry items are generally subject to the most wear and abuse over time. White gold is an alloy of gold and other metals including nickel, copper, and zinc, in which yellow gold is the main component and the alloys cause the gold to appear white and also give it strength. The color of white gold is ivory white, so white gold is often plated with rhodium, a platinum group metal which is more precious than gold and which gives white gold jewelry items a bright white high shine. Repairs and adjustments to gold settings will usually be necessary over the lifetime of a piece. This is usual and does not present any difficulty because gold is easy to repair and refurbish, and the majority of jewelers are accustomed to working with gold.
Gold jewelry has gold content as follows:
10 karat = 41.6% gold, 12 karat=50% gold, 14 karat = 58.5% gold, 18 karat=75% gold
How can I find out my ring size?
We have a ring sizer for you to use, which you can print out and use to measure your finger. Please see our information center for more details.
How long does ring sizing take?
Ring sizing normally takes from 5-7 business days.
What if I want to return a ring that has been resized?
There’s no refund or exchange for resized rings.
Do you guarantee your ring sizing?
Absolutely. We have our own company jewelers and we guarantee that every ring sizing is done in a solid and strong way with the correct metal used for a permanent solder joint.
I do not know the ring size I need right now - can I have my ring sized by the Vintage Yard at a future time?
Yes! If you are giving a ring as an engagement or a surprise gift and do not know your own ring size, or would like to wait to see the ring you are purchasing in person before having it sized, our talented jewelers can size the ring after purchase for you. We are specialists in sizing rings with intricate design details and can expertly size your ring for you when you are ready.
What if I want my own jeweler to size my new ring?
Please be aware that rings altered in any way by an outside jeweler are NOT returnable for refund, exchange, or credit. Sizing a ring involves heating the metal to a very high temperature and damage to gemstones and the rest of a ring can occur during sizing. Our talented jewelers are specialists in sizing rings with intricate design details and when we size a ring we take full responsibility for the quality of the work done, but we can obviously not guarantee the work of others. Please also note that we offer a 90 day warranty on our jewelry items, which will be voided if your ring is sized by your jeweler.
If you are going to have your ring sized by your jeweler, it is a good idea to have the jeweler guarantee in writing their sizing work against future breakage and damage to the sizing area and the ring itself. Be sure to also make certain that the jeweler is sizing your ring with the same metal and karat (if gold) as the metal in your ring. We have seen platinum rings in particular, sized with white gold, and sometimes even yellow gold, and then plated with white gold, which is completely wrong and does not make for a strong sizing joint and will also not match in color with the rest of the ring. We have had many customers who are unsure of the size they need who have purchased their ring first and then sent it back to us for sizing. Most of our customers have found that our ring sizing charges are more reasonable than the average retail jeweler would charge, and customers also feel added confidence in the fact that we also fully guarantee our work.
How much will ring sizing cost me in the future?
Ring sizing charges are viewable on the item page where you placed your order and are not any "higher" should you decide to have your ring sized in the future. Your future ring sizing also includes FREE insured return shipping from us to your United States address when the ring sizing is completed on your ring by our jewelers. (Please note that we do not at this time offer free shipping on international orders.)
What is estate jewelry?
Estate jewelry is any jewelry that has been previously owned.
Are all items at the Vintage Yard vintage and antique jewelry?
Our jewelry are exact reproductions of vintage and antiques as well and newely designed vintage style rings and jewelries. It seems that the majority of our customers definitely prefer an attractive, detailed, exact hand crafted reproduction of an antique original piece in excellent condition (and at a better price) than a worn out antique jewelry piece that has seen better days.

If you are looking through our website for a vintage item ONLY, you will note in the item descriptions that one-of-a-kind vintage items will give a time period (ex: circa 1910) or mention the words antique, estate, vintage, or one-of-a-kind in the item description. We never label any items as vintage that are not, but style is timeless, hence a Victorian ring, for example, would correctly be described as Victorian by virtue of its design and would only be described as antique or vintage if it in fact is truly old. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question about any item you are considering.
Do you have a wedding band that will fit flush next to an engagement ring I have chosen?
We have some vintage wedding sets in uncommon excellent condition, and several of our antique reproduction engagement rings have matching wedding bands. If you are interested in a particular engagement ring and would like to know if a wedding band is available specifically for it, please contact us.

Please note that while the majority of antique engagement rings are curved and not flat on the sides, it was the style to wear these engagement rings with straight wedding bands that would not sit flush with no space between the rings like a modern wedding set. Please be assured that it is completely acceptable and "period correct" to choose and purchase an engagement ring independently of your selection and purchase of a wedding band. Vintage rings were originally purchased and worn in this way, and in most cases were never meant to fit together tightly without spaces - this has only become a point of consideration with customers who are accustomed to seeing modern wedding jewelry styles with flush construction.
What is the difference between a special order and a custom order?
A special order is an order for an item we would normally sell, and is returnable for a full refund. A common example of a special order would be one for a ring that is pictured on the website with a gemstone, and then ordered without the gemstone. A custom order is an order for an item that is personalized to such an extent that we would not easily be able to sell it to another customer, and such an item would not be returnable for a full refund. Examples of custom orders are engraved items, non-recommended alterations to an item at a customer's request, one-of-a-kind designs made specifically for a customer, items set at the customer's request with gemstones not offered in an original piece, and items crafted in a metal other than the metal originally specified. If you have been considering ordering an item from us that is not pictured on the website and feel unsure as to whether it would be considered a custom order or a special order, we will make it clear to you at the time of your order. We do a lot of special orders for our special customers with excellent results.
Why is there a photo of an item on the website which is no longer available for sale?
We keep photos online of sold items sometimes if a similar item is available but not yet pictured in our online store. Many of our customers will have found an item that almost appeals to them, and by keeping photos of items posted for a period of time after they have been sold, we are able to suggest similar items and to accommodate the inquiries and preferences of many customers.
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