Please note that paying for expedited shipping does not mean that you will receive your goods the next day. 

All 14k,18k, and gold filled Braids and Backbone are made to order/ handmade and may take up to 7 days to be prepared for shipment. We strive to fulfill your order in a timely manner. However, due to the handmade nature of our products we ask that all customers be aware of this production window. In most cases, pieces are shipped within 2-7 business days. Please email braidsandbackboneofficial@gmail.com if you have any urgent shipping requests, and be sure to choose the appropriate delivery option. 

 We use authentic gemstones unless specified otherwise.  Please note that no two stones are alike.  They can slightly vary in color and size, as well as contain imperfections, due to their natural state.

After your payment has cleared and your order is completed at checkout you will receive an automated email of your invoice. Please note this email may be located in your SPAM/JUNK folder if you are ordering from us for the first time.

We truly appreciate your support of our products. If any issues arise with your order, we will communicate with you immediately and work to resolve it.

Please note that any items you see on the Braids and Backbone (@braidsandbackboneofficial) Instagram, and Facebook are available for purchase. If you can’t find something on our website, please contact us at braidsandbackboneofficial@gmail.com


Sales Tax

Sales tax is only charged to orders being shipped within the state of California.


Shipping Services

We ship all of our items with USPS. When your order is ready to ship, you will receive an automated email including your USPS tracking number.

We ensure shipments on all orders. For legal purposes, the value of your shipment is non-negotiable and must directly reflect the cost of the jewelry.

Please note that paying for expedited shipping does not mean that you will receive your goods the next day. 

The satisfaction of our customers is of the utmost importance to us. If you need your order by a specific date please email braidsandbackboneofficial@gmail.com and we will try our best to accommodate your request to the best of our ability, however, we cannot guarantee an expedited speed.

When your order is ready to ship, you will receive an automated email including your USPS tracking number.

For insurance purposes, all orders require signature upon delivery, no exceptions. 

 

Taxes/Fees/Duties?

For all international orders, please note that the consumer is responsible for any tax and duty fees on orders required to go through customs. We are unable to pre-calculate this fee for you as the cost is determined by each country’s customs.

If you are having trouble placing your order or want to know the time frame for delivery please email braidsandbackboneofficial@gmail.com. We will do everything we can to help you.

International Shipping

We aim to make our products available globally, but unfortunately, there are some countries that we are prohibited by law to ship fine jewelry to. Please see the list below of countries we currently ship to. If your country is on the list and you are still having trouble placing your order, please contact us at braidsandbackboneofficial.com

**NOTE: Russia may NOT allow shipment of jewelry. This will show during the checkout process if we can or cannot ship.**

 Returns

Braids & Backbone team strives for top customer service and wants all customers to be satisfied with their purchase. However, as each piece is handmade to order, outside of repairs and issuing a claim for a defect, we do not accept returns. If your piece has been damaged or is defective please email braidsandbackboneofficial.com for a repair authorization within 24hrs from receiving your order. 

**Special orders: custom pieces/personalized pieces cannot be returned unless the item is damaged or we made a mistake. **

Braids & Backbone Jewelry is not responsible for items damaged or lost in transit. We do NOT refund shipping charges on return items.

Necklace in a Different Length

We offer custom lengths for an additional fee. Please contact us at Braidsandbackboneofficial@gmail.com and bear in mind that depending on the modification you'd like, the price will vary.

Keep in mind, that custom orders are non-refundable.

Custom Pieces

We love to discuss custom jewelry. Please contact us at braidsandbackboneofficial.com to schedule a consolation (in person or on phone) to discuss.

We love doing bridal jewelry and would happy to discuss that as well. 

Previous Sales/Discounts

Our offers are only for a limited time only.  Are you apart of our mailing list?  Subscribe to be the first to hear about exclusive promos, events, and preview new collections.

 

JEWELRY CARE

Gems

Jewelry is one of our most cherished accessories. It's sentimental, eye-catching, and has the power to lift any outfit from blah to the stars. But even the most durable of jewelry needs tender loving care to keep its shine at the max and its semi-precious stones in place.

Here are 10 tips you need to better care for your jewelry and the gems that call it home. 

1. Handle with care

When putting on rings and other jewelry with semi-precious stones, never place pressure directly on the stones themselves. Pushing rings on or pulling bracelets by their stones can loosen the fastenings which can quickly lead to lost stones.

Instead, ensure you're pushing rings on by holding the band only. When fastening bracelets, make sure any stones are facing up and without pressure from your arm or other surfaces.

2. Wear Responsible

Jewelry can be the longest-lasting part of your wardrobe, provided you wear it responsibly. When in doubt, remember the golden rule: last to put on and first to take off.

Make sure you put on your rings and other jewelry last, after your clothing, hair, and makeup. This will ensure it stays out of range of hairspray, makeup, and other chemicals that might affect the semi-precious stones and metals. Your clothes also won't accidentally hook and pull on any clasps or fittings.

Always remember to remove your jewelry before doing strenuous activity or messy tasks. The gym isn't the place for your amber bracelet!

Tasks like gardening, washing the dishes, and other types of household cleaning should also be done sans jewelry. This ensures accidental impacts are kept to a minimum and your rings stay chemical free.

3. Clean Smart 

Jewelry lasts the best when cleaned regularly. It stops the buildup of potentially harmful chemicals and keeps the stones clear of elements that may scratch or cloud them.

But before you go applying home remedies like toothpaste and ammonia it's important to brush up on what will and won't work for the different gems in your collection.

When in doubt, most commercially prepared jewelry cleaners are safe but extra care should be taken with particularly sensitive gems like pearl and amber.

Jewelry should never be scrubbed. Instead, use a soft brush to gently clean and buff. A toothpick is great for picking out accumulations of dirt or dust, but be gentle. Patience really is a virtue when it comes to jewelry cleaning.

4. Don't Forget to Polish

Polishing jewelry can restore luster and shine to the most well-loved of pieces. Just remember that gentleness is key.

Jewelry should only be polished with a soft, lint-free cloth or chamois. Even tissue is liable to leave hairline scratches on the metal and stones which will dull even the hardest of gems over time.

5. Store Safely

Even the most oft-worn jewelry should be stored safely when not adorning a hand, neck, or wrist. The worst thing you can do for your semi-precious stones is to toss them into a drawer or into a dish on your dresser.

To ensure your jewelry remains scratch and impact free it should be stored just as you bought it. Sterling silver does best in an anti-tarnish bag or box. Rings should be stored separately, in either the padded slots of a jewelry box or the box they came in.

Temperature, dryness, and sunlight also play a part in proper jewelry storage. Sunlight can discolor or damage certain gems. Peals and opals draw moisture from the air so storage in a dry or climate-controlled area should be avoided.

6. Be Careful with Light and Heat

Strong sunlight can wreak havoc on certain gems, so don't go popping your rings on the window sill while you're doing the dishes. Sunlight can damage opals in particular as the heat and light dry out the water in the stone, causing haziness or color change.

Radical temperature changes, particularly when cleaning, should be avoided at all costs. A swift change from cold to hot can make metals and some stones brittle and more liable to crack or break.

7. Regular Checkups

Just as your car needs regular inspections and maintenance to continue running well, so too does your jewelry.

It's a good rule of thumb to have your jewelry checked by an accredited jeweler every three to six months. They can inspect your stones and metals for wear or breakage and tighten any fixtures that need it.

8. Know Yore Metals

Many precious and semi-precious metals behave similarly, but not all of them do. Knowing the differences between gold, sterling silver, platinum, and titanium will go a long way to ensuring you're caring for your jewelry properly.

The obvious example here is silver. Silver is softer than most other precious metals and so is more prone to scratches and other damage. You wouldn't choose a silver wedding ring unless you were stringent with its every-day care.

Silver also tarnishes, which affects the way you store and clean it. You wouldn't go storing a platinum or gold ring in an anti-tarnish bag. The exception to silver being susceptible to tarnishing is if it has been finished with a rhodium plating or gold vermeil.

9. Know your Semi-Precious Stones and Other Gems

This point's a fair bit more involved than familiarising yourself with the different metals in your collection. There are over 130 species of mineral that have been cut into an even larger array of gemstones and they all have their own behaviors.

You should at least familiarise yourself with the care and cleaning of any gems in your own collection. To do this, you should learn about what influence's a gem's durability. And no, we're not just talking about its hardness!

Gem durability is measured in 3 ways:

1. Hardness, or it's resistance to scratches and abrasions.
2. Toughness, or it's resistance to chipping and breaking.
3. Stability, or it's resistance to chemicals, heat, light, and humidity.

Once you know where your own precious and semi-precious stones rank you'll know how to best care for them.

10. Enjoy

Jewelry is bought to be worn and worn to be enjoyed! Don't let overprotectiveness of your semi-precious stones keep them from their time in the limelight. With a little care and these tips, you'll ensure your jewelry lives its best life for decades to come.

Gold

Our solid gold jewelry only requires periodic cleaning and will not tarnish or corrode.  Avoid exposing gold jewelry to bleach, which will quickly cause gold to discolor and possibly damage.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver must be cleaned and stored properly to retain its original shine and luster.  Due to the delicate of nature of sterling silver, we recommend that your necklace does not get wet (in the shower, pool, ocean, etc).  To maintain the quality of this metal, clean and polish your sterling silver piece often to avoid tarnishing.  Sterling silver looks best when worn regularly. 

The best way to clean silver is to use a cleaning agent that has a sulfur base or use a cleaning cloth that has been chemically treated which can help remove light tarnishing.