Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Our store gallery is open Mondays at 11am till 6pm, Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 6pm. We operate by appointment only for custom designed pieces; if you would like to come into the shop to discuss a custom design or to try on rings in stock, please contact us to schedule an appointment. We are available for custom design appointments on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

You may come by our show room to get sized. If not, any local jewelry store should offer free sizing. When you get sized, take note of which type of sizers they used- thin, wide or comfort fit (meaning they were rounded on the inside). Jewelers will not have quarter sizes, but will be able to determine if you need a quarter size or not

We know it is not always easy to get the perfect size on the first try. Dominique’s Jewelry  offers one complimentary ring resizing within one whole size (example: that means we will size from a 4 to 5 free of charge) - you just pay for the shipping. If you decide that your ring does not fit, please contact us. It will take approximately two weeks to complete the sizing repair.

**All platinum sizing may be subjected to an additional labor fee.**

First, let’s explain karat. Karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. Pure gold is 24kt, or 100% gold. 18kt contains 75% gold and 14kt contains 58.5% gold. The reason alloys get added to gold is to make them strong. 24kt is very soft, making it not very ideal for every day wear. Thus, many jewelers opt to work in 14kt and 18kt which are both very strong.

14kt white gold: 14kt white gold contains 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% alloys. 14kt’s natural color is off white, so it gets rhodium plated to get a bright white color. 14k white gold is a very strong and durable metal and is the most cost-effective option for someone who wants white toned jewelry.

14kt rose gold: 14kt rose gold is also referred to as pink gold or red gold. It is rosy in color and can vary from jeweler to jeweler. Some can be more orange and some can be pinker. Rose gold is alloyed with copper to get the rosy color. 14kt rose gold is a great metal for every day wear.

14kt yellow gold: 14kt yellow gold is pale yellow or golden in color. 14kt yellow gold is a great metal for every day wear.

18kt White Gold: 18kt white gold contains 75% gold and 25% alloy. Because 18kt has more gold, it is going to be slightly softer than 14kt. It will also have more of a yellow tint.

18kt Rose Gold: 18kt rose gold has a very rich color. It is not
necessarily pinker since it actually has more gold in it.

18kt Yellow Gold: 18kt yellow gold is a very beautiful color as it is very rich and more yellow than 14kt yellow gold. We recommend 18kt yellow gold if you are going for a more saturated color for your piece.

Platinum: Platinum is a very dense metal, making it almost twice as heavy as gold. Because it is so much heavier, it is more expensive. If the price tag doesn’t get in your way, we highly recommend platinum. It is hypoallergenic, so if you are usually allergic to metals, platinum is your best route. Unlike white gold, it does not have metal memory. When a setter sets a diamond, the prongs stay put, where white gold may have the tendency to loosen around the stone. Another benefit of its malleability, platinum will more likely stay together as one piece in the unlikely event of being damaged. On the other hand, white gold’s hardness makes it more brittle and at risk of breaking.

Sterling Silver: Sterling silver is a very common metal and very affordable. Sterling silver is the only metal in this list that tarnishes, or changes color. You can slow the process of tarnishing by keeping your silver jewelry dry, not showering or swimming in it or letting any chemicals (hair spray, sunscreen, etc.) come in contact with it. Tarnish only occurs on the surface, so you can have your sterling silver jewelry re-polished to make it bright white and shiny again. Because silver is soft, we do not use it to make any jewelry that holds gemstones or diamonds. We also do not recommend it for any delicate or thin bands as it can bend too easily. Sterling is a great metal for wide bands and for those who are not used to wearing jewelry and are afraid they may lose their ring.

The best metal varies on a case-by-case basis. The most cost effective is the 14kt golds. If you are allergic to most metals, go with platinum.

If you have old jewelry lying around that you aren’t wearing, let’s use it to make a custom piece! We can repurpose all of your precious gemstones and diamonds. We cannot use the gold or metal in the actual custom piece, but we can offer credit for it and that will count toward your new piece. If you prefer to keep the gold but use the stones, we will carefully remove all stones and return the gold to you.

Rhodium plating is necessary to achieve a bright white finish on white gold. White gold’s true color is off white. Since gold comes out of the ground yellow, we add white alloys to it to create white gold. Since we can never achieve a perfect bright white, white gold gets plated with a thin coat of rhodium, a rare metal that is a member of the platinum group.

Karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. Carat is used to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones.

Yes, we can and in fact, we love to do it! We love getting to repurpose an heirloom stone, as it can carry so much sentimental value and is an ethical option for your ring. We will send you a form to fill out and sign for you to send your heirloom gemstone or diamond to us.

No. Dominique’s Jewelry is committed to responsible sourcing care about it not just for our business, but the entire industry. Dominique works very closely with our suppliers to make sure all of the stones we use are traceable and responsibly sourced. Since we cannot verify the source of your newly purchased stone, we will not set it in our jewelry.

Carat is used to measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones.

Clarity refers to how clear a diamond is and is based on how many inclusions are inside the diamond. Inclusions can include minute crystals, growth patterns, tiny enclosed fractures, etc. Clarity is measured on a scale from IF (internally flawless) to I2 (included 2). The clearer a diamond is the rarer and thus, the higher the price.

Color refers to the color of a diamond. Diamonds tend to have a yellowish or brownish tint. The scale starts at D (colorless) and goes all the way down to Z (noticeable color). Most diamonds we see in the market are in the D-I range.

Cut refers to the cut of a diamond and is the most overlooked but possibly the most important! Cut is the only contribution by man, while all others are naturally occurring. Cut can really make or break the appearance of the stone. If a diamond has excellent proportions, symmetry and angles it is going to have optimal light return and be very sparkly. If a diamond has poor angles, poor symmetry and poor polish, it will appear dull and dark.

Yes! We love to do custom work so please do not hesitate to ask about going custom.

For semi-custom jobs, which include designs that are slight alterations from our original designs, the minimum is $150.00 For fully custom or ornate jobs, the minimum is $450.00

The process usually starts one of two ways- either with the center stone or the ring design first. Before we dive too deep into design, I usually like to start with the center stone search as it can really dictate the design. That said, it’s good to have an overall idea of what we think the final product will look like so that we are searching for the right stone! Based on your parameters, I will search for good candidates and let you know what I find. I am able to get 2-3 stones in at a time for a quality inspection. Once I get stones in, I am able to hold on to them for about 5 days before I have to send them back. In that time, we will set up an appointment for you to come in and see them or be in touch via email with plenty of pictures and videos so that you can see the stones. At this time, we will also have a conversation about the ring design and I will work on getting a quote for you. If the price sounds good and is within your budget, I ask for a 50% deposit. This allows me to reserve your stone for you and begin production. Once I receive your deposit, I will email you renderings of your ring design. Two free revisions are included and will can tweak the design until it is just right. After the initial two revisions, there is a fee for revising, but it is usually best to go back to the drawing board if we are not on the same page design wise. It usually does not get to that point. From that point, it will take about 4 weeks until your piece is completed. Your balance is due upon completion.

The timeline can vary depending on material availability and design complexity but on average, custom design takes about 4-8 weeks from start to finish.

We love to work with your heirloom stones that are from family jewelry. We will do very detailed inspections before we work with your family heirloom stones to guarantee that they can withstand rework without chipping or breaking. We will NOT work with diamonds or colored stones that you purchased elsewhere. Our goal is to create a more responsible and ethical jewelry industry and we are very strict with what suppliers we buy from. All of our suppliers are vetted and trusted sources and we will only work with stones purchased from those vendors.

In a sense, yes.

While Dominique’s Jewelry owns the rights to all of our designs, if your custom design is made uniquely for you and very distinct, we are not going to duplicate it. However, for more simplified settings and motifs, we cannot guarantee that the ring will not be recreated and as a courtesy to you we will always try to alter it slightly.

After discussing the design, I will send you computer renderings of your piece. This includes 2 free revisions. After that, there is a fee for designing.

If we change the design completely after the first full design plus 2 revisions, there will be a $275 charge plus any fees for additional design time.

- All ring orders come with one complimentary ring resizing. You just pay for return shipping, the rest is covered.

- When purchasing an engagement ring, you get 10% off your wedding band order.

- All jewelry is covered under warranty for life against manufacturer defects. Normal wear and tear and abuse/accidental damage is not covered under this policy.

- All custom orders are nonrefundable.

- Once jewelry is completed, balance is required upon completion. All late payments will accrue additional charges (5% of balance per month) for each month past completion date.

No, as we own the rights to all of our designs.