Everything YouNeed to Know.
During the early Georgian era diamonds were most desirable but colored stones like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires later came back into fashion.
One way to determine if something is Georgian is check how it is mounted. Most stones in Georgian jewelry were set with enclosed backs. Because diamonds were still incredibly rare, a piece of foil was often placed behind the stone to increase brilliance. The diamonds in these rings have a grayish or smoky look lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
All of our rings can be sized to suit any finger unless specifically stated in the item’s description. Rings that have been sized by us can be returned as long as it’s within our 14 day return policy. Rings sized by other parties are final sale.
The first ring sizing is complimentary with the purchase of a ring. Each additional sizing is $150.
We highly stress the importance of choosing appropriate jewelry for your lifestyle. Erstwhile offers a lifetime of service on all of our jewelry.
VINTAGE RINGS
First 6 Months:
- Within the first six months of purchase, we will replace side or accent diamonds or other gemstones that go missing if we feel it is a manufacturing defect.
- If you experience a problem with your purchase, please email or call us first. We can advise you on your ring and possibly set up an appointment to further assess your ring. If you cannot come in, you can purchase from us round-trip, insured, next-day shipping so we can evaluate your ring in person.
- If we deem the problem a manufacturing issue, Erstwhile will repair the item at no expense to the customer. If we believe the problem is wear and tear or negligence after purchase, we will offer you our advice and price quote for repair. We keep basic repair fees reasonable since we prefer that our jeweler(s) handle the delicate work needed for your vintage jewelry. Any repairs or alterations not done by Erstwhile will void our warranty.
After 6 Months:
- Six months after the purchase, all missing side or accent diamonds will be at the customer's expense. (Please call us for more information, as it sounds more expensive than it really is!)
- If you experience any problem with your purchase, please email or call us first. Then we can advise you on your ring, and possibly set up an appointment to further assess your ring. If you cannot come in, you can purchase round-trip, insured, nextday, shipping so we can assess your ring in person.
- We will offer you our advice, and price quote for repair. We prefer to work on the jewelry we’ve sold so our repair fees remain reasonable.
- We’re here for any questions you have regarding your ring, so please don’t be shy!
ERSTWHILE MANUFACTURED RINGS
- We will replace side or accent diamonds that go missing if we feel that it is a manufacturing defect.
- If you experience any problem with your purchase, please email or call us first. Then we can advise you on your ring, and possibly set up an appointment to further assess your ring. If you cannot come in, you can purchase round-trip, insured, next day shipping so we can assess your ring in person.
- If we deem the problem a manufacturing issue, Erstwhile will repair the item at no expense to the customer. If we deem the problem wear and tear and/or negligence subsequent to purchase, we will offer you our advice, and price quote for repair. We keep basic repair fees reasonable since we prefer that our jeweler(s) handle the delicate work needed for your vintage jewelry. Any repairs or work not done by Erstwhile will void our warranty.
- Faded black rhodium will be replaced at no cost. Shipping if needed is the responsibility of the customer.
Jewelry, although made with some of the strongest material, is not indestructible, and has a breaking point. Please be aware of the treatment of all of your precious jewelry. You want to prevent sudden major issues, which are likely stemming from an unresolved smaller issue. This can be avoided by taking a look at your jewelry to make sure prongs are in place and touching the stone, there are no new cracks or other changes. Knock the ring with your finger close to your ear to determine if your stone isn’t visually loose. Please keep in mind of when the jewelry was made and the lifestyles women had at the time. Your transparency regarding your damaged ring is appreciated — our jewelers can easily determine if damage has been made because of a manufacturing defect, due to negligence, or daily wear and tear.
IN STOCK VINTAGE & ERSTWHILE ENGAGEMENT RINGS & BANDS
All in stock items are eligible for a FULL REFUND within 14 days of receipt, including sized items. Please contact us within 3 days of receipt to arrange return or exchange. We will provide a FREE RETURN SHIPPING LABEL. Purchases shipped back without our knowledge will incur a fee equal to 10% of the purchase value. Returns without our knowledge which are then lost/stolen in transit are the sender's responsibility.
MADE TO ORDER ENGAGEMENT RINGS & BANDS
Made to order pieces are eligible for a refund less the 50% deposit within 14 days of receipt. Erstwhile bands that have been customized are not refundable.
INTERNATIONAL RETURNS
We do not offer free return shipping on international orders. International customers are responsible for insured return shipments, as well as all duties/taxes/tariffs that Erstwhile might incur by receiving the return.
EXTENDED HOLIDAY RETURN POLICY
Take advantage of our extended holiday return policy. All in stock items purchased in December are eligible for a full refund if return is arranged by January 16th 2023. Please contact us by January 16th if you would like to arrange a return or exchange. We will provide a free return shipping label.
All purchases made within the United States are eligible for free shipping. We ship all domestic packages via UPS next day air with an adult signature confirmation.
International shipping is $150. The customer is responsible for all additional duties, taxes and/or tariffs that might incur. All international orders are shipped via FedEx. All packages shipped fully insured for their purchased price. When your item is ready to ship, an email will be provided by Parcel Pro on behalf of Erstwhile containing your tracking information. Parcel Pro is a third party shipping company that secures and insures your shipment. All shipments must be made to a physical address with an adult present to sign for the package.
The following state residents are subject to sales tax: New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Caroline, Massachusetts, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, California, and New York.
The tax rate is based on your county of residence.
We accept all major credit cards, wire transfers, cashier’s or bank checks and personal checks (which will have to clear before the item is sent out). Please contact us directly for wire transfer instructions.
If you are paying by credit card, the shipping and billing address associated with the card need to match. This is in order to protect our customers and ourselves from fraudulent activity.
You may split your purchase at checkout via multiple credit cards.
At Erstwhile we use our vast knowledge to date each piece based on materials, construction techniques, hallmarks/signatures, overall style and cultural context. While dating and authenticity are not a formal science, we determine them to the best of our ability based on our knowledge, experience and resources.
Some of our pieces are mounted in a way that makes it difficult to determine a precise stone’s grading. Diamonds and colored gemstones that cannot be removed from their vintage settings without harm to the piece are evaluated in their mountings using industry-standard measurements and formulas.
Unless certified by an independent lab, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL), stone gradings are done by us. Jewelry descriptions and all carat weights stated represent approximates. Mounted stone(s) is/are graded only insofar as mounting permits observation. Most colored gemstones (i.e. rubies, sapphires and emeralds) are often treated to enhance their beauty; some treatments may not be permanent and/or may require special care.
All diamonds shown on our website are natural, untreated diamonds. We cannot guarantee that the color you see matches the item color, as the display of color depends, in part, upon the type of computer monitor used to observe the image.
Pieces may go out of stock before we’re able to remove them from the site. Should this occur, we will notify you. We make every attempt to only show our users correct information. From time to time inaccurate data may be displayed due to system error.
We reserve the right to correct any incorrect pricing as a result of the above, and will not honor any incorrect prices. Under no circumstances will Erstwhile be held liable for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages of any kind, regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, including negligence, strict product liability or otherwise, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Yes! Conflict diamonds or “blood diamonds” are illegally traded stones that were mined sometime in the last 50 years. These diamonds originated in countries such as Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) or The Republic of Congo, and were used to finance civil wars and deadly insurgencies. Because we only use antique and vintage diamonds that predate this period, our jewelry is completely conflict free. Initiatives such as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme have been created in order to curb the dangerous blood diamond trade, however even this initiative is fraught with shortcomings.
The only way to guarantee that a diamond is conflict free is to reuse vintage and antique diamonds that were mined prior to 1970...which is exactly what we do!
We use our vast knowledge to date each piece based on the ring’s materials, construction techniques, hallmarks, signatures, and cultural context. Some people may even refer to our ability to identify the age of our jewelry as diamond whispering! After decades of experience, vintage and antique pieces just speak to us, and by using our knowledge, experience and network of resources, we can usually identify the age of each item. While we cannot guarantee the exact age of each piece, we can determine to the best of our ability when it was likely manufactured and during which era it was designed.
We offer a vast selection of made to order setting with the ability to customize metal type and carat weight, shape, color and clarity. There are sometimes other adjustments that can be accommodated depending on the setting.
We do not offer custom rings from scratch or inspired by rings from other sellers.
This is the most frequently asked question and a highly guarded trade secret. We scour the earth for the most high quality and exquisite pieces so you don’t have to!
Any setting in the made to order collection is available for our set your stone service. We do not create and ship setting without a stone, however we will set your stone for you!
Marry your own diamond with a setting from our made to order collection. We will create a setting around a stone you already own. We only work with antique, antique cut, heirloom (inherited or currently set in a ring you already own) stones.
Unfortunately not. We only work with diamonds.
We are always on the hunt for new treasures. Currently, we are adding our new finds to our online shop once a month. To find out when we add new rings, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram!
Yes, we buy fine antique and vintage jewelry from all eras. We also purchase certain contemporary pieces. If you have jewelry that you are considering selling, whether it’s an entire estate collection or just one piece, please contact us.
The Gemological Institute of America, or GIA, is the jewelry industry’s most respected diamond laboratory. The GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education on all things jewelry! They use the most stringent diamond grading process, generally grading stones 1-2 shades darker than EGL USA, another well known diamond lab. That being said, clarity grades between the two labs are usually comparable
The GIA will only certify loose unmounted stones, while the EGL offers a grading service for diamonds that are mounted. If we feel that removing the diamond will compromise the integrity of the ring, we will use EGL USA. Otherwise, we send stones to the GIA.
We only certify diamonds that are .50 carats and above, with the exception of antique rose cuts. If the stone is below .50 carats, we will grade the diamond in-house.
Items purchased from our vintage collection can be shipped out almost immediately. However, if the item requires sizing it may take a few additional days. If you are purchasing something made to order, items will take approximately four to six weeks.
We are partnered with Affirm to offer financing for up to $17,500. If you would like to finance a purchase over this amount, you may finance up to $17,500 and pay the remaining balance as a down payment. You can see your financing options and terms by selecting Affirm at checkout.
Affirm customer support: [email protected] or 855-423-3729 7am-7pm CST (7 days a week)
As our collections are curated and limited, we are not able to hold items.
We price our items fairly based on the current market. If you can't resist haggling we won't not listen to your offer.
We only accept payments in full at checkout.
We accept all major credit cards, wire transfers, cashier’s or bank checks, personal checks (which will have to clear before the item is sent out) and Paypal. Please contact us directly for wire transfer instructions.
Shipping within the United States is free.
Yes, international shipping is $150. The customer is also responsible for all additional duties, taxes and/or tariffs that might be incurred during shipment.
Yes, we’ll email you your tracking information once we’ve generated a shipping label. An email will be delivered via Parcel Pro on our behalf. We use Parcel Pro to ensure that your package arrives to you safe and sound.
We fully insure all shipments using UPS or FedEx. An adult signature is required to receive all packages.
Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us! Your item will arrive in a generic UPS or FedEx box without our name present on the package.
Sizing can generally be done in a few days.
The first sizing is complimentary with the purchase of a ring. Each additional sizing is $150.
Yes, unless stated in the ring's description.
Not all rings in our sold gallery can be remade. Please ask and we’ll let you know.
Nope, we only work on our own items.
Generally not. If you have a Victorian or Georgian ring that is close backed or foil backed, then you probably shouldn’t submerge it in water. Very few of our rings include this detail, but if you are concerned, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Yes we do offer appraisal upon checkout. It is done by a trusted third party. We do not offer appraisals on items not purchased from Erstwhile.
We stand behind all of our jewelry and we offers a free lifetime warranty against any manufacturing defects.
Currently we have a by appointment only showroom located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Please make an appointment here.