No we don't. The business is essentially online and we don't keep inventory as our jewellery is made to order. Our jewellers and other sub contractors work from their own workshops, but the design, quoting and Diamond and Gem sourcing is done from a home office.

This was  model was chosen deliberately to reduce overheads (savings that are passed onto you), to allow for flexible working hours to suit the needs of a growing family and because sitting in a shop all day is not that much fun. We don't keep standard hours, so communicate with us (email) any time of the day or night seven days a week. If someone is online, they will respond fairly quickly. Telephone contact 07 3369 8438 is preferred from 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Saturday, however Melinda Nugent is contactable on 0410 485 452 outside these hours.

It is possible to visit us in Brisbane, just give us a call or drop us an email and we will arrange an appointment. Weekends or evenings are not a problem. For those with allergies, please be aware that we have pets.

Unfortunately sizing and ring sizers are not consistent.

If you are having a ring made by us, it is crucial that you size your finger using one of our sizers. We are happy to send you one in the mail. If it is a surprise ring, then it can be tricky but there are ways around it. It helps if your partner is a light sleeper.

Alternatively, if you have a ring that belongs to your partner and you know fits 'the finger' perfectly, then taking a precise measure of the inside diameter of the ring will be sufficient. But it has to fit the ring finger on the left hand as there is usually a size difference between left and right with the fingers on the dominant hand tending to be slightly bigger.

As strange as it may seem, very few of our customers are Brisbane based and it has never been a problem. Our service is so personal, no question goes unanswered and every aspect of the design is checked and rechecked before it is made. Because we have always done it this way, we have worked out how to do it well.

We are just as anxious as you are to get the size right first time. Contact us and we will send you a free ring sizer.

Absolutely not. There are ways around budgets. We can find diamonds to suit most but do not compromise on the quality of the cut or their non-conflict status. Your diamond will be beautiful regardless of the colour and clarity - although we do not sell material with eye visible inclusions so there is no 'bargain basement'. We really want to sell diamonds that continue to delight. It should be noted however, that for handmade engagement rings, generally $2,500 - $3,000 would be considered a 'minimum spend'. For those with a lower budget, we have lower priced, premade pieces available.

Yes we do. We are able to source certified, Australian pink, yellow and champagne diamonds.

Making a ring normally costs anywhere between $500 and $2,000 — sometimes more (particularly for platinum). For more information on this, visit the Having a Ring Made section.

That really is one of those 'how long is a piece of string' questions. There is so much variation in diamond prices, even between stones of the same size. After colour and clarity, the quality of the cut, polish and symmetry of the diamond, greatly influences the price. Also, as prices are tied to the US dollar, they can literally change overnight.

White diamonds start at D colour for the whitest material. The most popular colours purchased tend to fall into the E to G range. We have listed a guide to G Si Round Brilliant Diamonds Here (scroll down a bit) this lists GIA certified stones, however other certificates and uncertified stones are available.

It's all to do with density (Specific Gravity). Platinum has a higher specific gravity (SG) than other jewellery metals and you need more. 18ct Yellow Gold has an SG of around 15.60 (depends on the alloy) 18ct White Gold is around 14.60, Sterling Silver is around 10.40 and Platinum is around 21.50. So, as an example, if you had two rings that looked identical but one was in Sterling Silver and the other in Platinum, the Platinum ring would weigh twice as much as Platinum is approximately twice as dense as Sterling Silver.

All orders are customised to suit the requirements of the buyer. For Promised Rings, if the raw materials are readily available (i.e. your stone choice is not unusual) you should receive your order within two to three weeks of purchase. Premade pieces are ordered from the US, delivery time will be advised at the time of your order. For handmade jewellery allow up to eight weeks plus postage time. Most orders are finished sooner than this and you will be advised of progress throughout. Please note, manufacturing starts only after you have approved the design and paid a deposit for materials.

We have a secure ordering system. We accept all major credit cards via paypal, bank cheques and direct debit bank transfer. Please allow time for direct debits and cheques to clear. All transactions must be finalised before goods will be mailed or can be collected. The payments link can be found here.

Yes we do but it is subject to availability. Just contact us for prices and quantities available.

We are not 'screaming greenies' — but we do care about the environment and its people.

The fact is that the jewellery industry consumes about 85% of all mined gold and a large percentage of mined platinum.

The mining and refining process does a lot of damage. Though many countries enforce strict environmental restoration laws, too many industrial accidents still happen — resulting in pollution of land and waterways and poisoning of the local wildlife and people.

Similarly, we don't support exploitation and corruption in the diamond and gem trade. That's why we only source stones from suppliers who can verify their origin. We also do not use cutting factories that employ child labour or have a labour force that is exploited in any way. Wherever possible, we will provide Australian gem options.

For more information on our environmental policy see Our Philosophy.

Ethical Jewellery Australia is a business that is focused on the quality and ethics of the product. Our two gemmologists are both members of the Gemmological Association Of Australia (GAA) as is one of our jewellers. We have selected suppliers who meet our strict gemmological and ethical standards. All diamonds 50 points and over are certified. (Certification is available for any other gemstone or diamond on request.)

What we offer here is information, privacy, convenience and high quality with a reasonable price tag; and we stand by our refund policy. We have also found that none of our transactions are hands off; we communicate with every customer at length to ensure they have enough information to make their purchase.

References from previous customers are also available on request.

You are absolutely right. Major chain stores, online retailers and auction houses do offer 'bargains'. However, these types of shops are not our competition. When taking into consideration the quality of our raw materials and what a good manufacturing jeweller can create with it, we can't be thought of in the same light as a retailer who mass produces their product offshore.

As you will have learned from the information on our website, a diamond is not a diamond.

Is that 1.5-carat diamond ring you have seen for $7,500 an E VS diamond with a high polish and ideal proportions? Is it set in eight to ten grams of 18-carat metal? Does the retailer follow a standard diamond grading system (such as the GIA) or is it an in house system? Is the ring cast or handmade? Is it one of a kind? Who certified the diamonds and valued the ring?

If you really want to comparison shop for our product, we suggest you do your research in high-end jewellery shops that offer hand made, top quality products.

The obvious answer to this question is however, you have chosen to look at our product because you don't want to buy off the shelf — you want your partner to create exactly what they want. We believe, in this particular market, we are offering you excellent value for money.

The short answer is yes.

As this business has grown, it has become necessary to add a consultation service. Whilst many are more than happy with offering their partner a promised ring (that is, the metal and diamonds to make a ring), some men do prefer to present a finished ring.We have taken many of our customers through the whole process from creating a design and the appropriate diamonds and precious metal to introducing them to a manufacturing jeweller, managing the manufacturing and setting process and organising a valuation.

Currently we are only able to offer a face to face consultation service in Brisbane, however our interstate (and overseas) customers feel very well served by our email and telephone support. We recognise that you need to feel comfortable and well looked after when making such an important purchase and are available during and outside business hours to offer support and advice.