FAQ
JEWELRY FAQ
Tidepool Love is designed and handmade in Hawai`i. The principle designers behind Tidepool Love carve their unique designs in a jewelry wax, then mold, and cast their pieces into a solid Sterling Silver. All chains, wire, and findings are exclusively sterling silver or 14k gold fill. Our Gold Vermeil pieces are also cast in a solid sterling silver then dipped in 150 micro inches of 14k yellow gold. We also cast in solid 14k or 22k gold upon request.
Our Tahitian Pearls are of the finest quality, often referred to as AAA grade. This means the natural Tahitian Pearls (which range in color from silver to dark grey with tinges of peacock colorings) are round, smooth (no ridges!!) and of high luster.
Freshwater (white, light grey or dark grey) are used in certain pieces and the product description will describe the type of pearls used in detail.
The Sunrise Shells we use come from ocean waters off of Kaua`i, Maui and Oahu. All of our shells are never collected “live” and come from waters 20+ feet deep. We specialized in “mini” or dime sized beautiful shells and we always use shells that have no holes or chipped edges. The colors of the shells differ slightly from a bright yellow (with whites and pinks) to a bright orange and red. These are the most coveted colors and Tidepool Love is known for our thick shells that are expertly dipped or encased in 14k gold.
All other shells are all from Hawai`i too! The mini puka shells (at the end of each necklace along with our signature 2” extender), were all gathered by our grandfather, “Pops Kano” who was one of the original beach boys of Waikiki. Over his years surfing Waikiki he collected thousands and thousands of white mini puka shells and we are proud that a little of our family surfing history is attached to each of our necklaces in this way.
Finally, all stones used are precious or semi-precious stones. We do not use crystals or glass beads in any of our designs.
JEWELRY CARE
Regular polishing with a soft jewelry cloth (sold at most drug stores) is best to polish your sterling silver jewelry. Do not dip in silver cleaners any piece that contains pearls or shells!! Simply wipe with the soft jewelry cloth to clean. Over time, sterling silver naturally oxidizes (turns slightly darker) and many of our pieces are actually purposefully oxidized to give a vintage look and bring out our designs.
14k gold fill rarely tarnishes and may also be wiped with the same soft jewelry cloth. Gold Vermeil, however, although thickly dipped in 150+ micro inches of 14k gold, will come off over time but can last years and years if properly cared for. We recommend avoiding contact with any lotions, soaps, perfumes, household cleaners, sunscreen and salt or chlorine water when wearing Gold Vermeil.
SHIPPING
All orders placed within the U.S. come with Free USPS First Class shipping with tracking included at no charge! We try to mail out all website orders within 48 hours, however, occasionally due to a large volume of web sales, orders may take anywhere from 1-2 weeks to leave our studio. First Class USPS shipping takes between 2-4 days to arrive to its U.S. destination. We always email a tracking number to you after the items leaves our studio, but if you would like an update on shipping feel free to email us at tidepoollove@hotmail.com.
For international shipping, there is a charge of $20.00 added to each order. We fill out custom forms and mail through USPS. Please keep in mind that all international orders take varying lengths of time. We are not responsible for items lost in the mail.
REFUND POLICY
If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase you may email us at tidepoollove@hotmail.com within 30 days of it leaving our Honolulu studio. Please explain the need for a refund or exchange/replacement. Upon approval, you will be emailed instructions to mail the items back to us within 10 business days. You are responsible for all mailing costs for the return. First exchanges will have free shipping back to you (again, First Class USPS with tracking). We do recommend insuring any jewelry items as we are not responsible for items lost in the mail. We also are not responsible for damaged items so we strongly suggest you package your returns in a padded box and mark it fragile.
Returns after 30 days of original purchase date are not accepted. Also, jewelry purchased from one of our 65+ retail stockists must be returned to the respective store the item was purchased at and are subject to each store’s individual return/exchange policy. SALE or DISCOUNTED ITEMS ARE FINAL SALES.