FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

In my jewellery I use three main setting styles to set gemstones, they are pave, claws and rubover. I also use milgrain detail too to adorn pave and rubover settings. Pave is French for pavement and when used in relation to jewellery it means the metal is ‘paved’ with small diamonds or gemstones. Small grains are pushed over the stones holding them in place. With this style the stones are flush with the surface of the metal. Central stones in a piece of jewellery are typically not set in this way. I often pair pave setting with a milgrain effect to make it have a beautiful vintage inspired look. Claws, typically 4 or 6 of them, are mainly used as the setting for the central stone in a piece of jewellery. The stone is elevated in the setting and is the star of the show. If the wearer has a particularly hands on job I would recommend rubover and pave settings rather than a claw setting for rings. Rubover setting means that the stone has a lip of metal the whole way around it that is gently pushed over the edge of the stone to hold it in place. This is the most secure type of setting and great for softer stones such as emeralds that can chip if they get knocked significantly as it protects the edges of the stone. Also, if the wearer has a particularly hands on jobs this style of setting in rings is advised rather than claw setting. I often pair a rubover setting with a milgrain effect to make it have a beautiful vintage inspired look.

My gemstones are sourced from my trusted gemstones and diamond merchants based in Hatton Garden and the Birmingham jewellery quarter. All of the diamonds I mount and sell are protected by the Kimberley Process, a process established in 2003 to stop conflict diamonds entering the mainstream rough diamond market. All of the natural diamonds are screened at source by the diamond merchants and are free of synthetics, any lab grown diamonds I sell are certificated stating that they are lab grown. Please see my Terms & Conditions for my full Sustainability & Ethics statement.

The diamonds in these pieces of jewellery are all natural diamonds, where necessary they have certificates with them and this also states that they are natural diamonds. If you would like to use a lab grown diamond(s) instead in one of my designs, please contact me and we can discuss the options for you.

Anatomically and chemically, there is no difference between lab grown and natural diamonds. There is also no visual difference between them, the main difference is the price, a lab grown diamond is cheaper than a natural diamond. Natural diamonds take billions of years to form under the earths surface, lab grown diamonds take 3 days to 3 weeks to grow in a lab. Lab grown diamonds are grown in a controlled environment, during the process they will be enhanced or manipulated to allow the diamond to form in a specific way. This may be to determine a specific colour grade, often lab grown diamonds are of exceptionally high quality as they have not been exposed to the same environmental stresses and contaminations when forming as a natural diamond. Both lab grown and natural diamonds come with a certificate to state their quality and their origins. Lab grown diamonds are a great option if you would like a specific size diamond and have a lesser budget. Please bear in mind though that lab grown diamonds have little resale value, so if it is an investment or heirloom piece of jewellery, a natural diamond might be a more suitable option for you. Please feel free to contact me and I can help you decide what is the best option for you in your piece of jewellery, they can be used in all of my jewellery upon request.

To create white gold, pure gold is alloyed with copper, nickel, and zinc, which lends it the white colour. Most people prefer the colour of 9ct and 18ct white gold when it has been rhodium plated, this coats it and makes it have brighter silver appearance, naturally it is grey with a very slight yellow hue. Rhodium plating on a ring should last 3 – 5 years before it needs redoing, for pieces such as earrings and necklaces it should last much longer. Platinum has a higher content of precious metal, typically 95% pure. For this reason, platinum will retain its naturally pure white colour indefinitely and does not need plating which makes it the better choice for rings that get lots of wear. Its high level of purity also makes it heavier than white gold, because the cost of metal is calculated per gram it can sometimes cost more than white gold, but the price of platinum and gold fluctuates so neither one is always the cheaper option. The difference in colour between platinum and rhodium plated white gold is very subtle but if you have a white gold or platinum engagement ring I would recommend sticking to the same metal for your wedding ring.

Rose gold, sometimes called red gold, is created by alloying pure gold with copper. Pure gold is a rich yellow colour and copper exhibits red tones. By melting the two metals together the result is gold with a pink rosy tint. There is no difference in the amount of pure gold in 9ct or 18ct rose, yellow or white gold.

If it is for yourself or not a surprise for someone, I have a ring sizer set with a set of rings you can buy on my website to measure the chosen finger. Using the rings try them on the finger making sure that it is a comfortably tight fit over your knuckle, start bigger than you need and take note if it is a very hot or cold day as this makes your fingers bigger or smaller. If you are in-between two sizes, we can make it half way in-between for you, simply choose the half size in-between the two sizes when you come to order the ring, for example halfway in-between L and M would be L 1/2. However, if it is a surprise, there is another way you can find the size out. The ring finger is traditionally on the left hand on the fourth finger next to the pinky finger. If they already wear a ring on this finger or the same finger on the right hand and you can subtly take it for a little while, you can use the mandrel in my ring sizer set to measure it. Simply slide the ring on the mandrel and take the measurement of the line on the mandrel which is in line with the middle of the ring, half sizes are an option as well as whole sizes. Please take note if they wear the ring you are measuring on the right hand and are right-handed, but it is the left hand you want the ring finger measurement for, it is likely the left-hand ring finger size will be a little bit smaller than the right-hand finger, I would suggest going a ½ size smaller in this case. If they do not have a ring you can measure and you can’t ask them to measure their finger, select a size L and we can change the finger size at a later date. Please see my Terms & Conditions for my full refund policy.

Generally, it is best to get the same metal for your wedding ring and engagement ring. Some metals are softer than others so over time one ring will wear away quicker than the other ring and we want your rings to last a lifetime and beyond. If for example you have an 18ct yellow gold engagement ring and want to have an 18ct white gold wedding ring, because they are both 18ct gold that is going to significantly reduce the risk of one wearing the other away quickly. However, over decades of wear side by side rings will inevitably become thinner so it is not uncommon to have the back of the band on your engagement ring made thicker after about 25 years, one good way to avoid this is to go slightly thicker to start with. I always make all of my jewellery with the future in mind and make the pieces beautiful but made to last.

To avoid making your jewellery greasy and dirty I highly recommend taking your jewellery off especially rings for putting on hand cream, cooking, going to the gym and gardening - they are the worst offenders! To clean your jewellery firstly soak it in warm soapy water, it is important it is not boiling hot as some gemstones do not like thermal shock. Then with a soft toothbrush gently clean inside all of the little grooves on your piece of jewellery. It is the dirt and grease that collects around the back of the stones that stop them from sparkling the most.

In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase, you can return the Ready to Wear items to me within 14 days of receipt of your order and I will be happy to offer you either an exchange or full refund minus any postage costs, providing the goods are returned in perfect condition in their original packaging, not worn or damaged, and any accessories such as a certificate are returned too. ​ Bespoke, Made to Order and Heirloom remodelled jewellery cannot be returned or exchanged under any circumstances as they have been customised especially for you. Also rings that have been sized from their original size on the website cannot be returned. For reasons of hygiene, I am unable to offer exchanges or refunds on earrings too. ​ If you notify me via email I can arrange for a refund and provide a postal address to send the item back to. I require that you send your order back by Royal Mail Special Delivery and send proof with the tracking number to me via email. Please see my Terms & Conditions for my full refund policy.

Yes, but only on Chloe May jewellery, this includes bespoke, ready to wear and heirloom remodelling pieces. Jewellery is small and often worn every day so it may need a small repair in its lifetime.