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Frequently Asked Questions
Hart & Halo is all about giving you the control. Whether its through our Bepoke Design process or with using our brand new Ring Designer technology that shows you your design in Real Time, making it easier than ever before to create your own bespoke ring just as you want it.
You may have some questions about how everything works so we’ve included an FAQ section with answers below. We’re here for all the support so if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier or if you need any more information, please feel free to reach out to us.
General
Our background is not bogged down by the traditional smoke and mirrors of the jewellery industry. We are fresh-thinkers, here to do things differently. We have learned a thing or two in the industry over the past couple of years and the biggest one is: people are changing. You want something unique right? You want something custom and personalised for you? You want to call the shots here and not be dictated by what a sales person thinks you want or should have?
Those who have discovered bespoke jewellery already swear that they’ll never buy anything ‘from the rack’ again. You only have so much space on your body to display this personalised art (though some will argue you can have “occasion-wear” as well!) so why not fill that space with the most special, sentimental and unique pieces that are built just for you! Your taste. Your sentiments. Your story. YOU.
Then there’s the ‘lost in translation’ thing that most people will experience if they use someone else to design them a piece of jewellery. This is what we experienced, and this is why we exist. We exist to enable you – the storyteller. We have built fun, innovative, and world-first software which puts this journey in your hands. We do not exist to sell. Sure, that’s necessary, we are a business at the end of the day…but this is more than that. This is a passion that developed into an obsession, that went full-throttle through the covid times to have a bit of fun. We are all about fun.
Hart & Halo is unique because we exist to enable you, the storyteller, in a way that has never been done before.
We have a long way to go on that journey. We have big plans and ambitions. But we do this for you (ok, and for us – we freakin love it!). Have fun, be creative, play and dream a little. This place is whatever you want from it, but we guarantee it will be fun.
We do not have a physical store, we are purely an online brand. This helps us reduce overheads and pass these savings on to you! We work remotely with you through email, or a messenger platform of your choice, to design and create your perfect ring.
However if you are based in Auckland, NZ (or visiting), we also welcome you to book a face to face consult with us at our home office if you prefer. And yes, we do have limited weekend spots available too.
We are proudly 100% New Zealand owned and operated and do whatever we can, and that which makes sense, in our own backyard. Given the jewellery industry here is small in comparison to the big wide world, and there are obvious reliances on other countries for their source materials (e.g. precious metals and precious gems) we do work abroad and take advantage of specialisms in other countries where they live and breathe this stuff. We bring you the best the world has to offer, and we are proud to be able to do so.
Our designs are designed in-house and then turned into CAD (computer-aided design) files, which enable us to cast your ring in your chosen metal. Your ring is then hand-finished by our talented bench jewellers right here in Auckland, NZ.
The process of creating your piece of art with such custom elements can be time consuming, from getting the design perfected to sourcing the right materials. Therefore we would suggest you allow 5-6 weeks for us to craft your perfect ring and we will be in touch with you every step of the way.
Our products are all made in NZ and we stand by the quality and workmanship that has gone into creating your perfect piece. We proudly offer a lifetime warranty for the workmanship on every ring we create.
If you believe your ring has a manufacturing defect, we ask you to please contact us to arrange a return. We will then have a look and determine if it is a manufacturing defect – to which we will correct, or if not possible will offer you options. In some cases this may be a full refund.
If your ring has instead been damaged due to fair wear and tear, as determined by our jewellers, we will offer a quote on the cost of repair.
Please note: For your lifetime warranty to remain valid, we require you to follow the care instructions on our website, including having it checked over every 12 months.
Ring Designer
While we make every effort to show your design as close as possible to the final product, there will be times where this needs to be altered slightly, such as;
- We are still developing the technology behind our Ring Designer so there may be aspects of the design that are not quite ‘perfect’, such as the position or look of the prongs. If we need to make significant changes to your design, such as the number or location of prongs, we will consult with you to make sure you are happy before we start crafting your ring.
- If the design needs to be altered due to the size or shape of the centre stone you have chosen, we will send you images of how the final design will look, before we start crafting your ring.
- At the time of your order, the available diamonds on the market may require us to alter the design slightly – if significant, we will be in touch to provide you with details, and if necessary, a new quote for your design.
We use precious metals with strengthening alloys to craft your fine jewellery. Our standard offerings are 18k yellow, white, rose gold and platinum however we are able to use whichever karat you prefer, eg 9k, 10k, 14k.
If using our online Ring Designer, simply add your requests to the Additional Requests box and we will be in touch to confirm prices before your order goes through.
The most likely way to get your size right is to pop into your local jeweller to have your finger sized. We recommend doing this (remember to size the finger you wish to wear the ring on!) however if you are unable to do so we do have some other methods that can help you determine your finger size.
Things to remember;
- Finger sizes differ on each hand so please ensure you size the finger you wish to wear the ring on
- Size your finger when your hand is warm as the cold will make your fingers shrink, and the hot will make them swell! (Yes this can make your ring a little on the looser end in winter, and tighter end in summer, however this is generally not an issue).
- Err on the side of larger. Just like the builders’ saying “measure twice, cut once”, it is important to take the measurement a few times to reduce the chance of error. If you find you are falling in between sizes, go for the bigger size.
If you know your size, the chart below will help you convert that to NZ sizing – which is what we use.
We offer one complimentary re-size on our rings, with free shipping both ways. This is available for 60 days from the date you receive your ring. Simply contact us if you need to arrange this and we will give you instructions on how you can return courier your ring to us. For more information when returning items, please check our Shipping and Returns section.
For orders shipped outside of NZ we are unable to provide this complementary re-size. We are happy to extend this service however it will be at a cost. For more information please contact us.
Based on the ring design there can be limits to if or how much a ring can be resized safely without compromising the integrity of the ring. We recommend keeping within the limits of two sizes up or down, and our manufacturing warranty will cover this. If you require resizing outside of these limits, we will advise you if there is a potential integrity issue which will void the manufacturing warranty so you can make the decision as to whether to proceed. In any case, we strongly recommend getting the finger you wish to wear your ring on both measured and then checked (2 methods) prior to placing your order.
Our Rhea style is difficult to resize without ruining the rope pattern on the band. While we are happy to go ahead and resize this for you, we can not guarantee the rope pattern will remain perfect.
Please note: Resizing is done at the back of the ring on the underside of your finger to help minimise visual repercussion.
We offer laser engraving to enable you to finish off your creation with a few special words if you so desire. There will be a couple of hallmarks (stamps) on the inside of your ring, which gives you assurance your ring is made of the metal you requested and by Hart & Halo, so we will work around these. We will contact you if the words you have requested don’t fit within your band and we can talk through the best options. If we are unable to fit the message you have requested, you can choose to cancel the engraving and we will refund you the cost of this.
NB. If an engraved ring needs to be resized, it will likely need to be re-engraved also. We charge $100 to re-engrave.
Generally where there is an engagement ring, there is a wedding ring to follow. For this reason we will raise the centre stone in your design so that you are able to fit a wedding band snuggly underneath. There is no extra cost for this. You can choose to purchase your wedding ring at the same time as your engagement ring if you wish, or you can come back to purchase whenever you are ready.
Alternatively you can choose to keep your engagement ring low set (select ‘no’ for the answer to “Is this an engagement ring?”) and we can work with you to design a wedding band that hugs around the shape of your engagement ring as is. Please contact us to discuss this option.
If the ring you are designing isn’t an engagement ring, feel free to select ‘yes’ anyway if you prefer the high set version and/or would like to wear other straight bands on the same finger as stackers. Completely up to you.
Sapphires
We are genuinely obsessed by the beauty of the hard natural coloured stone that is the Sapphire, so this is what we specialise in. 100% natural dug-out-of-the-ground Sapphires. Lab created or synthetic sapphires don’t do it for us. But in saying that, we don’t mind a lab created diamond to help our Sapphire pop! For us, it is all about the Sapphire. An ethical and conflict-free natural stone with complete uniqueness and character that can endure our daily grinds! Our Sapphires may be heat treated to enhance the colour (standard industry practice), or not at all treated – completely Au Naturel.
Most of our Sapphires are sourced from Australia, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. We do also source from Thailand, USA and other countries too.
Absolutely. And this is one of the many beautiful things about Sapphires – they are not subject to the same conflict and concern as diamonds. Our Sapphires are all sourced from reputable suppliers who either own and run the mines themselves, or deal direct with these artisanal mines. While we do our best to ensure ethical practices are maintained to the high standard we would expect in NZ, countries do all operate differently. Hart & Halo tries to find the right balance between imparting and holding these countries to our standards, while continuing to recognise and support local economies. You can read more about the ethical practices in each of our source countries here.
Yes, all of our stones larger than 0.5 carat will be certified by either an overseas laboratory or an independant member of NZ’s Jewellery Valuers Society. Sometimes by both!
We check and cross check our suppliers and have very strong relationships with them. The details we give here are what we believe to be true, but we can not 100% guarantee them as tracing a Sapphire is not always possible. There is a level of trust and faith you need to have as that wee gem makes its way from wherever it was dug up in the world, to a lapidarist (cutter) and across the globe into your hands. You can rest assured though that we do our best to keep a close eye on those stones. What we present to you we are proud of and approve, and we wouldn’t present it if we didn’t.
Absolutely. We understand you want to ‘get it right’. We are very particular about colour here too! Simply buy the stone and have it shipped direct to you. We suggest you keep it for at least 24 hours to explore the stone in different lighting conditions. Once you have made up your mind as to whether you would like to keep it and proceed with a ring design, or return it for either credit or a full refund, then simply get in touch with us for return instructions.
To be eligible for credit or a refund, you must contact us within 7 days of receiving the stone. We package the stone in a completely transparent gem box to allow you to view it from all angles. This gem box should not be opened and therefore the security seal on the gem box must not have been tampered with or removed to be eligible for a refund.
The stone must be in the same condition you received it in, ie. not chipped, broken or damaged in any way, and you must include all accompanying documents in the return package.
Absolutely! We encourage you to snap up the stone that speaks to you, as these really are one-of-a-kind so we are unlikely to get anything like it again. Once it’s gone, it’s gone! as they say. You can choose to have your Sapphire shipped to you to look at, adore and if you wish you are welcome to send it back to us to hold it in our vault while you work on the perfect setting. Alternatively we can simply hold it in your online vault while you are already busy underway in getting that design done. There is no time limit for this – enjoy the journey, be creative and above all, have fun!
This depends on the kind of stone and how it is currently set, please contact us to discuss.
Diamonds
No problem at all. We source Diamonds direct so have access to thousands of options at very good prices. All of these Diamonds are either IGI or GIA certified.
Choosing a Diamond can be a little overwhelming, we get that. You can come to us with very specific requests for your Diamond, or alternatively keep it fairly open and let us guide you! We’ll show you images, video and the certificate of any options we present, and talk you through the differences between each option, to allow you to make a fully informed decision.
We source our Diamonds from a number of reputable suppliers. The Diamonds we use all comply with the Kimberley Process which ensures they are ethically sourced.
Yes we also offer lab-created / lab-grown Diamonds and have fantastic suppliers that can even custom-cut these to your specific requirements if needed! Read more about Lab-grown Diamonds here.
Quite a lot really. The first question to ask would be “Are you price sensitive?”. If yes then this may impact your decision. Second question “Do you prefer natural stones, or are you happy for a stone that is man-made?” By now you’ll have narrowed it down.
In summary;
Best natural but most expensive white stone = Diamond
Best natural and cost effective white stone = White Sapphire
Best lab-grown stone = Lab Diamond or Moissanite (cheaper still).
Read more about the comparison between these three gems here.
Vault
When you purchase a stone but have not yet made up your mind on the ring design you’d like, you can choose to have it sent to you to hold on to while you decide, OR you can choose to keep it in your Vault. We then keep it safe and secure for you, until you are ready to set it, or have it shipped to you.
See the Vault page for more information.
Just like a wishlist it will be saved to your account and accessed through “My Vault” at any time you like. You will have exclusive access to it in the Ring Designer so you can pull it into the design process and start playing with designs at your leisure.
For sure! Your stone is your stone and while we are happy to look after it for you in our safe and secure vault, this is 100% yours and you can instruct us to make it into your jewellery design or send it directly to you any time you like.
After you have logged in, you can go into My Account > My Vault, and you will see your Vault stone(s) sitting there. Select “Design Ring” next to the stone you wish to use and you will be taken to the Ring Designer to play with or complete your design with this stone.
Alternatively when you are in the Ring Designer, log in and your Vault stones will appear at the top of the stone catalogue on the left-hand side which the price overwritten with “IN VAULT”.
As you have already paid for your Vault stones, there will be no further cost associated with the stone in your design.
Shipping & Returns
In NZ: We aim to have your design crafted in around 5-6 weeks.
If this is not soon enough, you can place an urgency on the piece and we will prioritise this to be ready within 3-4 weeks. Please note for some designs this won’t be possible because of the work needed to source stones, however if this is the case we will let you know and you’ll have the option to cancel your order.
Do let us know if you have a specific date you’d like it by, and we will do everything we can!
If you had an additional request, this may delay the above timeframes, but we will be in touch with you to confirm the status and how this may affect timeframes as soon as we can.
In Australia: Add an extra week on the above timeframes for shipping.
Rest of world: Add an extra 2 weeks on the above timeframes for shipping.
Yes, your piece will be insured by our insurance right up until the package gets to you. Once it has been delivered it will then be signed over to you so we recommend you arrange adequate insurance before you receive your item.
We will include all certifications we have available for your chosen stone(s), as well as a complementary valuation from an accredited third party valuer for your finished ring. You will be able to use this valuation for the insurance of your ring.
Absolutely. The outer package won’t be branded or identifiable in any way so you can be sure that if you want to keep something a surprise, you can! Once you get that outer layer off though, you’ll get a very Hart & Halo experience – colour, beauty and fun!
For security reasons, we are unable to ship to a P.O. Box. All of our packages must be signed for. If you choose to direct the courier to leave the parcel without needing a signature, this will be at your own risk.
We sure do! Our prices are all inclusive throughout Australia and NZ. Shipping to ROW may incur further costs so please check with us beforehand.
Every single one of our pieces is custom designed by you and custom made for you, and therefore we are unable to offer a refund. We are confident though you will love your ring because despite our best efforts what you see on the screen pales in comparison to how the piece will look in real life! We do our very best to represent our stones as they appear to the human eye, but you really can’t capture the full magic of these gorgeous natural gems. Moving them around, capturing the light angles, on your hand, against your skin is next level! So if you are happy with what you see on screen, then we are so very confident you will adore your finished creation.
Please note: Renders are provided as a guide, and while the finished piece will follow the approved design, subtle differences are inherent in a hand finished ring.
We will cover the cost of shipping if you need to return your ring for a resize as long as you contact us to arrange within the first 60 days of receiving your ring.
Please contact us before returning your purchase at hello@hartandhalo.co.nz
Hart & Halo do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage where the return process was not followed correctly and/or the item was improperly packaged.
Guarantees
Our products are all made in NZ and we stand by the quality and workmanship that has gone into creating your perfect piece. We proudly offer a lifetime warranty for the workmanship on every ring we create.
If you believe your ring has a manufacturing defect, we ask you to please contact us to arrange a return. We will then have a look and determine if it is a manufacturing defect – to which we will correct, or if not possible will offer you some options. In some cases this may be a full refund.
If your ring has instead been damaged due to fair wear and tear, as determined by our jewellers, we will offer a quote on the cost of repair.
Please note: For your lifetime warranty to remain valid, we require you to follow the care instructions on our website, including having it checked every 12 months.
We charge fair and competitive prices for our beautiful bespoke pieces. As part of the process we provide a full valuation by an independant New Zealand jewellery valuer to allow you to insure your item, and for your peace of mind.
We are confident that your item will be valued for at least what you paid for it, if not more.
If this is not the case we will happily refund any difference between what you paid and what it is valued at, guaranteeing your value for money!
Payment options
We offer a number of payment options including major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Paypal or direct Bank Transfer.
We do! We understand these heirloom items are not ‘everyday’ items so have a number of payment plans to help spread the cost.
If you are ordering online,
At checkout, you’ll be able to select the payment plan box which will bring up a list of our payment plan options.
We require a 10% deposit to get the process underway, and you’ll then be able to pay the remaining 90% in equal monthly instalments over a two, four or six month period.
Once the deposit has been made and you have signed off your design ready to manufacture, we’ll then kick off the payment plan which will debit your card according to the payment plan you had selected. When your ring is ready, and full payment has been received, we will deliver your exciting masterpiece!
If you are paying via invoice,
after the 10% deposit you are free to pay the balance as and when suits you over a period of 3 months (or more by prior arrangement).
Of course. We try to make it as easy as possible for you and are happy to work with you. Simply contact us at hello@hartandhalo.co.nz if you’d like to make any changes and/or have any problems with payment at any time.
