Information/FAQ
All jewellery is sent beautifully packaged in our signature gift pouches finished with a satin ribbon bow. Care instructions included. We can also include a gift card and personal message by special request, the option is available in the check box at check out.
To lessen our carbon footprint when multiple pieces are purchased, each piece will be packaged appropriately in one box to ensure safe travels. Please let us know in the notes section at checkout if you do require more boxes.
Within New Zealand
- Free delivery for orders totalling $300 or more.
- Smaller orders: $15 shipping and handling charge.
Your jewellery is sent via NZ CourierPost, and will reach you within 1-3 working days. All orders within New Zealand require a signature on delivery.
Worldwide
Shipping charges:
- Australia: NZ$45
- USA, Canada, UK, European Union: NZ$85
- Other countries: please enquire
Your jewellery is sent via NZ Post International Courier, and will reach you within 5-10 working days.
International orders may be subject to taxes or duties in your country. Louise Douglas Jewellery has no control over these charges, and is not responsible for any charges incurred.
Credit/debit card
We accept all major credit/debit cards for payment.
We use Snipcart and Stripe for secure/encrypted payment processing. No credit card numbers go through our servers, and we never store any credit card information.
Direct credit
Alternatively, pay by direct credit after you place your order. Just select "Pay later" in the cart/checkout payment section. We'll email you instructions for payment.
Purchasing gift certificate
- Add gift certificate to your cart and select amount ($100-1000).
Contact us if you'd like a gift certificate for any other amount.
- We'll contact you to get the recipient's name, their email address, and any personal message you'd like to include.
- We'll email the recipient their e-gift certificate, including all information they need to redeem it.
If you would prefer a physical copy of the gift certificate, we can arrange to courier it to you or the recipient.
Redeeming gift certificate
You can redeem a gift certificate online or in our flagship store (191 Hardy Street, Nelson).
To redeem on our website:
- Shop for your jewellery items.
- In the cart "Promo Code" box, enter your gift certificate code.
If the purchase amount is less than the gift certificate value, we'll give you a store credit.
Gift certificates are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.
Shop with assurance and confidence knowing you can return or exchange an item within 7 days of purchase. The jewellery must be in original condition and shipped within 7 days of delivery date.
If you decide the item is not for you and it is unworn and in original condition, we offer a 7-day 100% money back guarantee.
Please contact us to arrange a return or exchange. There may be additional charges for postage on the new item.
Sale and custom items are not exchangeable or refundable.
It is our job to make sure that you are entirely happy with your purchase. If there is a fault or a problem with the quality of your jewellery, we will happily refund or exchange the item.
All Louise Douglas Jewellery items have 6 months warranty from the date of purchase (remember to keep a proof of purchase). We offer a repair service if your product is broken, and we will repair this free-of-charge during the warranty period. If your product is not covered under our warranty, a small charge may apply.
Please note: manufacturing faults do not include general wear and tear (including bent out of shape rings), tarnishing, damaged gemstones or pearls, broken chains, or plating that has worn off.
All of our jewellery is hand-made, and so it needs to be looked after carefully. By following these instructions, your jewellery should last a lifetime.
- Avoid contact with any water, perfume, hairspray, creams, and household chemicals.
- Store in a protective box or pouch, and keep pieces apart so they don't rub together. Add a piece or chalk or a silica packet to absorb moisture.
- Do not wear gold-plated or pearl jewellery to bed or on a day-to-day basis. Our plating is some of the highest quality you'll find, but all plating will wear naturally over time.
- We recommend that each time you put on your necklace to pinch closed the handmade clasp to help keep the tension.
Cleaning instructions:
- Sterling silver — To renew its shine, rub with a soft polishing cloth. Do not use silver dips as it will clean away the blackened oxidised finish.
- 22k gold plate — Clean gently in a mild non-abrasive dishwashing liquid diluted in water, or try a squirt of Windex on a soft, non-abrasive cloth. We do not recommend using a polish cloth, paste, or strong jewellery cleaner. Throughly dry your jewellery after any exposure to water.
- 9k gold — Our solid gold pieces can be worn daily and do not require too much care. Clean with a soft brush and warm water. Buff with a soft polishing cloth.
Frequently asked questions
All of Louise Douglas jewellery is made in our Nelson workshop. We do import some raw materials but all the creations are handcrafted by our small team of artisans. We are one of very few companies still manufacturing this kind of jewellery in New Zealand and we take pride in employing local jewellers and supporting NZ suppliers whenever we can.
The majority of our sterling silver items are held in stock and ready to ship right away. Our solid gold pieces are handmade to order just for you so please allow approximately 2-3 weeks for delivery. Our in stock items usually ship within 3-5 business days. Please let us know of any deadlines, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
All of our pieces come elegantly packaged in our signature, logo branded cardboard boxes with tissue paper and a satin ribbon.
Yes, absolutely and it's FREE. If you wish to have added gift wrapping with a personalised message the option is available in the check box at check out.
Yes! You can buy a gift certificate online or in our Nelson store. If you want a custom amount from our online store please don’t hesitate to ask. It can be shipped as a hard copy or sent via email.
Yes, all of our ear wires, chains and clasps are made in sterling silver, solid 9ct gold or 14k rolled gold wire. Sometimes skin gets sore and itchy from a reaction to nickel. Our jewellery does not contain any nickel. Some people may have a reaction to our gold or palladium plated earring studs at the contact point on the ear - we only sell these at out Nelson store they are sometimes an online giveaway.
Rings sizes can be difficult to get completely right. Here are a few of our recommendations: Stop by our store to get sized in person or visit a nearby jeweller and see if they are willing to take your ring size for you. Use our handy and printable ring sizing guide. or bracelet guide. Contact us via email and we can ship you a ring sizer tool (domestic N.Z only) The sizer costs $5.00 but will be refunded with your order.
Your first resize on a standard ring is FREE with $10.00 return shipping. Any resizes after that will cost $40.00. Custom designs or rings with specialty stones may need to assessed for a quote.
Absolutely. We can usually accommodate quarter sizes between the posted size or requests for sizes larger or smaller than the posted sizes. Customised ring sizes may require a surcharge for material, labour, and/or redesign. Customised sizes are non refundable, so please enquire.
Unfortunatly we do not offer single earring replacements.
Yes, you can show your love with a custom engraved piece. We can offer engraving on many of our rings and bracelets for a cost of $35.00. Look for “engraveable” in the item descriptions or contact us for more guidance. Engraving could add 5-7 days to your order. You can have up to 40 characters for a bracelet and 20 characters for a ring. Choose script or block capitals.
Our handmade S-hook clasps are designed to be pinched to engage tension. If you see a space open in the clasp you just need to pinch it closed for security. These clasps are easy to use and secure if you follow the pinch rule but if you would prefer a spring loaded clasp, please just ask. Some newer items may use our crescent toggles. These are also easy to use and very secure. Just slide the crescent through the small ring then gently pull the necklace from the front to check it’s secured in place.
Gold filled jewellery is made by pressure bonding an actual layer of gold to another metal - usually copper. Although it is not sold gold, it has the same desirable properties and the look of solid gold. Gold filled is much more valuable and tarnish resistant than plated gold and can be worn daily without fear of fading or rubbing. In most cases it’s hyper allergenic.
925 Sterling Silver with an oxidised finish, so is still true sterling silver with a surface that has been blackened through a chemical process. This is basically speeding up the tarnishing process but only on the exterior of the metal to give it a cool, dark look. Take note, that any aggressive polishing can strip off the black finish, any cleaning should only be done with mild soap detergent and soft brushes.
Pearls are an organic material and each one is unique. There may be some slight variations in colour and size, particularly with our peacock pearls as they can vary from blue to green to purple. If you have any particular requests or concerns please contact us.
We are currently not taking on commissions with our online clients but we can customise an existing item for you. For example, we can change the base metal of an item to yellow, white or rose gold or a different to carat of gold. We can also change the stones in existing designs. The lead time for customised designs is generally 2-3 weeks. Please get in touch with us by email or phone to discuss.
No sorry, we do not melt down or re-work old jewellery but if you want to get your gold refined and put the profits towards one of our hand crafted items please feel free to contact us an we can put you in touch with our metal refiner.
If you’re near Nelson, you can stop by our flagship boutique. We also sell to independent boutiques throughout NZ. Visit our stores section to see the other independent outlets who carry our designs. If there is an item you have seen in our store and it’s not on our website please ask and we can send you an image and a price.