Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

Where are your products made?
All products that appear in my online store are handmade in Adelaide, South Australia by me, Melissa Gillespie, from my home-based jewellery studio. My colourful studio space boasts natural light, an array of indoor plants, jewellery bench, desk, journals, tools, materials, equipment, and soldering facilities. Or in other words, my happy place.

What kind of materials do you use?
All products that appear in my online store have been handmade using high quality 925 Sterling Silver wire and chain, and various coloured cotton threads and silk cords. Materials used to create my Contemporary Jewellery pieces are all sourced from Australian suppliers and businesses.

Who designs the products?
Each piece of jewellery is designed and handmade by me, Melissa Gillespie. Please see my ABOUT page for further information.

Where are your products sold?
My Contemporary Jewellery pieces can be purchased exclusively through this website, and from a variety of different shops and galleries across Australia. Please see my STOCKISTS page for locations.

What currency does your website use?
All prices that appear on this website are in Australian dollars ($AU) and include Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Do you have stock on hand to post straight away?
I put a lot of time and effort into each one of my jewellery pieces so I prefer to create all products on a Made to Order basis. Once an order has been placed, your item will be especially handmade for you to ensure that a high quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail is always maintained.

Will my jewellery look identical to the images displayed on this website?
All product images that appear in my online store are a guide only. This is because each piece of jewellery is individually handmade for each customer, with no two pieces being the same. Care and attention to detail will be of upmost importance when creating your piece to ensure that it looks as close as possible to the images displayed here. What may vary slightly between each piece of jewellery is the size and/or shape of the design, which is why all dimensions for each product in my online store state ‘approximately’. Before placing an order, please feel free to send an email to melissa@mgjsa.com.au if you have any queries about the product images displayed on my website.

Do you offer Gift Cards?
Gift Cards are a wonderful way to spoil a friend or family member if you can’t choose what to buy them from my online store. A Gift Card gives your special person the unique opportunity to select their own piece of jewellery from my range of sterling silver studs, earrings, neckpieces, and bangles.

I offer Gift Cards under my SHOP tab where you can select from the following Gift Card amounts - $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, and $200. You can choose to send the Gift Card to your loved one in an email at the time of purchase, or schedule the Gift Card to arrive in their inbox on a specific date, perhaps on their birthday or for a special occasion. Please send an email to melissa@mgjsa.com.au if you have any questions about my Gift Cards.

PACKAGING

Does my jewellery come in a gift box?
Each piece of handmade jewellery will always be placed inside its own high quality Melissa Gillespie Jewellery branded gift box, which will then be tied with ribbon to fancify your package. My cardboard gift boxes are stylish, beautiful and recyclable, and made right here in South Australia.

How will my order be packaged?
Each branded gift box containing your order will be carefully placed inside a sturdy cardboard box and padded with bubble wrap to ensure the safe arrival of your jewellery. The recyclable cardboard box will then be placed inside and dispatched within a recycled post satchel.

I will take the utmost care and thoughtfulness when packaging your new piece of jewellery to ensure that it arrives safely at its new home, but in the rare event that your piece becomes damaged in transit, please contact me as soon as possible or within 5 working days of unwrapping so I can organize a repair or replacement for you at my discretion. Please see my Shipping and Returns page for the appropriate steps to take should this happen to you.

SHIPPING

How long does it take for my order to be sent?
As each product in my online store is Made to Order I will do my best to dispatch your jewellery within 10 working days from the date of order. Special Orders, Repairs, or other Services may take longer (approximately 15 – 20 working days) depending on what piece of jewellery is involved or what repairs and/or services you require. Commissions may take up to 4 weeks depending on what design is being especially handmade and how long it takes to make. If turnaround times are going to take longer than anticipated, I will be in touch via email regarding your order’s progress and dispatch date.

What if I need an order in a hurry?
If you require a piece of jewellery urgently, or by a specific date, please email me in advance, or as soon as possible before placing your order to ensure that I can meet your request. With enough preparation time I may be able to accommodate your personal situation and work with you to aim for a suitable dispatch date. I also offer an Express Post option for prompt delivery should you require a piece of jewellery urgently.

What shipping method do you use?
To ensure a reliable delivery option for my customers all orders within Australia will be shipped using Australia Post Parcel Post with tracking. Depending on which state in Australia, your parcel could take somewhere between 2 and 5 working days to arrive safely at its destination. Please see my Shipping and Returns page for further details as deliveries to particular states will likely take longer, as well as orders sent to regional or rural locations.

Do you ship orders outside of Australia?
I will try my best to accommodate shipping your order to you if you live outside of Australia. All orders outside of Australia will be shipped using Australia Post Standard International Parcel Post with tracking. Please contact me at melissa@mgjsa.com.au for any questions regarding international postage costs and turnaround times to your country. Please also see my Shipping and Returns page for further information.

How much is postage within Australia?
Postage is FREE for all orders within Australia. Please see my Shipping and Returns page for further information about postage and turnaround times within Australia.

How much is postage outside of Australia?
All international orders will be charged a flat rate of AU$20.00 for postage.

How do I know when my jewellery is on its way?
Once your jewellery has been handmade and lodged with Australia Post, you will be notified by email and given a tracking number. You are more than welcome to track your parcel with Australia Post at any time. Further details can be found on my Shipping and Returns page.

RETURNS

What is your returns policy?
I want you to feel completely happy with your purchase so if you receive your order and find that it wasn’t quite what you expected, you are able to return the unused item to me within 5 working days of receiving your order. Please see my Shipping and Returns page for further information about how to lodge a return, and what criteria need to be met to have your return processed.

CARE & CLEANING

How do I care for my jewellery?
All my products need to be treated with care and consideration when being worn and stored safely. If treated harshly, it is not uncommon for sterling silver jewellery to scratch, dent or bend out of shape. Please see my comprehensive Care Guide for detailed information about how to care for, and store your Melissa Gillespie Jewellery pieces.

How do I clean my jewellery?
There are a few different ways to safely clean your Melissa Gillespie Jewellery pieces if they get dirty or tarnished. Please go to my comprehensive Care Guide for specific cleaning instructions on how to clean your sterling silver and oxidized sterling silver jewellery pieces.

What is an oxidized finish?
Some of my jewellery designs have been oxidized using a chemical process that purposely blackens the surface of the sterling silver. It creates an attractive dark patina over the surface of the metal, but is a surface finish only. At some point in its lifetime, that oxidized layer may naturally wear away in some areas of the design to reveal the sterling silver surface underneath. These pieces need to be treated with care and consideration when being worn and stored safely to prolong their lifespan. Pease go to my Care Guide for further details on how to care for your oxidized jewellery pieces.

Is wrapped cotton jewellery safe to wear?
My wrapped cotton jewellery pieces are safe to wear, however they will need to be treated with care and consideration when being worn and stored safely. Not allowing them to get wet, and keeping them safe and dry inside their original packaging when not being worn are just some of the simple ways to prolong the lifespan of the oxidzied layer of your jewellery and the textured cotton thread. Please go to my useful Care Guide for more information.

REPAIRS

Do you offer repairs?
I want you to love and wear your Melissa Gillespie Jewellery pieces so if you have accidentally bent, damaged or broken a piece of jewellery I would be more than happy to repair the item if you have purchased it through my online store and have proof of receipt. Please send a detailed email about the repair to melissa@mgjsa.com.au so that we can discuss the appropriate steps to have it rectified, including what possible costs might be involved.

In most cases I will request that you post the piece back to me so that I can assess the piece in person. I can then determine what repairs might need to be carried out and what costs might be involved. Repairs may take up to 15 – 20 working days depending on what work is involved. The customer will be responsible for return postage. Please see my Repairs page in the SERVICES tab for more information.
 
Do you have a lifetime warranty?
I pride myself on my designs and the quality of my materials so if your item becomes faulty at any point during its lifetime due to craftsmanship, please email me as soon as possible so I can repair the item or exchange it for a new one at my discretion. You will, however, need to cover the cost of postage to get it back to me. Please see my Shipping and Returns page for further information about how to lodge a return.

SERVICES

Do you offer a re-oxidizing service?
Some oxidized pieces may become more affected than others due to the way in which they are worn and how they are cared for by the customer. If some of the oxidized finish has worn away on your jewellery piece, it is possible to have it re-oxidized to take it back to its original, blackened finish.

I do offer a re-oxidizing service but at a small fee, so please email me at melissa@mgjsa.com.au should you wish to enquire about this service. I only offer this service to customers who have purchased directly through my website and have proof of purchase. Return postage is the responsibility of the customer. Please see my Aftercare Service page in the SERVICES tab for more information.

Do you offer a cleaning service?
I do offer a cleaning service but at a small fee depending on the piece of jewellery in question. Sometimes all they need is to have their surface finish renewed to bring them back to life. I only offer this service to customers who have purchased directly through my website and have proof of purchase. Return postage is the responsibility of the customer. Please see my Aftercare Service page in the SERVICES tab for more information.

SPECIAL ORDERS & COMMISSIONS

Can I order a different bangle size?
All bangle designs that appear in my online store are available to order in three different sizes: Small (approximately 60mm diameter), Medium (approximately 65mm diameter) and Large (approximately 70mm diameter). If you have determined your bangle size and it doesn’t fit within my standard small, medium, or large size options I may be able to offer you a Bangle Special Order. Please read my Bangle Sizing page for tips on how to measure the correct size bangle, and email me should you wish to have a bangle especially handmade for yourself or a loved one. Please also see my Special Orders page in the SERVICES tab for more information.

Do you do Special Orders?
I offer Special Orders for customers who genuinely love a piece of jewellery from my online store but wish to tweak the design slightly. For example, you could be after a larger coil of an earring design, a different thickness of wire or even a different coloured silk cord or cotton thread. Special Orders usually incur an extra fee depending on what piece of jewellery needs to be altered. Bangle Special Orders are also offered if you have a specific bangle size in mind. Please see my Bangle Sizing page for comprehensive information.

Special orders may take up to 15-20 working days depending on what piece of jewellery you would like, and what materials and processes are involved. I will be in touch via email if a Special Order is going to take longer than anticipated. Please email me if you would like to enquire about a Special Order, or see my Special Orders page in the SERVICES tab for more information.

Do you do Commission pieces?
If you’ve seen a piece of jewellery on my Instagram page that has caught your eye, or you have a particular design in mind that you can’t quite visualize, you are more than welcome to send an email to melissa@mgjsa.com.au with your ideas or thoughts about your dream piece of jewellery. I may be able to offer you the unique opportunity to have a piece of jewellery especially hand crafted for yourself or a loved one as a surprise. Please see my Commissions page in the SERVICES tab for further details about organizing a unique commission piece.