Frequently Asked Questions
We answer a lot of questions both in our booths and over the phone, so we have compiled a list of the most common questions (or frequently asked questions…) for you to peruse. If you still have a question that wasn’t answered on this page, please contact us and we would be happy to answer them for you!
How much is your jewelry?
It depends! Our rings vary in price depending on the metal, stone and size. To find out the price of a particular ring, find the ring on our website for all of the specs and info then fill out this form. With this form, we will research the price of the stone and send you an invoice for the final price. We have a variety of stones, colors and qualities available thus we are able to discuss what budget you might have and find an appropriate stone for your special order! Of course, there are some simple parameters that might help you figure out your wishes. Silver is about 1/10th the price of Gold, and lab created stones are less expensive than their natural versions. A diamond or alexandrite will cost more than, say, a garnet or lapis lazuli.
I saw a ring at your booth this weekend for less than the price I was quoted online, why is that?
The rings we keep in stock for festivals are made in specific sizes and stones; They are not custom pieces. The rings you order from the website are custom made for you and sized in wax to fit you before they are ever cast. You have the freedom to pick the stone, metal, size and design when you order from the website. Each piece is handmade by the Muses and the upmost care is taken to ensure its quality.
How do I pay for my ring?
Because our rings vary so greatly in pricing, we work one on one with you in the designing and payment process. Once you have filled out the custom quote request for your chosen ring, we will research current price of the metal and stone for you. We will send you a PDF invoice that you can peruse at your leisure. Once you are ready to make a payment, all you need to do is contact us to get the ball rolling!
Do I have to pay in full when ordering a custom piece?
You do not need all of the money up front to get the process started on your own custom creation. Half down insures a fix on the price, so we request that you are ready for that payment when you place your order. You may pay monthly or weekly, or as you wish. We do prefer to have orders paid within two to three months, but we understand when life gets in the way! Rush orders which need to be done in 4 weeks or less will require payment in full.
Do you have a brick and mortar store that I can visit?
We do not have a storefront in Santa Barbara. The address you see is actually just a mailing address, as we are on the road most of the year. Yep, we pack up our whole workshop and stock and travel the country! If you are in Southern California in the spring, feel free to come visit us at the Southern California Renaissance Festival in April and May in Irwindale. We display and sell our jewelry exclusively at Renaissance Festivals around the country, so if you would like to visit us in person, check out our list of Ren Faires for the Festival we will be at nearest to you!
I am going to be near a festival you are at when my ring is ready, can I come pick it up?
Of course! You will need to come to the Festival during its operating hours (typically Saturdays and Sundays). If you do not wish to pay to attend the festival itself, contact us the week before you come out, as most festivals have a merchant pass to be able to visit a vendor briefly to pick up merchandise. When you pick up your ring, we will happily refund you the shipping amount!
I saw one of your rings at a Renaissance Festival, can I purchase it online?
You will not be able to purchase a specific ring from this website. We can, however, recreate it specially for you! Just fill out the Quote Request Form and we can send you an estimate! If you have any questions about a ring you might have seen at one of our booths, just contact us!
My stone has a flaw.
Flaws are actually inclusions or veils that help the gemologist determine the nature of the stone, are very common and are interesting characteristics of the stones. Stones like Natural Ruby and Natural Emerald are actually easy to determine because they will always naturally have inclusions. Depending on your budget, we can find you a clear, high quality stone; or find you a “lesser” stone, which may have inclusions. If you desire a bright and clear stone in your ring, but do not have the budget for a AAA stone, we have a wide selection of lab created stones as well. If you have a preference for quality, make sure to let us know in the ‘notes’ section of the Quote Request Form!
Do you work in Platinum? White gold?
Yes! When you fill out the Quote Request form for a piece, you will notice that you are given a lot of choices of metals, including 14kt Rose gold and Platinum. For any of our metals, the price depends on ring sizes and setting desired.
Which stones are available for your work?
We carry a large stock of good quality gemstones of all types, and can order diamonds in all shapes and sizes and quality at reasonable prices from sustainable and conflict-free sources. The prices of these stones vary according to many factors such as cut, color and clarity. Consider your budget, and we can find you the best stones for your individual needs. If you would like to find out the price of multiple stones, make sure to let us know in the ‘notes’ section of the Quote Request Form of your selected piece.What can you budget for a stone, and in those parameters, would you be willing to live with very minute inclusions in order to get the largest stone possible? The variables are endless according to you budget needs.
Do you work with Diamonds?
Yes! We have access to a large assortment of diamonds of different qualities and prices. If you would like to see a diamond set into your selected piece, just keep in mind that the price of the diamond goes up exponentially after 1ct, which is why most of our wedding rings and bands feature smaller stones, to help keep our jewelry more affordable.We can now source some amazing lab-grown diamonds as well!
Are your diamonds conflict-free?
We deal with stones from companies which ascribe to the Diamond Protocol of 1999, assuring their sources to be from legitimate mines with fair trade policies for their workers. Some of our diamonds are even of secondary sources removed from antique settings. We do this by buying only stones that have been in circulation here in the United States, from Estate sales or from jewelry that has been broken up to make new more exciting designs.
Do you work in Titanium, Palladium etc?
No, we do not. We only work in the castable precious metals. The metals we work with are Sterling Silver, 14k Yellow, White, and Rose Gold, and Platinum.
Can you set my own stone?
In most cases we can set a stone you provide. Most gemstones are durable and can easily be removed and set within one of our pieces. Our two exceptions are opals, which are much too delicate (we don’t want to crack your grandmother’s opal!) and emeralds. Emeralds are beautiful but their natural inclusions make them easy to crack if the vibration hits just the wrong spot. We will happily work with our own selection of these stones, but we hesitate to work with others.
Will my silver ring tarnish?
Not if you wear it frequently! You might be thinking of silver place settings, which seem to tarnish as soon as they are polished; those are fine silver. We work with Sterling Silver, which is 92.5% silver mixed with other alloys. This makes our jewelry strong and durable and makes them less susceptible to oxidation when worn often. If you ring does tarnish, not to worry! A simple polishing cloth will fix it right up. If it’s been in a drawer for a while, you might try brushing it with a soft toothbrush and some mild dish soap first. Also keep in mind that some chemicals can oxidize silver, like those found in hot tubs and hot springs, but you can always bring it by one of our booths for a polish if that happens!
Will my ring turn my finger green?
Ideally no. Our rings are solid cast metals starting with sterling silver so green skin shouldn’t be an issue (though some people have just that right pH balance to their skin that green might appear over time). The oxidation appearing on the skin usually happens with a ring is plated with a lesser metal underneath.
Do your diamonds come with certifications?
We get GIA certifications on any of our diamonds over .50ct, which we will send you with your ring. If you would like certification on any other stone or size, you can contact the Gemological Institute of America to get your own certifications. We now also include certifications for our Lab-grown diamonds as well.
The oxidation/antiquing has come off of my ring, how can I replace it?
We will gladly redo the oxidation or antique black that we put on most of the rings for small fee. You can send it to our mailing address (or contact us for a more direct address). We highly suggest that you send it with insurance, so that it arrives safely. (Usually $8-25) We also ask that you cover return postage, we will send you an invoice when we receive the ring.
You can also do it yourself! Here’s the recipe:
To antique the ring yourself, scrub with a toothbrush with a solvent like Xylol or “Goof Off”, to get off all of the old paint and skin oils and dirt, or put in an ultrasonic, scrubbing as need be. Let dry thoroughly or place under a lamp until dry, then apply with a fine brush a flat black enamel paint to the engraved details of the ring, rub off with a clean lint free cloth or shop type paper towel, and rub off again until excess paint is off of the ring. A quick polish with a polishing cloth or buffing wheel would give it back its sparkle. Presto antique-o!
How do I take care of my new ring?
Our rings are made for longevity! The few things to look out for are the background antique and the stone. The background antique is applied to bring out the design. It’s a really great look, but will last differently on different metals. Because of the very nature of gold, it may not last indefinitely, yet with silver the antique is created with a chemical process, so it will last much longer!
Please do not wear your ring in chlorinated water for long periods of time, or expose it to exotic solvents, as that can be detrimental to the gemstone and possibly the metal. We do not recommend having it steam cleaned nor ultrasonically cleaned. You may clean your ring with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush scrubbing very lightly, and then take a polishing cloth to it to bring back the shine.
Are the rings available without antiquing?
Yes. Although most people like the antique we us on the rings, some prefer them without it. If this is your desire, please specify it on your Quote Request Form.
How long will it take to create my ring?
All of the orders from the website will be custom orders, so they will take between 6-9 months to finish and perfect. If you need your piece sooner, you can pay a modest rush fee (aka our “Muses sanity” fee) to receive your ring in 8-12 weeks.
Can you use the gold from a ring I have?
Alas, we cannot. We have a special refinery we work with to obtain our metal, so we cannot melt down your gold. Different refineries use different alloys and we wouldn’t want new metals to contaminate our pieces. All of our gold is recycled, so no need to worry about the environmental impact, we’ve already taken care of that!
I have a design of my own that I would like to see cast in a ring, can you do that?
Not at the moment. Our process starts all the way down to the wax, so creating a new design from scrap can take too much of our time to be able to do efficiently.
If you are interested in tweaking a design we already have, such as to make it fit around your own ring or to accommodate a smaller or larger stone in an already designed setting, we can absolutely do that! The process and price varies depending on the situation, so contact us if you want to know about changing up a specific design.
I lost weight, can you size my ring?
We are happy to size our own rings. There will be a small fee for the work as well as shipping. We do warn, however, that a ring can only be sized a couple of times before it starts to weaken the metal. Just contact us to find out how to get the process started!
Do you offer insurance for your jewelry?
No we do not. We always suggest researching insurance on your precious jewelry, so that if something unfortunate happens to it, you can get it replaced if possible.
If you haven't found the answer to your question here, let us know and we would be happy to answer it for you!