FAQs

Can You Provide Diamonds?

Yes, absolutely. I will provide diamonds and any colored gem that you desire. Given your budget, I bring in several GIA-certified diamonds for you to compare and choose from. Each diamond has the highest level of excellence because I take the essential 4cs a step further by inspecting the character of each stone. I pre-qualify every diamond by examining its fire, brightness shape, and overall brilliance to match your skin tone. What I source out for you is not available online. I provide the same service for any colored gem. Every stone I bring is of the highest quality at an achievable price.

Do You Provide GIA Certified Diamonds?

Yes, I Strictly Bring GIA Certified Diamonds Unless You Specify Not To.

Are Your Diamonds Ethically Sourced?

Yes, At Cynthia Britt We Only Supply Diamonds from Vendors That Are Certified By The Responsible Jewelry Council, And Who Abide By The Guidelines Set Forth By The Kimberly Process. This Ensures That Each Diamond Has Been Ethically and Responsibly Sourced From An Area That Abides By Basic Human Rights Standards. Please Visit “Our Diamonds” Page To Learn More About The Gemstones At Cynthia Britt.

Can We Get An Appraisal?

Yes, Definitely. I Will Give You An Appraisal Based In Its Replacement Value.

How Are Your Prices For Diamonds And Gems Compared To Other Places?

Because Of The Custom Nature Of My Work, I Can Provide Any Size, Shape And Color Diamonds And Gems. Based On Your Requirements, I Will Show You A Few Choices So You Can Have The Opportunity To Compare Different Diamonds And Colored Gems And Choose For Yourself. I Will Guide You, Give You Unbiased Information By Showing What To Look For In A Stone So You Know Exactly What You Are Getting.

You Will Get Your Ideal Diamond/Colored Gem At A Reasonable Cost Without Ever Sacrificing Quality.

Is There An Initial Consultation Fee?

Yes, Initial Consultation Fee is $85 And This Includes One Hour Of Consultation. Should You Decide To Move Forward, You Will Receive A $85 Credit.

How Did Each Ring Get Its Name?

I Name Them After The Person For Whom It Was Made!

What Are The Pros And Cons Of White Gold Versus Platinum?

Platinum Is A Very Strong Yet Malleable Metal. The Way Its Molecular Structure Is That The Molecules Are Constantly Moving. So When You Hit Your Ring To A Surface, You’Ll Get A Dent In That Spot, Only Because The Molecules Moved To The Adjacent Spot And Now There’s A Bump Next To Your Dent. It’s Constantly Moving.

Platinum Doesn’T Wear And Get Thin, It Just Moves.
Gold Doesn’T Have The Same Molecular Bond, So It Wears And Gets Thin In Time.
You Don’T Need To Rhodium Plate Platinum, But You Need To Rhodium Plate White Gold.
Platinum And Gold Are Both Precious Metals And They Both Get Scratched Up.
Platinum Is More Than Double Expensive From 14 Karat Gold And About 50% More Than 18 Karat Gold.

Read More About The Difference Between Platinum And White Gold Here.

Does The Rhodium Wear Off? And How Often Do I Need To Rhodium Plate It?
Yes, Like Any Plating, Rhodium Wears Off In Time. It Completely Depends On How You Take Care Of Your Jewelry. I Don’T Recommend To Rhodium Your Ring Too Often. Every Other Year Is Okay. The Reason Is That, First The Ring Needs To Be Buffed And Polished, Then Rhodium Plated. Each Time That It’s Buffed And Polished, A Very Thin Layer Of The Metal Is Removed. Frequent Buffing And Polishing Makes The Metal Get Thin.

Why Is White Gold Rhodium Plated?

14 And 18 Karat Regular White Gold Have A Yellow Tone To Them. In Order To Make Them White And Shiny, They Need To Be Dipped In Rhodium, Also Called Rhodium Plating. Rhodium Is A White Metal And It’s From The Platinum Family.

Is It More Expensive To Have 18 Karat Mixed With Palladium Versus The Regular 18 Karat White Gold?

Yes, Regular 18k White Gold Is .785 Parts Pure Gold And .215 Parts White Alloys Such As Nickel To Give It The White Color. For People Who Are Allergic To Nickel, 18k White Gold Can Be Mixed With Palladium Instead Of Nickel. Palladium Is From The Family Of Platinum Metals And It’s Hypoallergenic And It’s More Expensive Than 18 Karat That’s Mixed With Nickel, But Less Expensive Than Pure Platinum.

Is There Any Other Advantage To Having My Ring Made In 18 Karat White Gold And Palladium?

Yes, Palladium Is A White Metal And Once It’s Mixed With Gold, Gives The Gold Metal A Beautiful White Color. Therefore, You Can Avoid Rhodium Plating Your Ring. This Is An Extra Expense And It Needs To Be Repeated Every So Often, Depending On How Rough You Are On Your Jewelry.

I’m Allergic To Nickel, What Are My Choices Of Metal?

I Can Either Make Your Ring In Platinum Or 18 Karat With Palladium. Regular 18 Karat Gold Has Plenty Of Nickel Alloy Mixed To Make It Look White. I Can Substitute The Nickel With Palladium. Palladium Is From The Family Of Platinum Metals, It’s Pure And It Doesn’t Give Allergy.

What Choices Of Metal Do I Have?

For Engagement Rings And Wedding Bands, Depending On Your Budget, The Choices Are 14 Karat White Or Yellow Gold. 18 Karat White Or Yellow Gold And Platinum.

How Are Your Prices For Diamonds And Gems Compared To Other Places?

Because Of The Custom Nature Of My Work, I Can Provide Any Size, Shape And Color Diamonds. Based On Your Requirements, I Will Show You A Few Choices So You Can Have The Opportunity To Compare Different Diamonds And Choose For Yourself. I Will Guide You, Give You Unbiased Information By Showing What To Look For In A Diamond So You Know Exactly What You Are Getting.

You Will Get Ideal Diamond At A Reasonable Cost Without Ever Sacrificing Quality.

I Want To Get Engaged And It’s A Surprise. What Is The Process Of Getting An Engagement Ring Made For Her?

95% Of My Clients Come For A Surprise Engagement Ring! Come In With An Image Of Your Fiancée To-Be, This Will Help Me Design A Ring That Is Suitable To Her Personality, Style And Structure Of Her Hand. According To Your Budget, I Will First Bring A Few Diamonds To Choose From. Once You Choose The Diamond, I Then Sketch By Hand An Appropriate Design. Once You Approve The Design, I Start Making It.

How Long Does The Whole Process Take?

From The Time That The Design Is Approved And I Actually Start Making It, About 4 Weeks To Be On The Safe Side.

Once We Decide On The Design, Will I Know A Ball Park Estimate On How Much My Piece Will Cost?

Yes! Once We Decide On A Design, I Will Calculate A Ball Park Cost For Making Your Piece, So You Know Ahead Of Time.

I Have My Own Heirloom Diamonds/Stones, Will You Still Design And Make A Ring For Me?

We Will Work With Heirloom Diamonds Which Include: Transition Cut, Old European Cut, Old Mine Cut, Rose Cut. We Don’t Work With Any Diamond That Is Not An Heirloom, Family Piece. For All New Diamonds, We Only Take Clients Who Come In For The Entire Experience Of Custom Made Which Includes Sourcing Out Stones For Each Customer’s Unique Criteria.

Limited Warranty:

If My Creation Is Altered Or Worked On By Any Other Establishment Other Than Mine, It Is Out Of Warranty By Me And I Have The Right To Refuse Taking It.