Policies & FAQ

All orders for finished pieces ship within 1-2 business days of purchase. For any designs with 'Made to Order' in the title, please add an extra 3-5 business days on top of this in order for me to create your dream piece for you. :)

- Standard (2-5 business days): $6.50 AUD

- Express (1 business day): $10.50 AUD

*Free Express Shipping For Orders Over $150 AUD.

Please note the new tariffs have been included in all product prices for US customers. These taxes will be paid prior to shipping. :)

- Standard (6-12 business days): $9.50 USD

- Express (2-4 business days): $24 USD

*Free Standard Shipping For Orders Over $300 USD

- Standard (5-8 business days): $13AUD

- Express (2-4 business days): $33 AUD

*Free Standard Shipping For Orders Over $250 AUD

- Standard (6-10 business days): $20 AUD

- Express (2-4 business days): $40AUD

*Free Standard Shipping For Orders Over $250 AUD

- Standard (5-9 business days): $12 AUD

- Express (2-4 Business days): $32 AUD

*Free Standard Shipping For Orders Over $250 AUD

***Please note that I am not taking bespoke custom orders at this time beyond the current 'Made to Order' listings on my website.***

If you'd like to be notified of the next time I open up orders for bespoke custom pieces, feel free to subscribe to my VIP email list at the bottom of this page. 💕

When I do open up custom order slots, please note the following:

1: A non-refundable 50% deposit is required before I begin work, with the remaining balance due before completion.

2: I won't be able to copy other jewellers' designs, as I strive to keep Gem & Tonik's pieces original and respect other artists' work.

3: I can only work with stones from my own sustainably sourced collection, both for ethical reasons and also insurance purposes.

4: As each custom piece is made-to-order, I can't offer returns for change of mind or incorrect ring size.

Each custom piece is carefully handmade, making it a complete one-of-a-kind! 😊

If you've fallen in love with a Gem & Tonik design that doesn’t have 'Made to Order' in the title, unfortunately, I won’t be able to resize it myself. I work exclusively with hand tools, and resizing a ring with a gemstone already set in it risks cracking or damaging the stone due to the heat from my torches.

However, most rings can be resized by a jeweller with the right equipment, such as a laser welder or specialized resizing machinery. I recommend checking with a local jewellery store first. If you love a Gem & Tonik piece but it’s not in your size, you can show the jeweller the photos and listing details to see if they can safely resize it for you.

For sizing up, some jewellers offer a ring stretching service, which is often a more affordable option. When done correctly, this method doesn’t alter the appearance of the ring or band.

Gem & Tonik is a 100% cruelty-free business, designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. I am always researching, learning, and refining my practices to ensure my work treads gently on the earth. Knowing that this little business leaves only a small footprint is something I’m incredibly proud of.

I spend a great deal of time researching gemstones and their mining districts to ensure I purchase only stones that are ethically sourced. This process can take weeks, months, or even years, which is why I sometimes cannot source specific gems quickly.

In most product listings, you’ll notice I share the location of where each gemstone was found. This is because transparency and origin matter deeply to me. I will not purchase a stone unless I can be confident it has been obtained in as ethical and sustainable a way as possible for that region of the world. There are some gems I choose not to work with at all, as the current practices surrounding them remain questionable.

Almost all of the precious metals I use in my work are recycled. Much of this I do myself in my studio, testing purity, melting down silver, brass, and gold, then transforming them into sheet metal or wire with hammers, fire, and a hand-operated rolling mill.

When I do purchase additional metals, I source them from refineries that value sustainability and offer recycled options wherever possible.

Over the years I’ve researched and reshaped my practice to make the creating process as eco-friendly as I can. Many of my tools are second-hand, and some of my favourites once belonged to my grandfather, who was a woodworker. I avoid leather tools, instead choosing metal, wood, or sustainable natural rubber.

Traditional jewellery making often relies on harsh chemicals, but I have found gentler alternatives that are kinder to both the environment and myself. For example:

- I use an eco-friendly patina to darken metals (which later nourishes my garden as fertiliser).
- I coat pieces in an eco-friendly flux during soldering.
- I use citric acid (a food-safe ingredient) to clean pieces after fire exposure.
- I polish with plant-based compounds and use soy wax, not beeswax, to lubricate saw blades.
- Much of the water I use in the process is later repurposed in my garden.
- For pendants, I also offer adjustable cords made from organic cotton rather than leather.

Gem & Tonik packaging is currently over 90% recycled or biodegradable, and I am always seeking ways to increase that percentage. I use biodegradable hexagon wrap to protect each treasure, recycled paper for shipping labels, hand-folded recycled cardboard boxes for storage, business cards printed on recycled stock, and recycled paper mailers. You can read more about G&T packaging further down this page. :)

Every Gem & Tonik piece is created slowly and intentionally, with durability at the heart of the design. Before leaving my studio, each creation is tested extensively to ensure it is built to last for years of wear. I craft with the aim of creating heirloom-quality jewellery from the very beginning.

In a world of fast fashion and disposable accessories, handmade jewellery stands apart. Each design is a small act of resistance against waste: a one-of-a-kind treasure made from recycled metals, ethically sourced gems, and traditional techniques that honour both craft and sustainability. Choosing a handmade piece means choosing something that will not only endure, but also carry a story, yours, mine, and the earth’s.

When you choose Gem & Tonik, you’re not only supporting sustainable practices but also helping a small, independent maker thrive. Every purchase directly supports my work as an artist and my commitment to keeping this craft as ethical and earth-friendly as possible.

I take all product photos both in natural light outside in my garden, and inside under artificial light in my studio.

I use both a professional DSLR camera for close up, light-box photos and my phone camera for photos taken outside in natural light.

Using two different cameras and two filming locations ensures that you can see every Gem & Tonik piece in detail, as well as how it will look when you're wearing her both indoors and outdoors.

Taking photos in a range of lighting and setting situations means you can often already see online how the colours of a stone might change throughout your day.

However, please keep in mind that slight variations in colour may still occur, as different monitors, browsers, and phone screens can display colours differently.

Before purchasing any pieces from my shop, please ensure you read the descriptions, are sure of your ring size, and look over photos thoroughly. I put a great deal of time into accurately describing and photographing my work, and try to provide as much information as I can in each product listing to ensure you can purchase with confidence. 

Finished Pieces: 

I will gladly accept returns on any piece that is not listed as Custom or Made To Order. To do this, simply message me via my 'Contact' page (you can find this at the bottom of any page on my website) within 3 days of delivery, and send me the tracking details of your return package within 7 days of delivery. 

To receive a refund, piece(s) must be returned in their original condition within the timeframe specified above. Refunds will be processed the day that the piece(s) arrive back at my studio, as long as these conditions are met.

Custom & Made to Order Pieces: 

Custom and Made to Order items are final sale, and therefore not returnable. Please double check your ring size when ordering, as each Made to Order piece is created specifically for the customer that orders it.

Yes!

Once I make any piece of jewellery, I subject it to a great deal of testing to make sure it's as wearable and well-made as possible. All pieces purchased from my website also come with a 100 day warranty from date of purchase. 

Please note that this does not cover breakage or damage due to misuse, or exposure of stones to chemicals. For information on how to care for your gemstone jewellery and keep it in optimum condition, check out my jewellery care tips further down this page. 

If for some reason you are not happy with your order, please send me a message and we can work together to find a suitable solution. Customer service and satisfaction are incredibly important to me, and I will always work to the best of my ability to ensure my creations are going to home where they will be loved! 

Every order comes ready for gift giving, lovingly packaged in a little black gift bag and a Gem & Tonik gift box handmade by me from recycled cardboard. Care instructions, a silver polishing cloth and a few little tumbled gemstones are also included in each order.

All Gem & Tonik packaging is also eco-friendly, as almost all the materials I use are recycled and biodegradable!

For purchases under $150, each order is thoughtfully packaged in a black gift bag, accompanied by a silver polishing cloth, a care information scroll tied with hemp ribbon, and a few small, tumbled gemstones.

These are then all placed in a black gift box, handmade from recycled cardboard. The box is adorned with a unique sigil inspired by The Triple Goddess, the Greek Hydria Rosette Band, ancient alchemical seals, and lunar mythology. At its heart lies the 8-pointed Greek star; an emblem of cosmic balance, guidance, and storytelling, a celestial compass once used to navigate both seas and myths.
The box is tied with natural hemp ribbon, paired with a Gem & Tonik business card, carefully wrapped in biodegradable honeycomb paper, and then mailed in a recycled padded paper envelope. Almost every element of Gem & Tonik packaging is eco-friendly, crafted from mostly recycled and biodegradable materials.

For purchases of $150 and over, each order is lovingly packaged in a black gift bag, with a silver polishing cloth, a care information scroll tied with hemp rinbon, and some small tumbled gemstones included.

Each box is adorned with a one-of-a-kind black wax seal, carefully melted, poured, stamped, and hand-painted with touches of gold. The seal features the Gem & Tonik monogram; a handcrafted emblem weaving mystery, mythology, and artisanal heritage, blending earth and sky, history and fantasy, structure and soul. The box is paired with a Gem & Tonik business card embossed with matte gold foil, wrapped securely in biodegradable honeycomb paper, and shipped in a recycled padded paper mailer. Like all Gem & Tonik packaging, it is eco-conscious, using primarily recycled and biodegradable materials.

Most of the pieces I create are made from a combination of recycled Sterling Silver and Fine Silver. Pure Silver (100% Silver) is incredibly soft and porous, which means a piece could easily be bent with a small amount of force, or dinted easily by any knocks, scratches or movement. I use Sterling Silver and Fine Silver instead in my work, as this guarantees not only the quality, but also the longevity of a piece so that it can be worn and loved for many years.

Sterling silver contains at least 92.5% silver, with the other 7.5% consisting of copper and zinc. I use this for all the ring bands, back plates, little accents, pendant bails, earring hooks, bangles and other embellishments. This ensures that every piece can withstand everyday wear, maintaining it's shape, quality and beautiful silver colour.

Fine silver contains at least 99% silver, with the other 1% consisting of copper and zinc. I use this in all the bezels in my work, which are the pieces of silver that envelope each gemstone, holding it into the piece. I choose to work with Fine Silver for these bezels, as it is a little bit softer than sterling silver. This means that it provides less pressure on the stones that it sits around, making them less likely to crack with wear and knocks over time.

Fine Silver can also go for longer periods without cleaning and not tarnish, so even if you don't polish or wear your Gem & Tonik piece often, the Fine Silver will stay bright and shiny, helping to showcase the stones in every piece, allowing their colours and features to stand out and be the focus in every design.

Lately, I've been incorporating small accents made from recycled brass into some of my designs. The brass I use has a beautiful warm hue, closely resembling 14k yellow gold, making it a wonderful way to add golden details without significantly increasing the cost of the piece.

When working with brass, I always ensure that a layer of sterling silver sits between the brass and any part of the jewelry that touches the skin. This extra care means that even those with sensitive skin can wear Gem & Tonik pieces without worrying about brass causing any discoloration.

Brass can be cleaned and polished just like sterling silver. Every order comes with a small polishing cloth—simply give your piece a gentle polish from time to time to keep it looking shiny and new!

I sometimes use 14 karat rose gold or yellow gold to make small accents or bezels to adorn my pieces. These precious metals are an absolute dream to work with, but their prices are a great deal higher than other metals. Because of their current high price point, I'm not currently creating designs completely made from solid gold. This is something I would love to be able to offer as my buisness and customer base continues to grow, so watch this space!

In creating my pieces, I always use the highest quality materials to ensure that they are built to last. That said, like all other artisan jewellery containing natural stones, Gem & Tonik items still need to be treated with love and care in order to keep them in optimum condition. To help achieve this, I provide detailed care instructions and a silver polishing cloth with every order.

All of the precious and semi-precious gemstones that I use in my work are genuine, and many are considered to be delicate. Opals and Larimar for example can be discoloured from prolonged exposure to pollution and sunlight, and Turquoise and Malachite can discolour after prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals. For this reason, it's advisable to take off your Gem & Tonik pieces when showering, swimming, washing hands and undergoing strenuous activity. When cleaning your items, I suggest to just use a silver polishing cloth without water, and it's best to stay away from any chemical jewellery cleaners so that they don't affect the stones.

If you plan on saving your Gem & Tonik pieces for special occasions, I always recommend storing them in an air-tight bag or container. This is because most precious metals can tarnish when exposed to moisture and oxygen over time.

If your piece does tarnish over the years, simply use the free polishing cloth included in your order to gently buff the precious metals back to their original shine.

For tarnish that is more stubburn, use a touch of bicarbonate soda on an old toothbrush to gently clean the piece using soft, circular motions.

Please keep in mind that all information and recommendations on the metaphysical properties of stones are published on my website in good faith, and are based on anecdotal evidence I have gathered through various resources including legend and myth from past centuries.

Crystals should never be used as a substitute for conventional medical or psychological treatment, and I cannot claim they cure or heal medical conditions. Please always listen to the advice of your medical professional and only use crystals as a complimentary therapy in addition to medical treatment.