FAQs—Frequently Asked Questions

(If you have other questions, please email us at thepearllery@rogers.com) 

(speed)  How long before you fill my order?  

Our normal turn-around time for mailing out orders is 48 hours or less.  We’ll email you when it’s sent out and if there’s any delay we’ll certainly let you know what to expect. 

(shipping)  How do you send my order and what will it cost me?  

  In the US we use the USPS and in Canada your order comes Canada Post.  Shipping is a flat 6% of your order, but if your basket totals $100 or more, we ship FREE. 

(sizes) What are mm?  

Pearl sizes are measured in millimetres, part of the metric system.  Ten millimetres is one centimeter, or a bit more than 1/3 inch.  An American dime is about 17 mm. 

(boxes) Do my pearls come in a box? 

We supply a soft, pretty silk bag with every set of pearls you order.  You should keep them in that as it will protect the surface of your pearls from your other jewelry, which can scratch them. 

(loose pearls, strands) I make my own jewelry—Do you sell loose pearls or strands? 

Sorry, but we only carry finished jewelry, not unset or unstrung pearls. 

(returns) What if I don’t like my purchase?  

We stand behind our pearls 100%.  You may return your purchase within 30 days for any reason.  Let us know in advance by email to expect it and send it back to us.  If you prefer a replacement, we’ll send that; otherwise we’ll refund your purchase price, with the exception of a custom order, for which you will receive store credit.    We don’t refund the shipping cost.

(payments) Can I pay by instalments?  

Sorry, we don’t take instalment payments.  We do take credit cards, though—Visa or Mastercard, or PayPal.  You can also do all this by snail mail and send us a check.  We’ll send out your order after your check has cleared. In addition, you can order by fax (705-737-9590) or by email (thepearllery@rogers.com),  but PLEASE be sure to  include contact information (phone number and/or email) so we can reach you if there’s a question. 

(credit card security)  I don’t like giving my credit card information over the internet. 

We suggest you phone us and we can do it that way, or, as above, write us snail mail with the information.  We can call you for the credit card numbers.

(privacy)  What will you do with my credit card and personal information?

All pearls are treated in some way.  For example, after removal from the oyster, every pearl is tumbled with very mild abrasives to remove anything adhering to the surface and to clean it.  After that, almost all pearls are bleached lightly to ensure an even coloration.  This does not hurt the pearl.  Neither of these processes is even mentioned by manufacturers or suppliers because they are so common.

With the exception of some South Sea and Polynesian oysters which produce golden or black pearls (although those are seldom truly black—most range from gray to greenish) and athough a few oysters living in polluted waters do produce bluish pearls, virtually all other pearls are shades of white or cream.  No oyster ever produced a lavender or peacock or cranberry-colored pearl.  So all those colors result from dying, and that includes almost all black, blue, gold, yellow, or pink pearls, both salt-water and freshwater. You might be able to see traces of dye near the holes where the pearl is strung.  Sometimes the pearl farm will dye its less perfect pearls. Even high quality pearls may be dyed lightly to produce the highly-valued pink or rosy overtones which are so popular in heirloom or classic pearls.

Dyed pearls are not necessarily worth less than undyed white pearls—it depends still on iridescence, how blemish-free the pearl is, how thick the nacre is, and the overall quality of the pearl.  Colors are mainly a personal preference, found more often in fashion, “fun” pearl jewellery.