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Want to be an informed consumer?
O.K. Here
are answers to some of the most
Frequently Asked Questions about
Russian Brilliants®. We encourage
you to contact us if you have any
additional questions. We will reply
to all of your inquiries. For more
information about natural diamonds
visit
Matt Meis Goldsmith.
Is Russian Brilliants® Really a
Diamond?
No.
Russian Brilliants® is a
laboratory-grown stone that is
classified as a diamond simulant. A
simulated diamond simulates, or
imitates, the appearance of a
natural diamond, but does not
duplicate the characteristic
chemical and physical properties of
the natural gemstone. Russian
Brilliants® have their origins in a
synthetic material first developed
by the French in 1960 and later
perfected by the Russian’s in 1973
for use as an optical material in
their space program. Over the last
40 years there have been many
advances in the chemical and optical
quality of this man made material.
We are the exclusive distributors of
Russian Brilliants® which we believe
is the most natural looking diamond
simulant available today. Every
stone is hand cut and faceted to
ideal proportions to most accurately
replicate the look of a fine quality
natural diamond. A one carat
Russian Brilliants® stone with its
brilliance and fire is visually
equivalent to the world's finest DE
color VVS clarity diamond valued at
$17,000.
Are Russian Brilliants® as hard as a
real diamond?
Only a natural diamond set in a ring
will not show the signs of normal
daily wear over time such as minor
abrasions or scratches. And
actually, if you are overly rough
with your natural diamond you can
damage it.
That being said, anything that’s not
a diamond, whether its sapphire,
ruby, emerald, blue topaz, amethyst,
or any semi-precious or simulated
diamond material, will be
susceptible to some scratching,
chipping or minor abrasions over
time as a result of daily wear. It
all depends on your lifestyle and
what you do with your hands
throughout the day. Our replacement
policy states that we will replace
any Russian Brilliants® simulated
diamond that is damaged in any way
for any reason for as long as you
own it. You pay only a $75 per
carat deductible which includes all
the labor to replace the stone and
refinish the ring like new. See
more about our
Lifetime Warranty and Insurance Policy.
Will Russian Brilliants® cut glass?
Don’t be confused by this old sales
pitch. Almost all gemstones common
in fine jewelry will cut glass.
Why? Diamond is a 10 on the mohs
hardness scale. Glass has a mohs
hardness of only 6.5. Since most
gemstones used in jewelry have a
hardness above 6.5 they will all cut
glass, including sapphire, ruby,
topaz, quartz, citrine, amethyst and
yes, almost all simulated diamonds
including Russian Brilliants®.
What is the difference between
Russian Brilliants® and other
diamond simulants?
Russian Brilliants® are
hand cut, faceted and
polished like a natural
diamond to ideal
proportions to most
accurately replicate the
look of a fine quality
natural diamond.
Russian Brilliants® were
the first fine simulated
diamond offered online
and are still the best
simulated diamond
available. We are the
most trusted name in the
industry. See the BBB
link on our home page
for details.
How much money does it cost for the
average engagement ring?
See our billboard. Every customer has their own
budget in mind. We believe it’s our job to
create the best ring for you on YOUR budget.
You have many options where to buy your fine
jewelry. Our goal is to earn your trust and
then your business. Keeping your budget in mind
is an important part of that process.
Will other people believe your Russian
Brilliants® is a natural diamond?
We
believe they will. We have heard many stories
from our customers about showing their rings to
another jeweler who was impressed with the
quality of their “diamond”. And we have many
jewelers who recommend Russian Brilliants® to
their customers.
Can Russian Brilliants® be laser inscribed with
a personal message on the girdle of the stone?
Yes
they can. Your laser inscription can be seen
under 10X magnification. The cost for laser
inscription is only $80.
Can my ring be sized if I gain or lose weight?
We will resize your ring one time at no charge
up to 60 days from the date of purchase.
Additional re-sizing can be done for a nominal
fee. Shipping charges will apply.
Does Russian Brilliants® offer other fine
jewelry services?
We offer stone setting, sizing, repair, cleaning
and polishing services for any of your other
fine jewelry. All expertly done and at
competitive prices. If you prefer to have your
local jeweler size or repair your Russian
Brilliants® ring, just let them know it’s a
simulated stone and not a natural diamond. Tell
them we recommend they handle it like they would
almost any semi-precious gemstone ring. They
should know what to do.
Does Russian Brilliants® come in different
shapes and sizes?
Yes. You can purchase sizes ranging from .10ct
to a 15ct, from 3mm to 15mm in diameter. Custom
stone cutting is available if you have a
specific shape and size in mind.
Can I purchase Russian Brilliants® in different
colors?
Yes. The most popular are the D-E (white)
stones. Light fancy yellow, medium (canary)
yellow, and intense fancy yellows are also
currently available, in addition to our
beautiful pink stones which are stocked in
limited quantities and are readily available as
a special order from our cutters. Also
available by special order are sapphire blue,
ruby red, aquamarine blue, tanzanite blue,
emerald green and padparadsha orange.
Will the color ever fade?
Russian Brilliants® are guaranteed never to fade
or discolor internally. Some other simulants
have internal microscopic pinpoint inclusions that
implode when exposed to sunlight, leaving the
stone looking cloudy and discolored.
How do I clean my Russian Brilliants® fine
jewelry?
Our Russian Brilliants® simulated diamonds are
guaranteed never to fade or discolor. What
often happens is that over time the ring simply
gets dirty, causing it to appear cloudy. The
back of the stone is the most difficult area to
keep clean. Soap and hand lotion and just
general daily yuk accumulates on the back
surface of the stone which prevents light from
shining through. If you’ve ever worn a
sapphire, blue topaz, amethyst or just about any
semi precious gemstone jewelry you probably
noticed the same thing happens. Our stones are
no different from other semi precious
gemstones. They need to be kept clean in order
for them to look their best. If you would like
to send your ring to us we will be happy to
inspect it to make sure that this is indeed what
is happening and not a defect in the stone. We
charge $45 to professionally clean, polish and
rhodium plate a white gold ring back to its
original luster. Return Fed Ex ground shipping
is $12. You may first want to try cleaning your
ring yourself. Here is what I recommend.
In a small jar mix about 1/3 of a household
cleaner with 2/3 water. I recommend either Mr.
Clean, Fantastic, 409 or even Windex. If they
contain some ammonia its ok, but not bleach.
The trick to really cleaning the back of the
stone and all the hard to get at little nooks
and crannies is to soak the ring overnight to
give the cleaning solution a chance to dissolve
the built up yuk in all those hard to reach
places. After your ring has soaked for several
hours place a wash cloth in the bathroom sink,
close the sink drain and turn on the cold
water. Hold the ring firmly (it will be
slippery) over the wash cloth and rinse it in
the running water. You can even use a wet
toothbrush to poke at the open areas of the ring
to help remove any loose remaining yuk. Never
use toothpaste to clean your jewelry. And never
do this in the kitchen sink. You would not want
your ring to end up in the garbage disposal.
This method will work on yellow or white gold or
platinum jewelry set with most natural or
simulated gemstones including diamonds,
sapphires, rubies, amethyst and blue topaz. Do
not soak pearls, opals, onyx, emeralds or other
soft gemstones which may be damaged by the
cleaning solution.
What is your guarantee?
Every Russian Brilliants® simulated diamond
comes with a Lifetime Insurance Policy that
covers the following; If at any time as long as
you own your Russian Brilliants® simulated
diamond it should become abraded or damaged in
any way, we will replace the stone with a new
one of the same size and shape. You pay only a
$75 per carat deductible which includes the cost
to remove the old stone and set the new stone.
If the jewelry is significantly damaged or the
setting needs repair, additional charges to
repair the item may apply. Shipping charges will
also apply.
We also guarantee that your Russian Brilliants®
simulated diamond will not fade or discolor for
the life of the owner. This Warranty does not
include loss, theft or disappearance.
Can I trade in my Russian Brilliants® simulated
diamond for a larger stone?
We offer you a lifetime ability to upgrade your
Russian Brilliants® simulated diamond to a
larger Russian Brilliants® stone or a natural
diamond of similar or larger size. The original
purchase price of your Russian Brilliants® will
be credited in full and will be applied towards
the new purchase. The condition of your Russian
Brilliants® stone may affect the trade in
price. Simply call our office if you wish to
upgrade.
What is your return / refund policy?
Russian Brilliants® has a seven (7) day
refund/return/exchange policy. The seven (7)
days begins on the date you receive the package
from Russian Brilliants®. Returned packages
must be postmarked within seven (7) days of
receipt. Shipping costs are non-refundable.
Time extensions are available on request.
Request must be made prior to the seventh day
and be approved by Russian Brilliants® owner,
Matt Meis.
Every Russian Brilliants® loose stone or jewelry
item is examined by two Russian Brilliants®
employees prior to shipping to insure the item
is in good condition and free of any material
defects. When items are returned to our office
they are again examined by two Russian
Brilliants® employees for signs of damage. We
reserve the right to refuse refund or exchange
on returned items that have been damaged in any
way.
Stones returned with damage of any kind, whether
shipped loose or set in jewelry, will result in
a charge of $75 per carat in accordance with our
Lifetime Warranty and Insurance Policy
posted on our website. Jewelry returned showing
signs of excessive wear or damage will result in
appropriate repair charges.
Custom design jewelry is non-refundable and
non-returnable. See Custom Design below, or our
Design Your Dream Ring page for more details.
Do you offer custom jewelry design services?
Absolutely. We take great pride in creating the
finest quality custom jewelry available
anywhere. Our goal is to guarantee your
satisfaction. With that in mind we go through
several steps to insure that you will be happy
with your custom design purchase. Following
several conversations with one of our
experienced design consultants we will prepare
detailed computer generated images of your
custom jewelry. Changes to the initial
renderings are included in the price of your
purchase. More than two sets of changes will
result in additional charges. After you have
approved the design we may elect to create a
silver model of your jewelry to send to you for
your final approval. This allows you to try on
your jewelry to guarantee you will be happy with
it. The cost of one silver model is included in
your purchase. Once you are completely
satisfied with your custom design item you will
sign and return to us our custom design approval
form stating you approve the design and agree
that the item is non-refundable and
non-returnable. Approximately two to three
weeks later you will receive your newly created
custom fine jewelry creation.
Can you help me with a ring, earrings, tennis
bracelet or other jewelry purchase?
Yes. With our 30 plus years of experience in all
areas of the fine jewelry business, we strive to
be your jewelry supplier for life.
I'm in San Diego. Can we visit your store?
We are an online company so we do not have a
traditional retail store. However if you are
local or are visiting San Diego we would be
happy to make an appointment to meet with you.
Please call our Customer Service Dept.
(858-564-9480 / 800-322-0995) to arrange an
appointment. We
look forward to an opportunity to assist you
with your fine jewelry needs.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards for both online
purchases and phone orders. For your
convenience we also accept PayPal. You may also
pay by check if you prefer.
What about sales tax?
If you are a California resident, 8.75% sales
tax will apply.
I'm a jeweler, how can I offer
Russian Brilliants®
to my customers?
Simply call our office and introduce yourself to
our owner Matt Meis. We'll ask you to provide us
with your resale and business licenses to
quality for wholesale pricing.
Do you offer a payment plan?
Yes, we want to make purchasing as
easy as possible.
For complete details see
Easy Pay Plan.
How long does delivery take?
Loose stones are normally shipped within 3
days. All Russian Brilliants®
fine jewelry is hand made especially for you by
our team of fine craftsmen and quality takes
time. Most items take between 2 to 4 weeks to
create depending on the design. If you have a
special occasion coming up soon we will do our
very best to expedite your order to insure you
have your new Russian Brilliants® fine jewelry
in time for your special event. Just give us a
call to discuss your particular needs.
How much do you charge for shipping?
Our corporate shipper is Federal Express. For
your security we ship “signature required.”
FedEx ground = $12 (ground shipping is free on
all purchases excluding repairs)
3-day FedEx = $19
2-day FedEx = $29
1-day FedEx = $39
Saturday Fed Ex Delivery = $50
International = $45
Do you have any other questions we didn’t
answer?
Please feel free to call our office to speak
with one our friendly Customer Care
representatives.
7 Days a Week / 7:30AM – 9PM PST
-
(800) 322-0995
Toll Free Customer Service
-
(858)
564-9480 Local
-
(888) 991-1299
Vicki
-
(877) 544-2327
Christine
-
United Kingdom – 00-800-0234-5678
-
Australia – 0011-800-0234-567
Contact Customer Care |
