FAQs
If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact B&S through the contact form or email marie@blackbirdandsage.com.
Q: WHO MAKES THE JEWELRY?
Blackbird & Sage is one woman endeavor. Everything you see is handcrafted by Marie, a self taught electroforming artist. She is also responsible for photography, messaging and listing new items. Pretty much everything that requires doing to run a small business.
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ORDERING & PROCESSING TIMES
- Necklaces, beaded bracelets, extra items and some rings are ready to ship and will be sent in 1 - 3 business days of ordering.
- A large quantity of rings are currently made to order. These take 5 business days to build and make into a one of a kind ring made especially for you.
- It will be stated in the description if the piece is Ready to Ship and Made to Order.
- Copper bracelets are more intricate to make and take more time to electroform, they will be ready to ship in 1 - 2 weeks.
Q: HOW IS THE JEWELRY PACKAGED?
All items come in a sturdy jewelry tin or ring tin ready for gift giving. To save on waste and supplies multiple items will be packaged in one box. However, if you require multiple boxes for different gift recipients please leave a message in Notes to Seller at checkout. I will be happy to accommodate your request and give you separate boxes for each item.
Q: MY RING SIZE IS NOT LISTED, WHAT CAN I DO?
Do not see your ring size listed? No problem! Most rings can be made from US sizes 1 through 16, including 1/4 and 1/2 sizes. If your size is not listed choose "Custom" in the Size drop down menu and include your size in the Notes to Seller box at checkout. If Custom is not a list option, it generally means custom sizes are not available. If in doubt, just message marie@blackbirdandsage.com
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRIGHT COPPER AND ANTIQUE COPPER?
Bright copper has a lustrous shine much like rose gold and will naturally darken over time as it oxidizes. Wipe with a jewelry cloth, clean with lemon juice & baking soda, or white vinegar and table salt using a soft cloth, to brighten it up again. Jewelry cloths are available in the Extras/Other section of the shop.
Antique copper gives the ring a dark copper patina which may brighten over time as you wear it, leaving you with a beautiful natural aged ring. The copper is dipped in Liver of Sulfur to oxidize the copper, then buffed and polished to give it a gorgeous dark and warm patina.
Q: I WANT TO ORDER BUT I DON'T KNOW MY SIZE?
For an accurate ring size measurement go to a professional jewelers. Alternatively, you may purchase a ring sizer from the store listed in the section "Extras/Other". For International Orders I use the Official International Ring Size Conversion Chart at ringsizes.co
The average ring size for women in the US is a 7.Statement and large stone rings require a smaller band size (approx 1/4 - 1/2 size smaller). This is because larger stones make the ring top heavy which can lead to slippage, especially if you are wearing the ring on your index or little finger.
Q: DO YOU DO CUSTOM ORDERS?
Absolutely!
If you are looking for a particular crystal, mineral or gemstone to help in your healing journey or if you have a particular design in mind, please contact marie@blackbirdandsage.com. There are many stones in stock that may not be used in jewelry as yet. Marie loves working with clients to create the perfect special piece.
If you have a particular stone that you would love to convert into a piece of jewelry, contact marie@blackbirdandsage.com for a quote.
If you would like a personal piece with your favorite stone and it is not in stock Marie can special order most pieces to your specifications.
Do you need bulk jewelry for a special occasion, such as bridesmaids gifts, galantines day? If you are thinking about gifting your favorite people something special and personal, then B&S jewelry would be a great fit.
Click here to initialize a custom request.
FOR ALL MADE TO ORDER PIECES
Marie is happy to choose particular shaped stones for your piece. Please leave a note in the box at checkout with any preferences you may have. You can even point to a particular stone you like in the listing photos and Marie will try her best to find a stone that is similar. If she cannot accommodate your preference, she will choose a stone that matches the description as close as possible and will choose a stone that sits well on a ring.
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THE JEWELRY
Q: HOW IS YOUR JEWELRY MADE?
All copper jewelry is made via the art of electroforming. Once your order is placed, Marie will get to work at intuitively handpicking your stone(s) and building and preparing your piece by hand to be ready to be submerged in an electrolyte bath for between 24 - 48 hours. Bracelets and other larger pieces may need to be submerged for longer - up 4 days.
The bath consists of copper salts, acid and water. When an electrical current is passed through the system, copper ions migrate and attach on the cathode ie the piece of jewelry. Those copper ions become copper and slowly build up, creating the piece. The electroforming process can be very slow and creates a unique layer of copper to form a completely one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. The metal is 100% pure copper.
Once pulled out of the bath the copper is hand hammered to make it structurally stronger, then it is cleaned and polished. For bright copper pieces, they are placed in a tumbler for a few hours to brighten the metal. For antique copper pieces, they are dipped in Liver of Sulfur, neutralized and buffed to bring depth to the dark color the LoS creates. If you chose to add jewelry lacquer, then that is then applied in 2 coats and allowed to dry for 24 hours before being wrapped up and packed ready for its new home.
Due to the nature of electroforming, there will always be imperfections, striations, bubbles, or divets in the metal. This results in a truly beautiful piece of jewelry that will each have its own character once pulled out of the liquid electrolyte bath. This process is different to most metal smithing techniques in that the metal forms around the stone and takes on the shape of that stone. It truly creates a unique piece.
Q: DOES YOUR JEWELRY COME WITH WAX OR LACQUER?
As a rule, no. B&S believes in the vibrational magic of crystals and in order to not interfere with any healing or energy amplification then the pieces come without wax or lacquer as standard.
That being said, for those who know that skin discoloration is an issue when they wear copper jewelry, or if you don't believe in the healing properties of copper there is an option to add jewelry lacquer/sealant for most pieces for an extra $5.
If you do get a piece without a barrier and you experience discoloration on your skin, a coat of clear nail lacquer or top coat on the inside of your ring band will create the necessary barrier.
COPPER CARE
Q: WILL COPPER TURN MY SKIN GREEN?
Copper is highly reactive, it oxidizes quickly and may or may not turn your skin green. The oxidization reaction is due to the high reactivity of copper, the environment, and body chemistry; in particular your pH level (low pH = acidic = higher incidence of oxidization. High pH = alkaline = does not cause oxidization). Marie cannot tell you beforehand if the piece will react to your skin mainly because people's bodily pH, the environment you live in and how you wear the piece are all incredibly individual. It is not an allergic reaction, it is harmless and does wash off.
If you do experience greening, it is easily removed with soap and water and you may apply a layer of clear nail polish, top coat or wax to the inside of your ring to create a barrier. Copper basically reacts to the sweat and oils on our skin. A high pH can indicate stress and dietary issues and may lead to health problems if not addressed. Wearing copper is therefore a great indicator of your general health and whether your body is alkaline or acidic.
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, BOUTIQUE OWNERS & INFLUENCERS
Q: DO YOU OFFER WHOLESALE?
Not at this time.Q: DO YOU DROPSHIP?
Not at this time.