FAQs

Shimell and Madden jewellery is made in London, UK. We undertake all the gold-smithing work within our studio in Haggerston, London.

We are a team of two, and we design and make all Shimell and Madden jewellery pieces.

We use 18ct gold in different alloys, predominantly yellow gold. We spend a lot of time sourcing special and unique gemstones for our jewellery.

Our jewellery comes in a beautiful luxury black box with black velvety lining and our orange logo. Please see it here. For shipped items, the jewellery box is safely secured inside an outer box and then a DHL box. All postal packaging and filling are fully recyclable. We can also provide incognito labelling if the item is a surprise.

We accept payment by bank transfer, card machine at our studio, or PayPal. For any order over £9000, we ask for a bank transfer.

We don't have a shop, but our studio showroom in London is open by appointment. To book an appointment, click here. We can show you a selection of jewellery and samples, and you'll also get to see where the magic happens!

You will meet either Emma or Luke, as we are the designers and makers of all Shimell and Madden pieces.

We reserve an hour for meetings. If you are running late, please let us know as it may affect the next meeting.

Yes, you are welcome to bring an additional person to your meeting. Please inform us by email before arriving at your appointment.

Unfortunately, we are based in an old factory building on an upper floor with only stair access. However, we are happy to arrange to meet at an alternative accessible location if required.

Our studio is on Orsman Road, which operates Ringgo parking meters. It is best to use the app for this. Location code – 79668.

Everyone is welcome at our studio. Luke uses he/him pronouns and Emma uses she/her pronouns. If you'd like to let us know your pronouns before the meeting, just drop us an email.

Yes, we are very experienced in conducting meetings over Zoom, as we have made pieces for clients all over the world.

Yes, our contact telephone number is +447548887832. If Emma is unable to answer the call, please leave a message and she will get back to you as soon as possible. We can also communicate via text or WhatsApp on this number.

For ready-to-ship items, you should receive your piece within 1-2 weeks. For other items available for purchase on our website, the lead time is either 4-6 weeks, 6-8 weeks, or 8-10 weeks. The delivery time is displayed on each product page. If you need something quicker, please get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

Both ready-to-ship and made-to-order pieces purchased through our website can be returned. You can either exchange for another piece or receive a credit note. The credit due to you will have the outward and return shipping charge deducted. If you have ordered from outside the UK, the duties and taxes charged on the outward shipment will also be deducted. The credit note will last for 12 months after issue. We only offer a full refund if an item is received as faulty, and we need to be notified within 7 days of receiving your order.

Most pieces can be engraved either by hand or by laser. Please get in touch before ordering if you would like to personalise a piece. The price depends on the type of engraving and the text. Note that engraving will add 2-3 weeks to the lead time, and you will not be able to return the item once engraved.

Most made-to-order items can be made in 18ct yellow, white, or rose gold. Please get in touch if you can't select the option you would like. This applies to ready-to-ship items too, but the lead time will increase. If an item is one of a kind, we may be able to create something similar or source similar gemstones. See the different alloys of 18ct gold we can use here. Not all are suitable for our finer pieces; get in touch to find out more. We will consider making in 14ct or 9ct depending on the piece.

Most pieces can be made in satin, polished, or heavily textured. There may be a price change if you would like it polished, as this can take longer for our more complicated pieces.

Most 18ct white gold will come in its natural finish, but we offer white rhodium plating free of charge. Please add a note in the checkout when ordering.

The making of a bespoke piece takes around 10-12 weeks. Prior to this, we may need time to source gemstones and create designs for you, which can take 1-2 weeks.

Reworking jewellery projects take 12-14 weeks crafting time. Prior to this, we may need time to source gemstones and create designs for you, which can take 1-3 weeks.

We provide designs specific to your brief with no obligation or charge. It is only when you are happy with a design and/or selected gemstone that we ask for the 50% deposit to begin making.

We do not charge extra for making or the service of a bespoke piece. Every consultation, whether at our studio or virtually, is complimentary, along with any designs we draw up for you. We offer two gemstone sourcing searches if needed; for any additional searches, we ask for an £80 deposit, which will be deducted from your order.

There is a £3500 minimum spend for completely bespoke items.

For simple wedding bands, the minimum spend is £200. For more complicated projects, prices start at £2000 for a minimal design, provided you are supplying all the materials. We can add gold and gemstones and will quote accordingly.

Due to the customised nature of a bespoke piece, it cannot be returned or exchanged.

Our jewellery is made in 18ct gold, as this is the best material for the hand-making processes we use and has the best longevity of all the gold carats. The 18ct alloy is 75% gold, which retains the noble quality of the metal. It is malleable enough to create our pieces and strong enough for the delicate elements. This gold content also makes the alloy very low tarnish. We can sometimes use other carats of gold depending on the piece and can also reuse your own gold.

Yes, we are very experienced in reusing precious materials. If your precious metal has a UK hallmark, we can let you know whether it needs to be realloyed or if we can reuse it as is. If there is no mark, we may need to test the metal to ensure we can use it. We can reuse most gemstones, and if they show age or wear, we can get them recut to bring them back to life. It is useful to know the carat and weight of the metal and the approximate size of your gemstone(s). Find out more about this process here.

Sapphire is the top choice for a coloured gemstone for an engagement ring. It is hard, durable, and naturally occurs in a wide variety of colours. If you would like advice on gemstones, please get in touch.

We can create any of our pieces in 18ct white gold (other than existing one-of-a-kinds). 18ct white gold can be left in its natural warm grey colour or white rhodium plated. Platinum and palladium are too malleable and bendy for most of our delicate designs. We can advise on a heavier style or thicker wire used in some cases. All these white metals are fine for wider wedding band styles, and we can quote accordingly.

To determine your finger size, we recommend visiting a professional jeweller to get an accurate measurement. If you are unable to do so, please contact us. If you are planning a surprise and need an approximate size, email us at emma@shimellandmadden.com for personalised advice.

Yes, most of our rings can be resized after purchase. We offer complimentary resizing within a year of purchase for UK customers. After one year, resizing starts at £50. If a style cannot be resized, it will be noted in the product description. For international customers, we will assist in finding a local jeweller for resizing.

We provide a size conversion chart on our website. If your size is not listed, please contact us for assistance.

Yes, we can make rings in ½, ¼, and ¾ sizes. Some products have size limitations, which will be noted in the product description.

Yes, our jewellery is hallmarked in accordance with UK law. Each piece is tested and marked with the carat of gold or type of precious metal, our maker's mark, the London Assay Office leopard head, and the date letter for the year it was made.

Our white natural diamonds over 0.35ct come with a GIA certificate, the leading diamond grading laboratory. All diamonds we use are 'conflict-free,' adhering to the Kimberley Process Scheme. We also offer Canadian diamonds, Ocean diamonds with provenance certificates, and lab-grown diamonds.

We use certified recycled gold, which means the gold content is not newly mined and is recycled in a closed-loop refining process. Our bullion dealers are certified members of the Responsible Jewellery Council, ensuring ethical and environmentally sound practices.

We source gemstones from trusted and accredited suppliers worldwide. Many of our gemstones can be traced back to the mine, and we also offer recycled gemstones and diamonds.

We offer free shipping on all orders. Each item is securely sent with DHL, fully insured in transit, and requires a signature upon delivery.

Yes, we ship internationally for free, though some location restrictions apply. If you encounter issues during checkout due to your address, please contact us at emma@shimellandmadden.com for assistance.

No, we cover the cost of shipping plus any import taxes and duties, so there are no surprise charges upon receiving your items.

You will receive DHL tracking information as soon as your item has been dispatched from our studio.

You can return items purchased through our website or in-stock items from our studio for an exchange or a credit note valid for 12 months. For returns by post, the credit will have shipping and duties deducted if applicable. For our full return policy, click here.

We offer full refunds only for faulty items, provided we are notified within 7 days of receiving your order. Exchanges are available for made-to-order or ready-to-ship items purchased from our online shop or studio.

Due to the custom nature of engraved or bespoke pieces, we cannot offer returns on these items.

Most of our jewellery can be cleaned at home using dishwashing liquid, warm water, and a soft toothbrush. We recommend doing this every two weeks to prevent build-up. For deep cleaning, we offer this service free of charge at our studio.

If you suspect damage to your ring, refrain from wearing it and book an appointment with us for an examination, especially if the setting may have come loose.

We recommend a jewellery check-up every two years, which may also be a requirement from your insurers. We offer this service free of charge, including a deep clean and refinish. Repairs, if needed, will be quoted separately.

You can insure your jewellery through your household insurance or take out an individual policy. We can recommend a specialist jewellery insurance provider. It is important to have insurance in place as soon as you receive your jewellery.

You can email emma@shimellandmadden.com or call us at +447548887832.

Our customer service operates from 10am to 7pm GMT. If we cannot respond immediately, we will get back to you within 24 hours.