Where are your shops located?
Artico is now only available here on our website. In the past (pre 2023) we had shops in Bishop's Stortford, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Hertford and Saffron Walden. We still hand deliver when we can free of charge to all our customers in those regions.
Do we gift wrap?
Yes, we can gift wrap any of our products to create the perfect gift. To request your jewellery gift wrapped all you need to do is tick the gift wrap option in your basket.
Where do you source your jewellery?
We source our jewellery from a number of independent suppliers. We ensure that all of our suppliers source their raw materials and create their jewellery in an ethical and sustainable manner.
How do I know it’s sterling silver?
All of our sterling silver pieces have the standard 925 Sterling Silver hallmark. This indicates that the item is 92.5% pure silver.
I have an allergy, are there specific jewellery types I should avoid?
We have written a comprehensive guide to the metals used in our jewellery and allergy advice for each. Please have a read of our Jewellery Allergies guide here.
What are created opals?
Opals are made from aggregates of silica that are closely packed together in sphere shape. These spheres are arranged in a series of layers, allowing light to pass through. The light diffracts at different points through the opal, creating the vibrant colours that can be seen.
Created opals are created in a laboratory using a process that can take up to three years. Their chemical, physical and optical properties are exactly the same as naturally occurring opals and the seed gem is opal.
How do I clean my jewellery?
All sterling silver will tarnish over time, and the speed of this depends on what the jewellery has been exposed to. This tarnishing occurs due to the fact that sterling silver is comprised of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. The other metals, particularly copper, react with the moisture in the air, which causes the sterling silver to tarnish. At Artico we stock a range of Connoisseurs cleaning products to keep your jewellery looking great.
To clean your jewellery we recommend using a small amount of jewellery cleaner and a soft cloth to gently polish the piece. Rinse the silver with warm water and pat dry carefully - your silver will be looking as new!
What is rhodium plating?
Rhodium plating is commonly used in jewellery to enhance the lustre and durability of metals such as silver and white gold. It also gives a smooth and shiny finish to the jewellery.
Rhodium plating is hypoallergenic so will not cause any skin reactions.
We do offer a re-rhodium plating service for jewellery. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us and we can provide you with a quote to do so.
Why does the stone in my piece of jewellery not look exactly like the photo?
As each piece of our jewellery is hand selected by Emma, each stone is unique. This means that in every case the stone won’t look exactly as it is in the image due to natural variation.
Where are the insects in your amber?
Amber is fossilised tree resin, which has formed over millions of years. Some pieces of amber contain small insects which have been trapped in the resin. Emma has specially selected our amber pieces so that they do not contain any creepy crawlies :-)
Do we do gold jewellery?
The majority of our range at Artico is sterling silver. However we do have a range of pieces containing gold segments. Use the filter in the website to select items containing gold or is gold plated or is simply just gold coloured.
Are our pearls freshwater?
All of our pearls are freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are produced by pearl mussels in rivers, ponds and lakes.
Can we get semi-precious stones to match the same design as something we already own?
For any custom jewellery enquiries please feel free to get in touch using the contact form here on the website. If we think we can help then you'll be asked to send photos and/or drawings of the piece you have in mind so we can start to give you some idea of cost and time scales.
Do we do custom jewellery jobs?
Yes we do. Please get in touch using the contact form here on the website. If we think we can help then you'll be asked to send photos and/or drawings of the piece you have in mind so we can start to give you some idea of cost and time scales.
Do we change batteries in watches/ take out links?
Unfortunately we do not offer a watch battery changing service. However feel free to contact us and a member of our team can recommend somewhere that does.
What do all the different Connoisseur cleaning products do?
You can view the full range of jewellery cleaning products that we stock here. Below we have summarised what each of them does.
Silver jewellery cleaner: This jewellery cleaner is specially formulated for sterling silver jewellery, and contains polymers to help reduce the appearance of small scratched and dark marks that may have built up in jewellery over time.
Delicate jewellery cleaner: Formulated specifically for delicate jewellery containing semi-precious stones or pearls. The formulation is ammonia-free, so is a safe and reliable way to improve the brilliance and radiance of your jewellery.
Precious jewellery cleaner: Specifically formulated for cleaning gold, platinum, diamonds and precious stones. This cleaner is also ammonia-free.
Diamond dazzle stick: Designed for use on diamonds, precious stones, platinum and gold jewellery settings. The stick contains a cleaning gel with micro-fine cleansers and polishing agents - instantly adding radiance.
Jewellery beauty wipes: Soft wipes containing an anti-tarnish shield. These wipes can be used for gold, silver platinum, diamonds and precious stones.
Ultrasoft silver jewellery polishing cloth: Two tone cloth offering a dry cleaning system for your jewellery. The lighter cloth cleans and removes tarnish, whilst the darker cloth give a polished finish.
Will the stone/amber fade in time or change?
Some stones, such as amethyst, can fade over time if they are overexposed to light. Opals require extra special care as strong sunlight can dry out the water inside them, which can cause discolouration. We therefore recommend that you store your jewellery out of direct sunlight in order to minimise the chance of fading.
Do we do engraving on watches or jewellery?
We don't do any engraving ourselves but we do use some great suppliers who do this for us. Please get in touch using the contact form here on the website. If we think we can help then you'll be asked to send a photo or image of the text and font you want to use and where you would want it placed on the item. From that we can help with cost and time scales.