FAQs

Yes, every piece of jewelry is granted one complimentary repair within six (6) months of delivery. All the details can be found here.

Yes! 5% of profits from online orders* and pop-ups are donated to Wildlife Conservation Network. IVJ has been donating to WCN since 2014!

I work hard to maintain an environmentally conscious business. I’m passionate about our planet and the wildlife that inhabits it. Donations are submitted to the charity annually.

*excludes custom design projects

I intentionally keep my stock of production materials lean as this approach aligns with my dedication to slow fashion. Unfortunately sometimes that means production is impacted. If there is a design you are interested in that is currently unavailable, you can reach out here.

Reply to your order confirmation email within 24 hours to cancel your order. Cancellation requests are processed swiftly, but it may take a couple of days for the pending payment to be fully refunded by your bank.

Cancellations requested after 24 hours are subject to review as the order may already be in production.

Unworn or defective designs are accepted for return within 30 days of delivery.

Custom made designs, engraved designs, quarter-size rings, final sale designs, promotional gifts and gift cards are not eligible for refunds.

More return + exchange information here.

This varies based on design. Look for "Estimated Ship Date" above the add to cart button.

If you ordered more than one design, it’s safe to assume the item with the longest timeline is the best shipping estimate for your entire order.

All orders are shipped from Los Angeles, CA via United States Postal Service (USPS) or UPS.

Travel time for orders shipping in the USA

• USPS Ground Advantage: 3-7 business days
• USPS Priority Mail: 1-3 business days
• UPS Next Day Air: next business day by 8pm local time

Travel time for orders shipping to Canada

• USPS First Class Package International: 6-21 business days
• UPS Standard: 3-7 business days
• UPS Expedited: 3-4 business days

Irina Victoria Jewelry is based in Los Angeles, CA and currently ships to USA and Canada.

Are you an international customer looking to have IVJ shipped to you? Request international shipping here.

Yes, this is meant to safeguard your new valuables. I would hate for your jewelry to be stolen from your doorstep! If you’re confident this won’t be an issue, you can waive the signature requirement in the order comments at checkout.

• Shipping within the USA: orders $500+
• Shipping to Canada: orders $350+

Full disclosure: by waiving a signature upon delivery, you acknowledge taking on the full risks of delivery. IVJ does not replace or refund lost or stolen orders that have been marked delivered by the shipping carrier.

If your order hasn't been marked delivered by the shipping carrier, please reach out here.

Yes! I strongly encourage everyday wear but within reason. It's crucial to weigh the risk of damage, loss or personal injury for any activity beyond day-to-day routines.

Here's a little advice based on my own experience with solid gold, sterling silver, platinum and diamond jewelry—take it or leave it:

• Use common sense. For example, I wouldn't wear an engagement ring rock climbing. If you're worried about damaging or losing a piece of jewelry, that's your gut telling you to leave it at home or, at the very least, take it off and store it safely during the activity.
• I leave my jewelry on when I shower and sometimes give my earrings and necklace a gentle wash while I lather up.
• I leave my earrings and necklace on when I sleep, but remove my rings because my fingers swell sometimes, and it's uncomfortable.
• I leave everyday jewelry on during low-impact workouts but remove rings whenever a session requires gripping or handling equipment. I'd like to think it protects my fingers from injury and jewelry from damage.
• For a beach or pool day, I'll leave my studs and huggie hoops on but swap my diamond wedding band for a simple gold band. I usually remove the rest of my jewelry to avoid a build-up of sunscreen, sweat and oils. Also, it's never fun to lose something at the beach.
• When I clean, I take my rings off.
• Hair, face and body-related sprays, lotions, creams, oils, foams, (you name it) have a nasty habit of building up on jewelry, so I try to minimize exposure. Honestly, it keeps my jewelry looking clean and shiny longer.

Basic cleaning can be done at home using a soft-bristled toothbrush, a little dish soap and warm water in a bowl. Scrub gently in a circular motion to remove dirt and oils. It's amazingly efficient!

This method won't remove tarnish from silver jewelry—see next question.

See this blog post.

A mix of things informs how I source all of my raw materials:

• As a member of Community for Ethical Jewelry (formerly Ethical Metalsmiths), I'm grateful for the shared knowledge and collaboration.
• I look for an independent third-party certification, like Fairmined and SCS Global Services, to back up claims.
• Creating relationships with suppliers + trusting my gut. If material sourcing claims are vague and multiple attempts to draw out more information fail, I trust my gut and move on. Businesses that prioritize sustainability dislike greenwashing and will engage in honest conversation.

Recycled* precious metals

I have three suppliers for recycled precious metals certified by SCS Global Services.

*It's worth noting: high-value metals like gold and platinum have always been refined and repurposed by the jewelry industry, and we now understand mining has continued to thrive despite this fact. Any claims made that recycled metals decrease demand for mining are simply not true. Reach out if you'd like to learn more.

Fairmined gold

I became Fairmined licensed in February 2024. Currently, Fairmined gold is only an option for custom design clients, but I'm in the process of expanding it to designs in the shop.

Reclaimed natural diamonds

I have two suppliers for reclaimed natural diamonds, that is, diamonds that are not newly mined. Recycled is often used as a synonym, but I prefer reclaimed as I believe it's more accurate.

The goal is to source post-consumer reclaimed, but without a formal traceability structure it's hard to know for certain if they were reclaimed pre- or post-consumer.

Large carat sizes are widely available in many shapes and come with a GIA grading report.

Lab grown diamonds

I have two suppliers. For diamonds 1.0ct or larger, I prioritize stones with an SCS Global Services certification for sustainability. Growing facilities are rated on their origin traceability, ethical stewardship, net zero carbon footprint, sustainable production practices, and sustainability investments in their community and the environment. These diamonds come with a traditional diamond grading report as well as a sustainability grading report.

Smaller diamonds—emphasis on 0.2ct or less—are primarily mass produced using nonrenewable energy. This is the industry-wide standard at the moment.

Colored gemstones

You've probably noticed I don't typically use colored gemstones in my work. That's a personal design choice.

Now and then, I'll release exclusive designs set with gemstones I've acquired through past redesign projects with my clients. I can vouch for a stone's post-consumer reclaimed status because my hands removed them from unwanted jewelry. 

I also have access to reclaimed and lab grown colored gemstones through three suppliers. Since sourcing colored gemstones isn't my specialty, I can't make guarantees, but I'll try my best!

When we think of recycling, we assume something destined for a landfill was diverted and made into something new, right?

Well, reprocessing and refining gold has been part of the jewelry industry since the beginning as precious metals are too valuable to waste; yet mining continues to thrive.

It was once believed that recycling efforts decreased the demand for freshly mined gold, but that's not the case. Any claims made that recycled gold decreases demand for new mining are simply not true.

The only exception is electronics. As we know, they can end up in a landfill so recovered gold fits the traditional definition of recycled.

SCS Global Services qualifies pre-consumer (scraps from manufacturing) and post-consumer (previously worn jewelry, dental fillings, tech waste) as recycled. Excluded from the definition of recycled material are investment bars, coins, and pre-consumer jewelry sourced from mined gold and transformed to an ingot or jewelry.

A natural diamond that's not newly mined. Also referred to as recycled or secondhand.

Pre-consumer reclaimed can be sourced when unwanted inventory (deadstock) is auctioned or when a business closes and they liquidate all their assets.

Post-consumer reclaimed means it was once set in a piece of jewelry that was worn by someone. When old jewelry is melted and refined, diamonds are removed for resale.

A synthetic diamond grown using specialized equipment in a manufacturing facility. Also known as lab-created, man-made, cultured.

Currently there are two ways to grow a diamond and you can learn more here.

At an atomic level, a lab grown diamond and an Earth grown diamond are identical. Both are made from carbon.

I design every piece of jewelry myself. The bulk of my work employs traditional hand fabrication skills along with sand casting. My skill set is self-taught, and my in-house operation is intentionally lean.

When working on complex projects, very often custom for clients, I'll lean into technology like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D-printing wax models. These steps are part of a greater process known as lost-wax casting.

I hand fabricate shop orders in my private studio in Downtown Los Angeles.

When a project is complex, I partner with CAD engineers, casting houses and stone setters. Top notch quality is what I want to put out in the world. If that means I can't do it myself, I'm happy to work with trusted manufacturers in the USA.

First and foremost, I reduce my waste output by limiting how much I create upfront.

Offering a limited selection of thoughtfully crafted jewelry independent of seasonal fashion cycles helps me maintain my vision and minimize my impact on the environment.

Here's a rundown of my waste management practices:

• I use a made to order and small batch production model; my stock of raw materials goes further this way.
• Order packaging is minimal and plastic-free. The majority of packaging I use is 100% recycled paper content, but I also use 100% hemp paper (a fast-growing renewable resource, and the texture is so cool!).
• Fabrication scrap metal is melted and reused to make new jewelry. 
• Dust-like metal filings captured by my air filtration system and miscellaneous items that trap metal particles (ex., muslin polishing wheels and wastewater filter paper) are sent to a refinery. The "trash" is incinerated, leaving behind metal for recycling. The USA-based refineries I work with implement rigorous safety and environmental standards for this process. 
• I use Earth-friendly products at the bench, like metal cleaning solutions made from salt + vinegar and silica-free, vegetable-fat based polishing compound.
• Water usage is minimal as my work doesn't require much. Wastewater from production is filtered to remove contaminates, like solid metal particles. Copper dissolved in solution— an unavoidable byproduct of cleaning metal alloy after exposure to fire— is safely disposed of via municipal household hazardous waste collection.
• Everyday items like paper, glass and plastic are recycled per local regulations and organics are composted.