March 28th, 1910 First seaplane takes off from water under its own power, piloted by Henri Fabre from the Étang de Berre lagoon at Martigues, France

FAQ's

How is gold market price determined?

We always use the 2nd London fixing of the date of shipment, in $5.00 increments. So any market between $895.10 and $900.00 will be calculated to $900.00 market.

How is freight billed?

We use our charts for UPS, FedEx, and US Post Office to determine our costs for freight and insurance. We always add a $2.00 per package fee for handling.

Do I need to cover the freight on sample orders and memos?

YES! This is a discretionary charge but we will always hold the customer liable for freight charges on memos when they request overnight service. Other situations depend upon the order generation. When a substitution is suggested by us for an item that is out of stock, we will not hold the customer liable for freight should that substitution need to be returned.

How are back-orders handled?

When ordering please let us know if back-orders are not accepted. In most cases when an item is out of stock we will automatically ship the item immediately when it becomes available. In most cases, we will not ship a back-order after 60 days.

Why do you charge labor surcharges on gold items?

The manufacture of different types of gold jewelry comprises many different steps and techniques. Items that are more labor-intensive carry a greater manufacturing cost, both by the piece and by the gram. Our labor price structure is merely intended to level the playing field so that all items are sold at a consistent profit margin. This is intended to give you the best price.

What is Ruthenium?

Ruthenium is relatively rare and is used commercially to harden alloys of palladium and platinum. It is a hard silver-gray acid-resistant metallic element that is found in platinum ores.

What is the process of the colored stainless steel items and is it permanent?

This process is referred to as Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). A material (metal, alloy, compound, cerment, or composite) is either evaporated or sputtered onto a substrate in a vacuum. During this process a thin film of a vaporized form of a material is deposited onto various surfaces, including stainless steel, titanium, chrome, ceramics and plastics. This process is permanent.

What is the difference between 14k yellow gold & 14k natural yellow gold?

It has been common practice in the Italian chain industry to finish gold chains with a final coat, a plating that will give the finished product better shine and a more uniform color. Because 18kt gold has always been the standard in Italy, 14kt chains were color-enhanced in the final plating process to give them the rich color of 18kt. We at Downeast have experimented with several finishes to come up with a color that is bright and attractive without being too orange or phony-looking. But, despite our best efforts, a significant portion of our clientele want a chain that will not clash with their pendants, that will more closely approximate the true color of unplated 14kt gold, which is 10 parts alloy to 14 parts gold, so is not intensely yellow. This color we call "natural" and designate it with the letter "N" in the product code. We offer our spiga, franco, and octava chains in the natural color, and will offer this option on more styles in the future.