That's a really good question! In popular culture it is a well known fact that red ones go faster. That's why sports cars are red, why red smarties get eaten first, and why The Flash wears a red suit. Red ones are also very popular because many people believe that things that go faster are better than things that don't. And so, I thought Red Ones would be a great name for the business (because I wanted my products to be highly desirable, sought after, and to sell quickly).
Unfortunately, that name was already taken by someone else, so I had to think of a different one. I thought of dozens of names - some were even really good - but, like Red Ones, they weren't available either.
And then I had a lightbulb moment and thought that although Red Ones are indeed highly desirable, there were probably a lot of people who didn't want to be like everyone else, so offering other products and services (ie not just red ones) might be a smart move. I also thought there was a good chance that a totally off-the-wall name might not already be taken. And I was right!
So there you have it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it - at least until I can come up with something better.
Well, let's see ....there's the owner, the manager, the graphic designer and that girl down in marketing, plus the product development team, the assembly and packaging staff, the web store manager, and the tea lady (who quite frankly doesn't do a very good job at all). All together that comes to a grand total of ... one ... (ie just me).
Yes I do ... and no you can't (but there's a good reason for that).
The Swarovski elements I use are purchased from registered Swarovski suppliers in the United States and also here in New Zealand.
Authentication details are (sadly) not available for my jewellery. I wrote to Swarovski and asked to join their branding program but they said, "...your business is a little too small ...".
(You're are welcome to visit my studio in Kaiapoi to view a copy of the rejection e-mail for yourself ... I think I can remember where I put it ...)
I buy my Swarovski crystals and beads directly from registered wholesale suppliers, then design, assemble and package my jewellery myself.
Because my overheads aren't excessive, neither are my prices.
Where: I can courier your order anywhere in the world. The checkout is currently set up for NZ and Australia. For other countries we'll just need to have a quick chat first.
When: As a rule, I will give the courier your parcel on the next working day after you place your order. For example, if you place an order on Monday, I'll give it to the courier on Tuesday.
Delivery to destinations within New Zealand normally takes 2-5 working days ... unless you live in the middle of nowhere (and let's be honest - that covers about 95% of NZ) in which case it might take a day or two longer. Please also remember the courier generally only delivers Monday to Friday.
Delivery to the Australia is estimated to take 4-6 days, and the rest of the world will be a little bit longer than that.
Signature Required: You also have the option of choosing a 'signature required' delivery when you're going through the checkout. It costs a little bit more but should ensure that your parcel won't be left lying around if you're not at home when the courier arrives.
Tracking: All of the parcels I send are tracked. If your order doesn't arrive within a few days, please let me know as soon as possible so I can go looking for it.
Public holidays and other days off: Not Just Red Ones currently has just one staff member, ie me, and every now and then I take a bit of time off. Where possible I'll let you know - even before you order - if there are going to be shipping delays. Sometimes though, like that time when I fell off a ladder and ended up in an ambulance, there's not going to be much I can do about it. Long story short: if you need your purchase by a certain date, don't wait until the last minute to order it.
The first part of my guarantee is that your jewellery will fit. If a necklace, bracelet, or ring is too big, small, long or short, I will adjust the size free of charge.
The second part of my guarantee is about how long your jewellery should last. Unlike some big fancy jewellery brands, if my jewellery breaks I will never tell you that it is 'out of warranty' and can't be repaired. I believe that even inexpensive jewellery should be able to go the distance, and that it should be repairable once it wears out. (Even the very best quality jewellery wears out eventually, if it's worn with enough love).
So, regardless of whether your jewellery wears out fair and square, or breaks because of some unforseen problem, I will happily repair it for you (free of charge if I think it should have lasted longer) so you can wear it once again.
PS: If you have broken jewellery that was made by someone else, I may be able to fix that for you too.
My silver jewellery is sometimes stamped STG (short for sterling) but there are times when, for a variety of reasons, there is no stamp at all. Sometimes it's because the stamp I have is too big for thin pieces of silver (such as earwires), sometimes I forgot to stamp the metal before I made the item, and adding the stamp afterwards would damage the piece, and sometimes it's because I have been working with other types of silver (fine, reticulation, or argentium silver) which technically aren't sterling.
Choosing packaging is a real balancing act: Things to be considered include, function, price, availability, environmental impact (including how it has been made, and where it is going to end up), and how pretty it looks (because I'm being really honest here).
Parcels containing items to be repaired can either be couriered or dropped off at the studio in person (I'd love to meet you).
Please do not sent anything to be repaired unless you have discussed it with me first.
Unless you are dropping your jewellery off in person, you MUST send it to me by COURIER, and NEVER by POST. A parcel post bag with a tracking ticket is not sufficient as it will still be delivered (or not in my case) by the postie.
If an item for repair is posted to me either through the regular NZ Post system, or using Parcel Post (even if it is tracked), and it goes missing, I will charge you, on an hourly basis, for the time I then have to spend tracking down your parcel and arranging for redelivery.
