Gemina's FAQs
What payment methods do you accept?
Presently we use Stripe for our payment gateway and accept Apple pay, Google pay, Amex, Visa, Mastercard
How will my item arrive?
Tools, shot plates and dies are sent securely packaged in recyclable boxes and mailing bags and coated in anti-corrosive oil.
Coins, Pendants and jewellery are packaged in a branded grey presentation box ready to give as a gift.
How long before my item arrives?
Most shot plates and impression dies are made to order and will take 2-4 working days to dispatch. You will receive a dispatch notification via email. All hardened items will take 5-7 working days for the heat treatment process. We aim to despatch jewellery, coins and accessory items within 1-2 working days.
Dispatch times for special requests, custom items or out of stock items will vary. Please see the relevant product page for details. International items are sent using UPS Express and take around a week to arrive. More information on delivery can be found on our delivery page
How do I get great impressions with my Shot Plate?
We have created a guide to using the shot plates which gives some helpful tips to create great impressions here. Also each product has some more specific intructions on the product page under the instructions heading.
What is Argentium silver?
Argentium is a relatively new silver alloy, created in 1991 by silversmith and metallurgist Peter Johns at Middlesex university in the UK. Argentium contains a slightly higher proportion of pure silver compared to sterling silver (935 parts per thousand v 925 for Sterling). The remaining alloy components are copper and a small amount of germanium. Germanium gives Argentium silver some unique properties such as increased tarnish resistance plus various metal working benefits. Argentium silver is hallmarked as sterling silver in the UK.
What is Silver-Bronze?
Our silver-bronze alloy was created specifically to offer a complimentary colour for our range of coins and pendants. Bronze traditionally contains copper alloyed with tin in varying proportions. Our silver-bronze contains silver instead of tin (and in a higher proportion). The warm colour is similar to a low carat gold.
Can you make it in Gold?
Yes, probably. Let us know what you want and we will do our best to help. The high gold price over recent years means that most people choose other metals instead.
Can I send the Jewellery/Coin items as a gift?
Items are packaged in a branded grey presentation box contained within a cardboard postal box. We do not include invoices in the package, so you can be sure the recipient wont receive one. The customer will receive an invoice via email. If you would like to send a message, please write your message in the comments box at the checkout.
Why is a die struck item better?
Compared to casting, a die struck item is superior in a number of ways.
Casting: Molten metal is poured or forced into a mold. The mold may have been created using a wax model carved by hand, CNC machined or 3d printed. After casting the piece is finished by hand or machine. Casting provides a fast and cheap method for mass production, but can suffer from poor metal strength, porosity and lack of sharp detail.
Die Struck: The metal is deformed (cold worked) under huge pressure and forced into the die cavity. This method produces a piece that is sharper in detail, denser and much harder compared to the casting method. The surface will resist corrosion better and hold a polish for longer.