Frequently asked questions.

Sourcing & quality

Where do your stones come from?

Six corridors: the annual February gem show in the US, Bangkok, Jaipur, Brazilian brokers (Teófilo Otoni), East African brokers (Madagascar, Tanzania, Zambia), and a Hong Kong/Guangzhou consolidator for beads and tumbles. Detailed by corridor on the sourcing page.

Do you mine your own stones?

No. We source from established cutting houses, brokers, and trade fairs — many through trade relationships built over twenty years. We do field-verify suppliers before working with them.

How do you check quality?

Hand-grading at the studio, lab verification on natural-claim material (GIA Carlsbad and partner labs at origin), photography of every parcel batch before listing, and customer return-rate monitoring per SKU. Detailed on the studio page.

Authenticity & treatments

Are your stones natural?

Most are natural; a few are treated. We disclose treatments on every listing, even when the trade convention is not to. The default position: assume disclosure is honest because we'd rather lose a sale than mis-describe a stone.

What if I get a stone that turns out not to be what was described?

Refund-backed authenticity guarantee. If lab analysis ever finds a listing materially mis-described, we refund the purchase in full plus return shipping — no questions, no negotiation.

Can I get a lab certificate with my purchase?

Lab certificates are available on request for orders over $250. We use GIA Carlsbad in the US, and partner labs at origin (GIT in Bangkok, GRS in Switzerland) when relevant.

Subscription

How does The Monthly Mineral work?

Three tiers: Pocket ($28), Cabinet ($68), Collector ($148). One curated stone per month, plus a printed information card and a longer field essay sent the same week. Cancel in one click. Detailed on the subscription page.

When does the box ship?

Third Wednesday of each month from our studio. US delivery typically 2-4 business days; international 5-9 days.

How does cancellation work?

One click in any subscriber email, or one click in your account. No "are you sure" dialog, no retention call.

Shipping & returns

Where do you ship?

Across the United States and worldwide, from our US studio. US orders ship via USPS Priority; international via DHL or USPS International. Insured at full purchase value.

What's your returns policy?

30-day returns, no restocking fee, prepaid return label included. Refund to original payment within 5 business days of receipt.

Are duties and taxes included?

Generally no — international duties are determined by the recipient's country. We mark all parcels as commercial goods at full value.

---

Didn't find what you needed? Email hello@thestoneatlas.com — replies typically within one business day.