If you have questions, we have answers. Many people are interested in kilts, and all things Celtic, but are unsure of the history of this famous garment. Read on for some answers to our most commonly asked questions.
Brooches are not just decorative–they have practical usage. Traditionally, brooches were a simple but stylish way of fastening the edges of garments. Both men and women wore brooches, and they were especially popular with the clergy.
Sizing a ring is as easy as finding a piece of string. Wrap it around the finger on which you want to wear the ring at the widest part, and cut to measure. Once you've got the length, you can use sizing charts to find out your ring size. It's probably best to allow for a little "give," especially if you are pregnant, if you live in a warm climate, or if your fingers tend to swell. If the ring is too small, it's harder to resize.
The Celtic Croft's guarantee for satisfaction applies to jewelry as well. If you are not happy for whatever reason, let us know what you don't like about your jewelry. You can ring or email us, and we will do what we can to rectify the situation.
Unless your jewelry is made of pure gold or silver, it will tarnish. So you need to expect that some of the jewelry we sell will tarnish. However, we often make our jewelry out of fairly tarnish-resistant materials, like pewter. We note what materials are used to make all of our rings and jewelry to decide which is best for you.
History doesn't suggest that arm rings had any particular religious meaning. But what does seem clear is that arm rings were worn as a symbol of wealth and status. The valuable metals and adornments were a way of demonstrating that the wearer was a person of means. They may also have been used as a simple form of wearable, tradeable currency. Whatever the original meaning, being able to endow one of these lovely arm rings to your descendants would have been a fairly significant gesture!
Celtic Crofts uses silver, bronze, stainless steel, and pewter in its jewelry. However, some other treats include jewelry made from New Zealand paua or semi-precious stones like onyx or garnets in combination with bronze or pewter.
While our jewelry isn't completely custom, there are a few things you can personalize. For your rings, we offer many different sizes so that they will fit you just right. For Clan-specific jewelry, you can select your Clan or other Clan of your choosing.
We use semi-precious and synthetic stones (like cubic zirconias and synthetic emeralds) in our jewelry, as well as natural shells and turquoise.
Each ring has a list of sizes that it is offered in a list in its description. Unfortunately, if you don't see your ring size in a specific ring, it is not made in that size.
You can clean and polish your Celtic Croft jewelry with a soft jewelry cloth. Don't wear your jewelry in harsh environments, such as in a sauna or spa. It's not always wise to wear jewelry while exercising as you may break or dent chains or bands. Store your jewelry in a dry container that doesn't absorb moisture. Remember that your jewelry is precious to you, so treat it as such!