First-Time Customer Guide
For First-Time Visitors
Among the many shops available, thank you for visiting
Guiding Stones.
Guiding Stones sources its products through multiple suppliers that handle natural gemstones from Japan and overseas.
After each item arrives, the owner examines the actual piece individually, checking its translucency, inclusions, needle inclusions or patterns, the character of each bead, and the overall arrangement of the bracelet before listing it.
Even natural gemstones with the same name have a different appearance from piece to piece.
Translucency, color, the arrangement of needle inclusions, patterns, inclusions, and presence on the wrist.
By looking carefully at these differences, we list only the natural gemstones that make us feel, “This is one people should see.”
A bracelet that naturally catches your eye in a photograph.
A bracelet you want to look at again and again.
We prepare these compelling natural gemstones so that you can choose with confidence.
Find the bracelet that draws you in through the photographs.
About Guiding Stones
Guiding Stones is committed to being
a place where every customer can choose a meaningful natural gemstone bracelet with confidence.
Rather than simply increasing the number of products, we select each piece by considering:
“Would we recommend the actual piece after seeing it in person?”
“Does its appeal come through in the photographs?”
“Will it bring a sense of satisfaction when worn on the wrist?”
These are the perspectives we use when selecting each piece.
Rather than the number of listings,
listing only natural gemstones that we can introduce with confidence
is our priority.
About Our Quality Ranks
We present our natural gemstones in the following three levels according to their appeal and overall quality. These are in-house selection categories used by Guiding Stones to compare pieces within our own collection; they are not independent laboratory grades or standardized industry classifications.
• Guiding Stones Signature Selection
This is our highest tier, reserved for pieces with an especially strong balance of quality, appearance, and presence.
We use it for products that the owner finds particularly compelling after reviewing their translucency, color, needle inclusions or patterns, the character of each bead, and the overall impression.
• Guiding Stones Premium Selection
This is an upper tier for exceptionally beautiful pieces with a high level of overall quality.
It is recommended for those who place importance on visual beauty and the presence of a natural gemstone.
• Guiding Stones Fine Selection
This is a carefully selected tier offering clear beauty and a satisfying overall impression.
It is also recommended for those choosing their first natural gemstone bracelet or who value a balance between quality and ease of selection.
Please note that labels such as Clear, Thick Needles, Abundant Needles, and Cat’s-Eye describe “features” that are separate from the quality rank.
About Product Badges
To make products easier to choose, Guiding Stones uses badges to show
quality, size, included items, and sales status.
Please use them as a guide when viewing the product list.
Guiding Stones Signature Selection
The “Guiding Stones Signature Selection” badge is shown on products with an especially strong balance of quality, appearance, and presence within our shop.
These are natural gemstones that the owner finds particularly compelling, including their translucency, color, the beauty of their needle inclusions or patterns, and their overall impression.
Guiding Stones Premium Selection
The “Guiding Stones Premium Selection” badge is shown on products with a high standard of color, translucency, patterning, and inclusions.
It is a useful guide for those who place importance on visual beauty and the overall quality of a natural gemstone.
Guiding Stones Fine Selection
The “Guiding Stones Fine Selection” badge is shown on products that offer dependable quality while allowing you to enjoy the individuality of a natural gemstone.
It is also an easy-to-understand guide for those choosing their first natural gemstone bracelet.
Large Beads 14 mm+
The “Large Beads 14 mm+” badge is shown on substantial bracelets with beads measuring 14 mm or more.
It is recommended for those who want a strong presence on the wrist and enjoy the impact unique to large beads.
Gem Identification Report Included
The “Gem Identification Report Included” badge is shown on products that include a Gem Identification Report.
It is a useful guide for those who want to confirm the type and information of a natural gemstone as they choose with confidence.
For some products that do not state that a Gem Identification Report is included, obtaining one may be possible upon request.
Availability, cost, and turnaround time vary depending on the type of natural gemstone and the laboratory’s acceptance status. Please contact us before purchasing when you would like one.
How to Review Our Products
• One-of-a-Kind and Actual-Item-Only Products
Many products in our shop are available only as the actual item shown, and you may not encounter another natural gemstone with exactly the same appearance.
When a bracelet catches your attention in the photographs, please review the actual-item images and details on its product page.
• Photographs
We photograph each item as close to its actual appearance as possible, but
its color and appearance may vary slightly depending on your device and lighting environment.
• The Individuality of Natural Gemstones
Natural gemstones may show inclusions, small indentations, differences in patterning, or variations in color.
These are natural characteristics and, in most cases, are not defects.
We review each piece’s overall appeal and quality and introduce natural gemstones that we judge to be in suitable condition for sale.
• Meanings and Effects Associated with Natural Gemstones
Descriptions of the meanings and effects associated with natural gemstones are based on beliefs that have long been familiar and on common interpretations.
Individual experiences vary, and no specific result is guaranteed.
Guiding Stones values both the natural gemstone’s own beauty and its role as a meaningful piece that can reflect the intentions of the person who wears it.
To Help You Choose with Confidence
• Pre-Purchase Consultation
Please confirm even the smallest concern before purchasing.
You are welcome to ask about fit, color, translucency, the arrangement of needle inclusions, patterns, inclusions, included items, delivery methods, or any other concern.
• Video Review
When a detail is difficult to understand from photographs alone, you may also ask to review it by video.
Please contact us whenever a product interests you.
• Shipping Fees
Shipping is free on purchases of ¥10,000 or more.
For purchases below ¥10,000, a flat nationwide fee of ¥500, including tax, applies.
• Payment
You may use the payment methods displayed at checkout, including credit card, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, convenience-store payment, PayPay, Merpay, Paidy, and bank transfer.
If you choose convenience-store payment or bank transfer, please complete payment within three days, including the order date.
If payment cannot be confirmed by the deadline, we may release the reserved stock and cancel the order.
• Shipping
Orders are normally shipped within one to three business days after payment is confirmed. Delivery usually takes approximately one to three days after shipment, and the estimated time from payment confirmation to delivery is a total of two to six business days.
For payment methods that require payment confirmation, such as convenience-store payment or bank transfer, we begin preparing the order after confirming receipt of payment.
Each item is carefully packed and delivered using a shipping method with a tracking number.
• Cleansing
Products are shipped after being cleansed with clear quartz and sage.
• Returns, Exchanges, and Refunds
Due to the nature of natural gemstones, returns, exchanges, and refunds for customer convenience are generally not accepted.
When you have concerns about color, patterning, translucency, inclusions, the arrangement of needle inclusions, or fit, please review the product photographs, video, and description and contact us before purchasing.
• Gem Identification Reports
Some products include a Gem Identification Report.
Applicable products are identified on the product page and by a badge in the product list.
For some products that do not state that a Gem Identification Report is included, obtaining one may be possible upon request.
Availability, cost, and turnaround time vary depending on the type of natural gemstone and the laboratory’s acceptance status.
Please contact us before purchasing when you would like a Gem Identification Report.
Please Confirm Before Purchasing
Guiding Stones primarily offers natural gemstone bracelets that are available only as the actual item shown.
We do not accept long-term reservations for unpaid items. When choosing convenience-store payment or bank transfer, please complete payment by the deadline.
When you have a concern, asking us before ordering can help you choose with greater confidence.
Recommended For
- Those who want to choose a truly fine natural gemstone
- Those who want to find a bracelet that draws them in through the photographs
- Those who value visual beauty and presence on the wrist
- Those who value the encounter with a one-of-a-kind piece
- Those looking for high-quality Larimar, Rutilated Quartz, or Super Seven Quartz
- Those choosing their first natural gemstone bracelet
- Those looking for a treat for themselves or one special bracelet