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Ginkgo International 36042-5

Ginkgo International Stainless Collection 42-Piece Lafayette Flatware Set

$150.00

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Estimated Delivery Date: Between Saturday, Mar 29 and Monday, Apr 7 to all states excl. Alaska & Hawaii if ordered in the next .

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Description

FLATWARE

Since 1997, Ginkgo has been bringing original flatware designs to the market at the best value. We have worked with designers and stainless flatware contractors from the United States, Europe, and Asia to accomplish these goals. We believe the patterns illustrated here are the highest quality and value.

LAFAYETTE

Designed by Wes Helmick. In the 15th and 16th century in the colonial period, the silver tableware was made from silver coins, since our country did not have any silver mines at this time. The coins were melted down, shaped, and hammered to their final form. Lafayette is a beautiful rendition of the hand hammered flatware of the colonial period. If a rustic, hammered look is what you’re going for, look no further than Lafayette style flatware by Ginkgo! Lafayette’s handle is bell-shaped. Stainless steel is extremely easy to care for! For 30 years, Ginkgo has been designing quality products to please the customer.

What's Included

Features

Specifications

Warranty

Documents & Files

Product Care

HOW TO CARE FOR STAINLESS FLATWARE

Whenever a fine cutting edge is required, as in the knife blades of your new stainless from Ginkgo Int’l Ltd., the blade is made from 13% chrome steel, and then tempered. 13 Chrome steel tempered blades can be resharpened, are flexible, and have a “memory” – they snap back into their original shape after being bent. However, they have less chromium, so are a bit more prone to oxidation (rust) and water spots. Do not leave your knives sitting in a wet sink. If any of your flatware becomes water stained you may clean them with a good quality stainless steel polish.

Most stainless steel spoons and forks available in the USA are marked with their steel chemistry; usually 18/0, 18/8, or 18/10. All of these compositions should give you years of use with limited maintenance. If you notice discoloring or small oxidation marks on your stainless, it can usually be cleaned off with hot soapy water, and a sponge. If that doesn’t do the trick, use a good-quality stainless polish. Often, a rust spot on your flatware is not the flatware itself, but a dissimilar steel peeler or other item leaning against it in the dishwasher.

There are many unique finishes available on flatware these days. The most durable and stain-resistant is a high gloss mirror finish. A smooth mirror finish leaves little for oxidizing agents to attack. Satin finish (also known as brushed) breaks the surface of the steel, so it is more prone to staining. However, satin finishes, like on our Norse pattern, can be revitalized simply by scrubbing (in the direction of the “grain”) with a Scotch-Brite pad, or very fine steel wool. This cleans off the surface and adds more micro scratches. Don’t try and scrub a frosted (also known as sandblasting, or bead blast) finish, such as Pendulum, or Celine Frost. Just use a good stainless polish and a soft cloth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the factors in determining the price of stainless flatware?

Some of these include:

The design of the pattern
The type of steel used
The weight and gauge of the steel
The attention to details
The skill of the designer
The marketing intent of the company

How does the design of the pattern influence the price?

The cost of producing a pattern is not only determined by the raw material cost, but also the development and production of the pieces. Some patterns require many hours of tool work to render the artist's design into an actual piece.

Once a concept has been approved and the artist's drawings completed, sample pieces are produced. Because of Ginkgo's commitment to quality, rigorous inspection standards are set. This inspection process occasionally makes it difficult to produce a product to our level of excellence. We must then go back to the drawing board and make corrections in order to produce a perfect piece.

What is the difference in steel? Aren't all stainless pieces the same?

In metallurgy, stainless steel is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 11.5% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel (it "stains less"), but it is not stain-proof. As an example, mayonnaise left on a knife blade in the sink seems to stain the blade a darker color. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment to which the material will be subjected in its lifetime. Common uses of stainless steel are cutlery and watch straps. Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels have sufficient amount of chromium present so that a passive film of chromium oxide forms which prevents further corrosion. Stainless steel’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, relative inexpense, and familiar luster make it an ideal base material for a host of commercial applications. There are over 150 grades of stainless steel, of which fifteen are most common. There are different types of stainless steels: when nickel is added, for instance, the austenite structure of iron is stabilized. This crystal structure makes such steels non-magnetic and less brittle at low temperatures. For greater hardness and strength, carbon is added. When subjected to adequate heat treatment, these steels are used as razor blades, cutlery, flatware, etc. A typical composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel, commonly known as 18/8 stainless, is often used in flatware. 18/8 has approximately 18% chromium, and from 8-10 percent nickel. The nomenclature 18/8, and 18/10 are sometimes both used to represent the same type steel. 18/0 has 18 percent chromium, and no nickel. This common steel is often used in flatware sets as it combines the stain resistant elements of 18/8 at a lower cost. In recent years the price of nickel has increased by ten fold. Whenever a fine cutting edge is required, as in the knife blades of your new stainless from GINKGO Int'l, Ltd., the blade is made from 13% chrome steel, and then tempered. The 13% chrome tempered blades can be re-sharpened, are flexible, and have a "memory" - they snap back into their original shape after being bent. However, they have less chromium, so are a bit more prone to oxidation (rust) and water spots.

How important are weight and gauge in determining the price and value of the piece?

This is a difficult question because better stainless companies such as Ginkgo International, Ltd. always use the proper weight and gauge of steel to properly execute the designer's intention. So this is not our major focus. Our pieces do tend to have more weight and a heavier gauge than other companies', but this is because of the designs. In addition to the gauge of the steel, we focus on the execution of the design features.

Companies trying to reach the lowest possible price points, of course, focus on the material used. If they can use 13 chrome steel and a light gauge of steel, costs of a pattern can be significantly reduced. However, if a piece is easily bendable, you may want to consider paying a little more for better quality and better long term value.

When you own a pattern by Ginkgo, not only will you be proud of your flatware, you'll have a product that gives a lifetime of beauty and durability.

What details influence the value of my flatware choice?

As in any product, the greater your expertise in choosing, the greater your satisfaction with the product will be. First, choose a pattern that appeals to you – one that strikes you! Hold it in your hand. Does if feel comfortable? Is the weight pleasing? Are the spoon bowls large enough?

Now inspect the piece carefully. Is it marked 18/8 or 18/10? There marks will ensure long lasting beauty. Do the spoon bowls taper to thinner edges at the tips? Many less expensive patterns are not “rolled” or “graded”. This results in poorly balanced pieces that are the same thickness at the ends as they are at the base of the bowls. Look between the tines of the forks, these should be finished to prevent burrs and rough edges. Tines should also taper to a point and have soft edges. The elevation of the tines and bowls should be consistent and not vary from piece to piece.

If you are using the stainless for entertaining, you may want a pattern with larger pieces as you will probably be using 10” or larger plates. You should ask yourself: Are the knives long enough? Do they have sufficient heft? If they are serrated, is the serration fine enough? With the knife on the right side of the plate, and the blade facing the plate, the serrations should be on the reverse side so that they are hardly noticeable. This prevents you from cutting into your plate, and it is more aesthetically pleasing. Ginkgo steak knives are serrated, but for the most part, we prefer to temper the blades of the dinner knives and put a fine edge on them. You should be able to judge the finish for yourself. A bright mirror finish should not have any pits or scuffmarks, and should be uniform and pleasing. A brushed or bead-blasted finish should be judged on it's uniformity and pleasing aspects to the eye. All finishes will show abrasions over time. This is natural, and a beautiful patina will develop with normal usage.

If I'm pleased with the look of a pattern, why should I be concerned with the skill and expertise of the designer?

The designer pays attention to details you may never be aware of. Yet there is a certain something that just makes a piece look and feel right. Ginkgo, along with their designers, start with the conception of a pattern. The designer will present many drawings that will eventually evolve into a single design of what we feel is right. The models are then made from nickel silver, sterling, wood or aluminium, depending on the designer. These are critiqued by Ginkgo and the designer to ensure the proper feel, weight, balance, radius of curve, elevation of shoulder, tines and bowls. Detailed engineering drawings and soft dies are prepared for initial samples. The new samples are then critiqued. Final changes are made to any errors in the design, execution or production. Occasionally, concepts cannot be executed in large production runs without affecting the look and feel of the piece. We then have to go back to the drawing board to re-think our concepts. When we have finished a piece that Ginkgo and the designer are happy with, we begin production. When you choose a Ginkgo pattern, you should feel the love, care and attention to detail that goes into every piece.

What do you mean by the marketing intent of the company?

The marketing intent of the company is of paramount importance. We are not judging the direction of other companies, we are simply stating what we are trying to accomplish. Ginkgo was founded by the Helmick family in 1977. We wanted to bring the best possible designer flatware to the market, at a reasonable price. We do not strive to produce goods for volume or large sales at the cheapest cost. All of our patterns are designers' patterns. We pay close attention to details of quality, yet our prices are very reasonable. We are not trying to set a tone by pricing out products expensively. We are trying to bring to the market, the best product at the best price. We want you to enjoy a lifetime of owning a well-designed and well-executed product.

About Ginkgo International

GINKGO International, Ltd., and the W.S. Helmick Stainless Flatware Collections were founded in 1977 by Wes and Janet Helmick. Ginkgo’s purpose is to bring original flatware designs to the market at the best value. We have worked with designers and stainless flatware contractors from the United States, Europe, and Asia to accomplish these goals. We believe the patterns illustrated here are the highest quality and value that over 40 years of endeavor can produce.

We are proud of our designers’ patterns, from the original “Le Prix”® pattern developed in a small ancient French Alps town of Their, France, to our latest patterns, Old Newbury Crafters 18/10 stainless. These patterns are reproductions of handwrought sterling from Old Newbury Crafters in Amesbury, Massachusetts, which have antecedents dating back to the 1600s, and were incorporated in 1915. We are pleased to be associated with Old Newbury Crafters.

Shipping & Returns

Order Confirmation:

You will receive a confirmation email as soon as you place your order. After that, we double-check if all items ordered are in stock and available for immediate shipment. If your order is available for the delivery within the advertised time frame, we will submit it for shipment to the warehouse. If the expected delivery time exceeds the advertised time frame, we'll reach out to you via email and/or phone to confirm the order.

Order Shipment:

You will receive an email confirmation with tracking number within 1 business day from the time the item has been shipped. If you would not receive tracking information within 10 business days of your order, feel free to follow up with our customer service team.

Estimated Time of Arrival:

We typically deliver within 2-10 business days. Custom made products are usually delivered within 4-12 weeks. If the expected delivery date for your order would fall outside of the advertised 2-10 business day time frame, our customer service team will reach out to you to confirm if you are OK with that date.

Areas Covered:

All estimated delivery dates and shipping costs advertised on the website apply the the contiguous United States only (the Lower 48 and D.C.). Please contact our customer service team to discuss the time and cost of shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, or the U.S. territories. We don't ship internationally, but we can ship your order to a freight forwarder of your choice.

Damages:

It is critical that you inspect the packaging of all items when they arrive and check if you received all boxes listed on the delivery receipt. If you notice any damage or shortage of packages, you must make a note of it on the bill of lading, take pictures, and refuse delivery. Your note should say "refused due to damage". If there are no damages visible before opening the box, you must note "subject to further inspection may contain concealed damage". By signing a freight delivery without making any notes, you accept the product as it is and release the seller from any liability. If you notice any damage after receiving the delivery, do not throw the box away, and contact us with the photos of all sides of the packaged goods within 2 business days. We cannot process your claim if you fail to send images within 2 business days. After we receive information from you about the refused delivery or concealed damage, we immediately initiate a claim with the shipping company or with the manufacturer. After the claim is fully processed, we ship all replacements at absolutely no cost to you.

Cancellations & Returns:

We can cancel your order at absolutely no cost to you before the shipping label or Bill of Lading has been created, or before production of a custom order has started. Custom made items are not eligible for cancellations or returns after production has started. You can return all non-custom made items within 30 days of delivery, except when noted otherwise on their product page. To be eligible for a return, the item must be unused and in the same condition as you received it. It must also remain in the original packaging, and the packaging must be in perfect resellable condition. The cost of shipping the product both ways (to the customer, and back to the warehouse) and a 25% restocking fee will be deducted from the refund. Orders delivered outside the United States are not eligible for refunds. If your order arrived damaged, "Damages" section applies. Please contact us before returning your order to discuss shipping details. All refunds will be issued to the credit card you used for your purchase within 2 days after all returned items arrived at the warehouse. If a credit card refund is not possible, we will issue a direct deposit.

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Customer Reviews

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06/28/2024

Prudence C.

United States

Flatware Set

I am giving this review 3 stars not because of the product, but the process of getting the product to the consumer. We had placed our order a couple months prior and the order ended up being cancelled. Normally, when you order a product online, the company gives a tracking number and your order then ships. With this company, you place your order and then you have to respond to an email and then that email has to get approved. And then, your order eventually gets shipped. The process was just strange, but the product is good. Thank you for reading.

Model #	36042-5
Collection	Stainless
Design	Lafayette
Finish	Hammered Mirror
Color	Silver
Material	18/0 Stamped Stainless Steel