Buying jewellery online without getting burnt

Jewellery is one of the hardest categories to buy online, because the two things that matter most, materials and craftsmanship, are the two things a photograph cannot show you.

Read the metal description precisely

Solid gold, gold filled, gold vermeil and gold plated are four different products at four different price points. Vermeil is sterling silver with a thick gold layer and is a legitimate mid-price option. Plated brass is not the same thing and will not wear the same way. A good listing states the metal and the karat.

Ask for the stone details

For diamonds above a certain size, an independent certificate from a recognised laboratory should be standard. For coloured stones, ask whether the stone has been treated, because most have, and treatment affects both value and how it should be cared for. Lab-grown stones are a good option, but they should be described as lab-grown.

Check the resizing policy before you buy

Rings are the most commonly returned jewellery item and the most commonly non-returnable. Find out before you order whether resizing is included, what it costs, and whether the setting can be resized at all. Full eternity bands and tension settings often cannot.

Custom and made-to-order pieces

These are usually excluded from change-of-mind returns, which is reasonable. What is not reasonable is a maker who will not show you a CAD render or a wax before casting. Ask for one.

Insurance and valuation

Ask for a valuation document with the purchase if the piece is significant. Insurers generally want one, and getting it retrospectively costs money.

The simplest test

Ring the jeweller and ask a specific technical question. A jeweller who enjoys answering it is a jeweller who made the piece. One who deflects to the FAQ page is probably reselling somebody else's stock.