Return rights on jewellery are not as simple as on ordinary goods, and the single most important thing to establish before you buy is whether the ring you are ordering is returnable at all. Goods made to your own specification — which includes most custom and bespoke rings — are commonly excluded from statutory cooling-off rights, for the obvious reason that they cannot simply be resold.
For the return terms that apply to your specific order, please contact us directly before purchasing, and get the answer in writing.
Your position as a South African buyer
South African consumer law gives online buyers meaningful protections. Electronic transactions legislation generally provides a cooling-off period allowing a consumer to cancel certain online purchases within a set number of days of receiving the goods, and consumer protection legislation gives further rights around goods matching their description and being of good quality.
Two important qualifications apply. Custom-made goods are commonly excluded from cooling-off rights. And buying from a seller based outside South Africa may place the transaction outside these protections entirely.
This is general information rather than legal advice. Ask the seller directly what their terms are, and do not assume a statutory right covers a custom commission.
What to establish before paying
- Whether this particular ring is returnable, given that custom and resized items are usually excluded.
- How long you have, and whether the period runs from purchase or from delivery.
- What condition the ring must be in — unworn, in original packaging, with all documentation.
- Who pays return shipping, and whether it must be insured.
- Whether a resize voids the right — it commonly does, since the ring has then been altered for you.
- Whether a refund or an exchange is offered, and any restocking terms.
A seller who answers all six clearly and in writing is giving you the most useful signal available about how they operate.
Check the ring promptly
Whatever the terms, they run on a clock. Inspect the ring as soon as it arrives rather than saving it for the occasion.
- Match the grading report number to the laser inscription on the girdle, under magnification.
- Verify the report on the issuing laboratory’s own online database.
- Check the invoice records metal, purity, diamond origin and accent stone quality.
- Look at the diamond in daylight, not only under bright indoor lighting.
- Confirm the setting is secure and stones do not move.
Keep the packaging and all documentation until you are satisfied. If anything does not match the description, raise it immediately and in writing — a documented, prompt complaint is far stronger than one raised weeks later.
Reducing the need to return
Most returns are avoidable, and the avoidance costs nothing.
See the stone, or images of it. Cut quality is what most affects how a ring looks and is the thing no report conveys. Ask whether the photographs show the actual diamond.
Get the size right. Borrow a ring worn on the correct finger, and remember a wide band fits more tightly than a narrow one at the same nominal size.
On a custom ring, use the approval stages. Renders and a printed resin model exist precisely so changes happen before anything is cast — which is when they are free.
Ask for millimetre dimensions. Screens give no sense of scale, and size surprise is a common reason people want to send something back.
Returns, repairs and resizing are different things
Worth separating, because they are often conflated. A return reverses the purchase. A resize adjusts a ring you are keeping. A repair or warranty claim addresses a fault.
If a ring simply does not fit, resizing is usually the answer rather than a return — and it is worth asking whether sizing is included. See our warranty information for faults, and delivery for what should arrive with the ring.
FAQs about returns
Can I return a custom ring?
Often not. Goods made to your specification are commonly excluded from cooling-off rights. Confirm the terms in writing before commissioning.
Does resizing affect my right to return?
It commonly does, since the ring has been altered for you. Ask before having any work done.
What if the ring is not as described?
Raise it immediately and in writing, keep the packaging and documentation, and reference the specific discrepancy.
Do I get a refund or an exchange?
That depends on the seller’s terms and the reason for return. Establish it before you buy rather than afterwards.
Where should I go next?
See delivery and warranty information, or contact us about a specific order. See also white gold vs platinum and where to buy engagement rings in South Africa.