Politique de remboursement

Last updated: 8th March 2026

 

 

Every piece we make at À Vie Diamonds is designed and produced to your individual specification — your stone, your setting, your metal, your brief. We guide you through that process at no cost and with no obligation until you are ready to commit. When you are, we ask for a deposit to cover the stone and materials we purchase on your behalf.

 

This policy explains exactly what happens at each stage of the process, what is refundable, and what your rights are. We have written it plainly. If anything is unclear before you commit, please ask.

 

 

1. The Bespoke Nature of What We Make

À Vie commissions are not ready-made products. Each piece is:

 

–     Designed to an agreed brief — specific setting style, metal, stone shape, and dimensions confirmed in writing between us

–     Made from materials purchased specifically for your commission — the stone and any metal are sourced for you personally

–     Produced by hand by a skilled goldsmith once you have confirmed the design and authorised the purchase of materials

–     Hallmarked at a UK Assay Office before dispatch

 

Because of this, the standard 14-day statutory right to cancel that applies to most online purchases does not apply to À Vie commissions. This exception exists within the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 for goods made to a consumer's individual specification.

 

This exception has no bearing on your rights if the finished piece is faulty or not as described. Those rights exist separately and are covered in Section 4.

2. The Commission Stages — At a Glance

Your refund position changes as the commission progresses. Here is a plain summary:

 

Stage	Refund position	What this means
Enquiry and consultation	Nothing paid — no obligation	Free, no-obligation consultation. No payment is taken and no contract exists. Walk away at any point.
Design and CAD development	Nothing paid — no obligation	We develop your design concept and CAD at no charge. Still no obligation. You only commit when you approve the design and authorise us to proceed.
70% deposit paid — before any materials purchased or work begun	Full refund available	If you cancel immediately after paying and we have not yet purchased anything or started crafting, we will refund your deposit in full.
70% deposit paid — materials being sourced or work under way	Partial refund — costs deducted	We deduct only what has been spent. You receive back whatever remains of your deposit after actual costs are covered. We will never profit from a cancellation.
70% deposit paid — stone purchased and crafting begun	Non-refundable	Once the stone has been purchased and work has started, the deposit cannot be refunded. Materials are bespoke to your commission and cannot be returned.
After delivery	See Section 4	Statutory rights apply. Defects, misdescription, and sizing covered separately.

 

3. Cancellation

3.1  Before you confirm the design

Your enquiry, consultation, and the entire design and CAD development process are completely free and without obligation. We do not take any payment until you are satisfied with the design and ready to proceed.

 

At this stage, you are free to decide not to proceed at any point — no charge, no obligation, no awkwardness. We would rather you take your time and be confident than rush into something that is not right.

3.2  After paying the 70% deposit — before materials are purchased or work begins

Once you confirm the design and authorise us to proceed, we raise a deposit invoice for 70% of the total commission cost. This payment is what triggers us to purchase your stone and begin sourcing materials.

 

If you cancel very shortly after paying — before we have purchased anything or started any crafting work — we will refund your deposit in full. We will always be transparent with you about where we are in that process. If nothing has been committed, nothing is lost.

 

3.3  After paying the 70% deposit — materials being sourced or work under way

If cancellation comes after we have begun sourcing materials or started crafting work, we will calculate exactly what has been spent up to that point and deduct only those actual costs from your deposit. You receive back whatever remains.

 

We will provide you with a clear written breakdown of what has been spent — stone costs, materials, any setting work completed — so the calculation is fully transparent. Our aim is to recover our actual costs, not to profit from a cancellation.

3.4  After the stone has been purchased and crafting has begun

Once the stone has been purchased specifically for your commission and crafting has started, the 70% deposit is non-refundable. The stone is sourced to your individual specification — it cannot be returned to the supplier and may not be easily resold without loss.

 

If cancellation is received at this stage:

 

–     The 70% deposit is non-refundable.

–     We will not pursue you for the remaining 30% balance. The commission ends here.

–     We retain ownership of the partially completed piece and any materials purchased.

 

3.5  How to cancel

Send written notice to enquiries@aviediamonds.com with your commission reference number (AV-XXXX) as soon as you know you need to cancel. We will acknowledge within 2 business days, confirm exactly where we are in the process, and set out your refund position in writing before anything is finalised.

4. Faulty, Misdescribed, or Unsatisfactory Pieces

Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply in full, regardless of the bespoke nature of your commission. Every piece we make must be:

 

–     Of satisfactory quality — meeting the standard a reasonable person would expect of a handcrafted piece of fine jewellery at the price paid

–     Fit for purpose — wearable as jewellery and holding the stone securely in normal use

–     As described — matching the approved CAD design, agreed metal specification, confirmed stone, and any engraving in all material respects

 

These rights exist independently of our policy and cannot be waived or excluded.

 

4.1  Reporting a problem — within 30 days of delivery

If your piece arrives and you believe it has a manufacturing defect, does not match the approved design, or is not of satisfactory quality, contact us in writing within 30 days of delivery. Write to enquiries@aviediamonds.com with your commission reference, a description of the issue, and photographs where possible. We will acknowledge within 2 business days and arrange inspection or collection at no cost to you.

 

During this 30-day window you have the right to reject the piece and receive a full refund.

4.2  Our remedy process

1.    We will repair the specific defect at no cost to you — this is always our first step.

2.    If repair is not possible or does not resolve the issue fully, we will offer replacement or a price reduction.

3.    If you remain entitled to a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, we will provide one.

 

We cover the cost of returning the piece to us where a manufacturing defect is confirmed.

 

4.3  What counts as a manufacturing defect

These are defects we will always remedy at no cost:

 

–     A stone that is loose or has fallen from its setting within 6 months of delivery, where there is no evidence of impact damage

–     A setting style, metal type, or stone that differs materially from the approved CAD design or grading certificate

–     An engraving error where the text differs from the written instruction we were given

–     A surface defect — such as an unpolished area, tool mark, or porosity — inconsistent with a professionally finished piece

–     A ring made to the wrong size where we were provided with the correct measurement

 

These are not manufacturing defects:

 

–     Surface scratches or scuffs from everyday wear — normal for fine jewellery

–     Prong wear over time — prongs should be inspected annually (we offer a free inspection service)

–     A ring that is the wrong size where an incorrect measurement was provided to us

–     Minor proportional variation within standard handmade manufacturing tolerances

 

4.4  Faults appearing after 6 months

After 6 months the Consumer Rights Act 2015 places the burden on you to demonstrate the fault was present at the time of delivery. We will still investigate every case fairly and honestly. If we believe a fault is manufacturing-related, we will remedy it regardless of when it is reported.

5. Ring Resizing

We offer one complimentary resize within 3 months of delivery, subject to the design permitting resizing. Full eternity rings and fully channel-set bands cannot always be resized without significant reworking — we will advise you at the design stage if this applies to your commission.

 

To request a resize, contact us at enquiries@aviediamonds.com with your commission reference. We arrange collection and return. After 3 months, or for a second resize, a fee applies — confirmed in advance.

6. Delivery and Inspection

All pieces are dispatched via insured, tracked courier once the balance payment is received. Risk passes to you on delivery. We recommend:

 

–     Inspecting the piece carefully on arrival and contacting us within 30 days if anything is not right

–     Keeping all documentation — grading certificate, hallmark documentation, quality check record, and invoice — somewhere safe. These are required for any insurance claim.

–     Insuring the piece as a named item on your home contents policy from the day of receipt

 

7. Your Statutory Rights

 

For independent advice about your consumer rights, contact Citizens Advice or your local Trading Standards office.

8. Complaints and Disputes

If you have a concern about your commission or this policy, write to us at enquiries@aviediamonds.com with your commission reference and a description of the issue. We will acknowledge within 3 business days and respond in full within 14 business days.

 

If we cannot resolve a complaint directly, we will signpost you to an appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. You also retain the right to bring a claim in the small claims court for disputes up to £10,000 and to contact Citizens Advice or Trading Standards at any time.

9. Contact Us

For any question about this policy, a cancellation request, a defect report, or a resize:

 

Email                               enquiries@aviediamonds.com

Post                                 À Vie Diamonds Ltd, Bartle House, 9 Oxford Court, Manchester, England, M2 3WQ

Website                           aviediamonds.com

 

Please always include your commission reference number (AV-XXXX) so we can find your file quickly.

 

 

À Vie Diamonds Ltd  ·  Company No. 16096594  ·  Registered in England and Wales

Bartle House, 9 Oxford Court, Manchester, England, M2 3WQ  ·  aviediamonds.com