Terms and conditions

Returns Policy and Cooling off period

If for any reason you are not entirely happy with your purchase, when you order from us online you are entitled to a cooling off period where you can return your goods without any penalty.

Our cooling off period is 14 days, which includes any statutory cooling off period. This period starts on the day that we notify you of the acceptance of the order by email or 14 days following delivery of the goods. The item or items must be delivered back to us no later than 14 days after it was originally received by you, unless by prior consent. Items received outside the applicable cooling off period will only be accepted for return at our discretion and if accepted will be refunded as a credit note only.

Under our 14 day money back guarantee we will replace the items or give a full refund provided that the goods are returned to us in the condition sent. You must ensure that the rings/items have not been worn, (as described below) you must keep the items in your possession and return the goods in their original unworn condition with security tags still attached and along with any immediate packaging and all supporting paperwork/documentation, including diamond certificates and/or gem reports and valuations within the cooling off period. Failure to return items as described may result in the refusal of your return.

All items will be dispatched with a security tag attached. The jewellery tag is designed in such a way to allow you to examine your product carefully without obstruction. Please check all items carefully before removing tags as by removing them you are accepting the item and will no longer be entitled to a refund. Please take care in handling the items because we reserve the right to reject items if it appears that you have misused or damaged the item. The product must be returned in the identical condition it was in when you received it. For instance, if you have resized or otherwise altered the product or its tag, we will not be able to accept your return. To return your items you must inform us in writing by email or letter.

All returns are subject to verification and authentication by Victoria James jewellery. We will assess the returned items and contact you about replacing them or giving a refund. Items must be returned by Royal Mail Special delivery or another courier service with tracking, insurance and a signature confirmation for declared/itemised Jewellery to match or exceed the purchase value of the item. Victoria James does not accept responsibility for pieces being returned to us until such time as we have physically taken possession of them. Returned items will remain the responsibility of the sender until such time. Any costs incurred by returning the item remain the responsibility of the customer. Claims against couriers for goods lost or damaged in transit will remain the responsibility of the customer.

Unless we are at fault, certain items are excluded from the cooling off period. These include earrings, custom made pieces, personalized items and engraved items. Any deposits placed against orders, work to be carried out, gemstones or services (including CAD work) are non refundable.

You may contact us by telephone to discuss any concerns you may have, however, we must be informed in writing of any intention to return goods. If you wish to return goods you must email us at: info@victoria-james.co.uk or write to us: Victoria James Jewellers, 39 Vyse street, Hockley, Birmingham. B18 6JY. UK.

You must state your name, the email address associated with the order, the order number reference and the reason/s for the return. Please note; if you are writing to us by letter you must send your letter via recorded delivery as we cannot be held responsible for letters not arriving in time or being lost in transit.

The above returns policy does not apply to goods bought in store. We do not offer returns or refunds on items purchased in store.

Delivery & collection

For domestic orders (UK) we offer free delivery on new orders over £200. This is for Royal mail special delivery, Monday to Friday, guaranteed before 1pm. Other options are available at checkout and do carry a charge. This does not include the return of repair items or orders placed instore, where postage may be charged. 

We will send you an email with an estimated time of delivery as part of the order acceptance. We will endeavour to deliver your item to you within 14 - 30 days, sooner if possible. Whilst we try to effect delivery within 14 -30 days from receipt of your order, if an item is temporarily out of stock or is being custom made and shipping to you is anticipated to be longer, we will contact you by e-mail to arrange a new delivery date. If this cannot be agreed a refund can be given. If you are concerned about availability or delivery times before purchasing an item then please contact us and we can give you more information.

We will deliver items to UK customers by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which will need to be signed for upon receipt. International orders will be delivered by UPS and will also need to be signed for upon delivery.

Orders placed online may be collected in store. However, you must inform us that this is your intention. The customer will be required to provide identification to confirm that their identity matches that of the person who placed the order. 3rd parties (other than the customer on the order) will not be permitted to collect orders.

Please note; When paying online using credit or debit cards through our secure payment merchant- Sagepay, we are only able to deliver items to the billing address of the card used to make payment. Alternatively, items can be collected in store (as long as this has been agreed with the sales team) The person collecting must be the person who paid for the goods and must be able to prove their identity and proof of purchase, you will also need to sign for your items on collection.

If you wish goods to be delivered to an alternative address then a bank transfer payment must be made when purchasing.

Items delivered to non EU countries will not be charged VAT at checkout. (Please also see Value Added Tax (VAT) section below). However, higher delivery charges will apply. This should become clear at checkout once the billing address has been entrered. If you would prefer a delivery quote for your country can be given. Please contact us for more information. If there are additional shipping charges to be added to an international order that was not made clear at checkout, we will contact you informing you of these charges.

Our responsibility as a seller is to ensure that your order is confirmed as delivered to the billing address of the card used to make payment or at an alternative delivery address which has been formally requested by the customer. It will be tracked and insured to the value of the purchased item/s and will need to be signed for upon delivery.  We will inform the customer of our intention to despatch the order so the customer can make arrangements to be available to receive/sign for the item personally.

Our responsibility ends once the order has been confirmed as delivered with a signature. We cannot be held responsible for deliveries that are signed for at the address by anyone other than the customer.

Guarantee

All our goods come with a 12 month manufacturers guarantee. However, this guarantee does not cover wear and tear or damage caused by the wearer. By nature jewellery is delicate and problems can occur after being worn. If you incur any problems then we will be happy to inspect your items and give any advice.

As a consumer you have 30 days to report any developed faults with the item. If, after inspection by Victoria James Jewellers we conclude that the item has developed a fault we will offer to repair or replace the item or offer a full or partial refund. 

However, if it is clear that the item of jewellery has received damage then it will not be covered by the guarantee. We will inspect the item of jewellery and will provide you with any evidence. 

It is a common misconception that diamonds, metals and gemstones cannot break. Don’t forget that to shape a diamond from the rough, a gem cutter can ‘cleave’ it by giving it a sharp blow in the right direction, so equally, a hard knock or continuously applied pressure can split, crack or shatter a diamond or gemstone. Precious metal jewellery can be hardwearing or delicate, depending on the design, but even a thick platinum wedding band can dent, bend or break if enough pressure is applied in the right place. We recommend jewellery insurance to cover you for these circumstances as a manufacturers guarantee does not.

Any adjustments made by you or any third party other than Victoria James Jewellers including re-sizing, re-finishing or any other work or adjustments being carried out will void any guarantee that may be in place.

Please note; We document the condition of every item with photographs when taken in and prior to despatch or collection.

Custom made pieces

Custom made, bespoke commissions are excluded from the cooling off period guarantee. Any deposits placed against orders, work carried out, gemstones or services including CAD work are non refundable.

Custom made or commissioned pieces must be collected, approved and signed off in person and any balance paid by the customer named on the invoice. No third party can collect or pay balances on the named customers behalf.

When placing an order for a custom made piece you (the consumer) have seven working days in which to cancel the order from the day you placed a deposit. Once the seven days have expired the consumer will not be refunded any deposits placed against orders, work to be carried out, gemstones or services. We will not start work until the seven days have expired unless directed to by the consumer for example due to a deadline that is needed to be met by the commission, in which case the consumer will waive their right to cancel the order and thus lose their right to a refund of any monies paid.

Cancellations must be put in writing and sent to us by email. If you have placed a deposit for an item to be made or for an item available to purchase on our website we will endeavour to complete the purchase within 30 days of the written confirmation of our acceptance of the order unless agreed by us and the consumer that it may be longer. Victoria James will do their best to sort out any problems you may have. Credit notes may be offered on a case by case basis.

Please note; The CAD deposit to produce the computer drawings of the jewellery is not a deposit for making the jewellery, a further deposit will need to be taken in order to hold the price quoted and to start the making process. If prices of materials have changed in the period between being quoted and the customer placing a deposit then we reserve the right to re-quote to reflect those changes. Once a deposit or payment has been taken the price is fixed for that order.

The customer has a maximum of 30 days to pay the second deposit in order to proceed with the making of the item of bespoke jewellery after approving CAD images. If payment is not recieved within 30 days Victoria James Jewellers will assume that the order is not being proceeded and reserves the right to cancel the order without refunding the CAD deposit.

Payment

When paying for orders on our website through our secure online payment merchant (Sagepay) customers must be verified as the card holder using the 'Verified by Visa' or 'Mastercard Securecode' scheme (Also known as 3D secure) Where you are prompted by your card issuing bank to enter a password. Failure to verify yourself as the cardholder via 'Verified by Visa' or 'Mastercard Securecode' scheme will result in your payment being declined.

If you are not enrolled or are unsure what the 'Verified by Visa' or 'Mastercard Securecode' scheme is then you should contact your card issuing bank and ask them how to get enrolled for secure online purchases. Alternatively, we can accept bank transfers or BACS. If you would prefer to use this method of payment then please select this option at checkout, where we will provide you with the necessary details.

When paying online using Sagepay we are only able to deliver items to the billing address of the card used to make payment. Orders paid for by bank transfer can be delivered to any address supplied by the customer at the time of order.

Please note; Any card or payment details related to items purchased online are processed by our secure online merchant Sagepay and are not dealt with by Victoria James Jewellery, therefore Victoria James jewellers do not retain or save your card information within our website.

Collection of orders placed instore

Custom made, bespoke or commissioned pieces and orders where a deposit has been placed must be collected, approved and signed off in person and any balance paid by the customer named on the invoice. No third party can collect or pay balances on the named customers behalf.

All completed orders must be collected within 30 days of Victoria James Jewellers informing the customer of the completion of their order.

Unfortunately, we are unable store any items of jewellery for any length of time past the 30 days.

Orders where the customer has placed a deposit

We will inform you of the completion of your order by email. You (the consumer) then have 30 days from the date of the email confirming it's completion to pay the remaining balance against orders, work carried out, gemstones or services. Failure to pay the remaining balance within this time may result in a late payment surcharge being placed on the order. This will be calculated at 5% of the full value of the original order. A further 10% of the value of the original order will be addded if the balance remains unpaid for 60 days. Failure to pay the balance within 90 days will result in the cancellation of your order and the loss of any monies paid as a deposit. The balance must still be settled within 30 days of being notified of the completion of the order even if the customer is unable to collect the items within 30 days.

We reserve the right to restock items after 60 days of non payment of balance.

A link to the payment page for the order will be included in the order completion notification email. Bank transfer is also accepted. 

Custom made, commissioned pieces and orders where a deposit has been placed must be collected, approved and signed off in person and any balance paid by the customer named on the invoice. No third party can collect or pay balances on the named customers behalf.

Please note; The CAD deposit to produce the computer drawings for bespoke or commissioned items is not a deposit for making the jewellery item itself, a further deposit will need to be taken in order to hold the price and/or gemstones quoted and to start the making process. Deposits paid for CAD (computer aided drawings) images are for 2D (two dimensional, flat) images, therefore original production 3D models files will not be supplied and are 100% non refundable but will be deducted from the overall price of the item if proceeded. If prices of materials have changed in the period between being quoted and the customer placing a deposit then we reserve the right to re-quote to reflect those changes. Once a second deposit or payment has been taken to proceed with the commission then the price is fixed for that order.

Damaged or faulty goods.

In the unlikely event that the goods turn out to be faulty, damaged or different from those the customer ordered, Victoria James will make good the item free of charge by repair, replacement or a full or partial refund. As a consumer you have 30 days to report any developed faults with the item. If, after inspection by Victoria James Jewellers we conclude that the item has developed a fault we will offer to repair or replace the item or offer a full or partial refund. 

You must check the goods on delivery. If goods are delivered damaged or faulty you must inform us by email or in writing immediately. You may contact us by telephone to discuss your concerns but your intention to return goods to us must  be placed in writing. Returned items will be inspected and if found to be faulty or not as described a replacement will be despatched or a full refund can be given. You must return items in person or by Royal Mail Special delivery or another courier service with insurance for declared items of Jewellery to match or exceed the purchase value of the item, tracking and a signature required. Victoria James does not accept responsibility for pieces being returned to us until such time as we have physically taken possession of them. This must be confirmed by signature. Returned items will remain the responsibility of the sender until such time. Any costs incurred by returning the item remain the responsibility of the customer. Claims against couriers for goods lost or damaged in transit will remain the responsibility of the customer.

Please note; Victoria James jewellers document the condition of every item with photographs prior to despatch or collection.

Complaints procedure

All complaints must be put in writing and the jewellery item/s returned to us for review.

This can be by hand instore or by special delivery. (Please note that we cannot take responsibility for items until signed for upon receipt, by us)

We will assess the item, take photographs and compare them to the photographs that were taken when the item was bought or repaired.

They will all be assessed by our review team along with any written statement submitted by the customer.

We will give the customer the findings of the assessment in writing.

Please note; Staff members instore are not able to give a response to your complaint. The submit and review procedure must be adhered to and any customer refusing to follow the submit and review procedure and/or attempting to aggressively force a member of staff to answer their complaint in store, will be asked to leave.

Repairs

Repairs are carried out on a 'best possible' basis and we cannot offer an ongoing guarantee on items that are being repaired or have been repaired by us.

Victoria James Jewellers is not liable for jewellery or gemstones as part of the repair or alteration process where they have had previous repairs, enhancement, treatment, seen or unseen damage, naturally occurring flaws, cracks or poor manufacture.

Gemstones may have been subjected to an enhancement process or treatment which is not detectable to the naked eye or without specialist testing equipment. This enhancement process or treatment can make a gem unstable, especially if subjected to heat. Gemstones, especially vintage or antique stones and in particular Opals and Emeralds may have flaws or cracks as part of their natural condition, these may or may not be visible to the naked eye. An unstable gem may crack, chip or break as part of the repair process including but not restricted to unsetting, re-setting, re-polishing, tipping or re-sizing. Victoria James Jewellers cannot be held responsible for any damage to Gemstones in these circumstances.

Victoria James Jewellers reserve the right to reject any work being undertaken, without penalty, if they feel that after review they cannot carry out the work successfully, even in cases where they have given either a verbal or written agreement or taken payment for any such work. The jewellery items will be returned without any work carried out along with any money paid.

If while carrying out the agreed repair or service, we discover that unforeseen additional procedures are required that are not included in the original estimate, Victoria James Jewellers will, as soon as reasonably practical, send the customer an additional or updated estimate for approval, if a new estimate or quote cannot be agreed between Victoria James Jewellers and the customer, then work on the item will cease and work already carried out will need to be paid for before the item can be returned to the customer.

If Victoria James Jewellers are asked to remove rings from customers fingers by cutting them off then the customer is fully responsible for the repair of the ring whatever that may be and Victoria James Jewellers cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred including but not exclusive to repairing the ring, replacing any stones or re-hallmarking the ring. This service is carried out entirely at the customers risk.

Out of stock items

If an item is ordered online or instore and it transpires that the item is out of stock, no longer available or no longer available with the same specification or for the same price then, Victoria James Jewellers reserve the right to cancel the order without penalty even in circumstances where either a verbal or written contract has been agreed and/or money paid.

Display pricing errors

The price you pay is the price displayed on this website at the time we receive your order. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that all prices on our website are correct, errors sometimes do occur. If such an error in the price of the goods you have ordered is discovered, we will let you know of this as soon as possible. You will be given the option of reconfirming the order at the correct price or cancelling it. If we are unable to contact you we will treat the purchase as cancelled. If you cancel and you have already paid for the goods, you will receive a full refund.

'Everyday' wear

Rings and jewellery by definition are delicate items. With the possible  exception of plain wedding bands (Although they will scratch, dent and mark through wear) None of the rings made by Victoria James Jewellers are designed to be subjected to impact or being damaged while being worn. The manufacturers warranty does not cover consumers for damage through wear and tear.

'A consumer cannot claim for damage they cause. A consumer has no rights to claim for faults that appear as a result of fair wear and tear.' - Consumer rights act 2015.

If a customer chooses to buy or commission a ring or item of jewellery and wear it as their engagement ring or to wear it everyday, whatever that entails for them personally then that is the customers choice and responsibilty.

The definition or use of the term 'Engagement ring' as meaning 'everyday' and stating either verbally or in writing before, during or after the making or buying process and relying on that definition or stating as described above that the customer or recipiant intends to wear the item everyday will not absolve the customer, recipiant or wearer of the responsibility of any damage that occurrs during the wearing or ownership of the item. As a policy, we take photographs of everything we make, alter or repair both when we receive it and before it is given to the customer.

Gift certificates

Gift certificates may be purchased on our website. We will email you with a unique code and a printable certificate for presentation which can be redeemed instore or online by the purchaser or by the recipiant/s named on the voucher.

Comparison Purchasing

Comparison purchasing is the act of buying several of the same item, keeping the one you like best, and then returning the remainder. To keep our prices low, we do not allow comparison purchasing. This causes undue restocking and inventory overheads and can be very costly. To confirm the quality of a diamond or to help you make a decision as what item/s would be the best choice for you please contact us and we will be happy to guide you through the selection process. There may be the possibility of us being able to supply you with models of certain ring styles.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

Victoria James jewellers is a UK based company and therefore Value added tax (VAT) will be applied for all orders placed on the website where applicable. The VAT amount is calculated based on the shipping destination of your order. Items to be delivered to countries who are part of the European union (EU) will have VAT added to the order. Items to be delivered outside of the European union (EU) may not be liable for VAT. Please note that adjustments may appear in the shopping basket after you have entered a shipping destination. However, Victoria James fine Jewellery LTD reserve the right to adjust these figures depending on current data or system failures. Revised figures will be agreed by the customer or a full refund will be given.

Customs, Duties And Taxes

The customs office of the destination country may impose customs fees, import duties, taxes, and other charges to your international order where applicable. These additional charges required for customs clearance are the responsibility of the customer/recipient. When your order arrives at customs either our shipper UPS or the customs office will contact you directly to arrange for the payment of any charges that may be due.

Intellectual Property

All designs on this website are copyrighted by Victoria James jewellers and the reproduction of our designs or the commissioning of third parties to reproduce our designs is strictly prohibited. Victoria James jewellers reserves the right to re-produce all designs made by victoria james jewellers including bespoke, commissioned designs by or for customers. 

Privacy Policy

Any card or payment details related to items purchased online are processed by Sagepay and are not dealt with by Victoria James Jewellery, therefore Victoria James jewellers do not retain your card information within our website. Cookies are used on this shopping site, but only to keep track of the contents of your shopping basket once you have selected an item. We do not ‘spam’ and Victoria-James.co.uk does not disclose buyer's information to third parties. Our prices reflect the current trading prices of precious metals and Gemstones and are subject to change on a daily basis.

General Data Protection Regulation

We have updated our Privacy Policy to be General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant and to give you confidence about how we look after your personal data.

When you enquire or buy services or products from us, you will be asked to provide information so that we can complete your purchase.

We use this information to complete your transaction and provide the services we offer. Please note, we do not store any payment or credit card information – your payments are submitted via the third party service Sagepay. 

We collect: name, email address, phone number, billing address, IP address, and information provided by cookies or similar technology.

Why: We use this information to share news about events and products offered by Victoria James Jewellers and to process your purchase from us. Additionally, the IP address helps us to understand geographic information about our website visitors better, so that we can improve our website for everyone. It is our legitimate interest to process your personal data for these purposes.

Your Rights and Choices

Your Rights

We want you to be in control of how your personal information is used by us. Subject to local law, you can do this in the following ways:

Where we are using your personal information on the basis of your consent, you are entitled to withdraw that consent at any time. Moreover, where we process your personal information based on legitimate interest or the public interest, you have the right to object at any time to that use of your personal information.

We rely on you to ensure that your personal information is complete, accurate and up to date. Please do inform us promptly of any changes to or inaccuracies in your personal information by contacting info@victoria-james.co.uk

We will respond to your request as soon as possible but certainly within 30 days. For more information about how you can control the collection and your Communication, Marketing and Advertising Preferences, please get in touch with info@victoria-james.co.uk

We are committed to working with you to obtain a fair resolution of any complaint or concern you may have about our use of your personal information. If, however, you believe that we have not been able to assist with your complaint or concern, you may have the right to file a complaint with the data protection authority in your country (if one exists in your country) or supervisory authority.

Our Use of Cookies and Other Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies like pixels, tags, web beacons, and other identifiers to help us personalise our website for you, remember your preferences, understand how users are using our website or app, and help customise our marketing offerings.

Cookies

A cookie is a small data file containing a string of characters that is sent to your computer when you visit a website. When you visit the website again, the cookie allows that site to recognise your browser. The length of time a cookie will stay on your computer or mobile device depends on whether it is a “persistent” or “session” cookie. Victoria James uses both types of cookies. Session cookies will only stay on your device until you stop browsing. Persistent cookies stay on your computer or mobile device until they expire or are deleted. We use the following types of cookies on our website.

 

How to control Cookie settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. However, if you limit the ability of websites to set cookies, you may impair your overall user experience, as it will no longer be personalised to you. Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” (“DNT”) signal where you can indicate your preference regarding tracking and cross-site tracking. Although we do not currently employ technology that recognises DNT signals, we will only process your personal data in accordance with this Statement. Below you can learn about how to control cookie settings on popular web browsers:

Legal information

You acknowledge and agree that all copyright, trademarks and all other intellectual property rights in all materials and content made available as part of your use of this website shall remain at all times vested in us. You are only permitted to use this material if expressly authorised by us or our licensors (as appropriate). 

You acknowledge and agree that the material and content contained within this website is made available to you for your own personal and non-commercial use and that you may only download such material and content for the purpose of using this website. You further acknowledge that any other use of the material and content of this website is strictly prohibited and you agree not to (and agree not to assist or facilitate any third party to) copy, reproduce, transmit, publish, display, distribute, commercially exploit or create derivative works of such material and content.

We reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time. Any such changes will take effect from when they are posted on the website. It is the customers responsibility to read the terms and conditions on each occasion that they use this website or purchase through Victoria James jewellers. Your continued use of the website shall signify your acceptance to be bound by the latest terms and conditions.

Victoria James is a trading name of Victoria James fine jewellery LTD, registered in England and Wales with Company No. 08722701. VAT No. GB171826402. Registered Office: Church court, Stourbridge road, Halesowen. West Midlands, B63 3TT