How to Inspect Jewellery When It Arrives
A piece of jewellery arriving by post has survived packing, transit, customs and a delivery van. Check it properly on day one, while the return window is open.
Before you open it
- Keep the outer packaging intact until you have checked the contents. If something is wrong, the shipping box is evidence.
- Film the unboxing if the piece is expensive. Thirty seconds of video resolves almost any dispute about condition on arrival.
- Check the invoice — metal, stone size, ring size and setting should all match what you ordered. Compare the specification, not just the product name.
The order of checks
Work from the biggest problem to the smallest. If the ring does not fit, nothing else matters yet.
1. Size
Put it on. It should slide over the knuckle with slight resistance and sit with a small amount of movement at the base of the finger. Too tight leaves a mark; too loose rotates freely.
Check at room temperature, in the afternoon — fingers are largest then. A ring that fits in the morning can be uncomfortably tight by evening.
If it is wrong — do this before wearing it anywhere else. Sizing is far easier on an unworn piece.
2. The stone, face-on
Hold the ring at eye level, about 30cm away, in daylight near a window (not direct sun).
- Symmetry — the stone should be centred in the setting, not visibly offset to one side.
- Straightness — the stone's table should be roughly parallel to the ring's plane, not tilted.
- Light return — it should be bright across the whole face, not bright at the edges and dull in the middle.
3. The stone, through the table
Look straight down into the stone.
- Window — hold the ring over a patterned surface (a newspaper, a striped shirt). If you can read the pattern through the centre of the stone, the cut is too shallow. That is a genuine defect.
- Bow tie — in oval, pear, marquise and elongated radiant cuts, a dark band across the middle. Some is normal. A heavy dark stripe is a poor cut.
- Doubling — in moissanite, look at the far facet edges. Faint ghost lines alongside them are normal double refraction, more visible in step cuts above 1.5ct.
4. The prongs
This is where most problems live and where most buyers do not look.
- Each prong should touch the stone with no visible gap.
- Press the stone gently with a fingernail from four directions. It should not move at all.
- Prongs should be even in size and shape. One noticeably thinner prong is wearing unevenly.
- On a princess, emerald, radiant or marquise, the prongs must sit on the corners or points — not the flat edges.
5. The setting and shank
- Turn the ring and look along the band. It should be straight, not twisted.
- Run a fingernail along the inside of the shank. Any sharp edge or step is a finishing fault.
- Check the join where the setting meets the shank — it should be smooth and continuous.
- Look for scratches or tool marks on the inside of the band. Some are normal from setting work; deep gouges are not.
6. The metal and hallmark
- Hallmark — look inside the band for a stamp: 925, 9K, 14K, 18K or PT950. It should be legible and match the invoice.
- Colour consistency — the whole piece should be the same colour. Patchy plating shows as lighter or darker areas.
- Weight — compare to the stated weight if given. A piece noticeably lighter than specified may have a thinner shank than described.
7. The certificate
- The certificate number should match the stone you received.
- Dimensions on the certificate should match what you measure.
- For moissanite it should be GRA and should name moissanite as the stone type.
- Check the certificate number against the issuing body's own lookup if they have one.
Measuring the stone yourself
You do not need special equipment. A ruler with millimetre markings, held across the stone from above, gives a usable measurement.
- Round: diameter
- Oval, pear, marquise, emerald, radiant: length and width
- Compare to the listing. A 2ct oval should be roughly 9.5 × 7.0mm; if it measures 8 × 6mm, it is not a 2ct stone.
This is the single most useful check for online purchases, because carat weight is easy to overstate and dimensions are not.
What is normal, and what is not
| Observation | Verdict |
| Faint ghost lines beside facet edges (moissanite) | Normal — double refraction |
| Mild dark band across an oval/pear/marquise | Normal — bow tie, softens with tilt |
| Fine scratches inside the band | Normal — setting work |
| Stone moves when pressed | Defect — do not wear, return |
| Gap between prong and stone | Defect — needs tightening |
| Can read print through the stone's centre | Defect — window, cut too shallow |
| Heavy dark stripe that stays when tilted | Defect — severe bow tie |
| Stone visibly off-centre in setting | Defect — setting error |
| Metal colour patchy | Defect — plating fault |
If something is wrong
Photograph it before doing anything else — close-up, in daylight, with the fault visible. Then contact the seller with the photographs and the order number.
Do not wear the piece while a return is being discussed. Wear marks change the condition and complicate the return.
Our terms
Every piece ships with the metal hallmarked, a GRA certificate for the stone where applicable, and a box suitable for storage. If anything above does not pass on arrival, contact us within 30 days — unworn and in original packaging — and we will exchange or refund.
If you are unsure whether something is a defect or normal for the material, send a photo and ask. A two-minute answer is better than a return either way.