Shipping & Returns

Our Newsletter

Shipping & Returns

Shipping Policy

BetterThanDiamond.com offers you free UPS 2-Day shipping for US delivery when your total order exceeds $500.

For orders $500 and under, normal UPS shipping rates will apply.

For international orders (shipments to outside the US), we are offering a limited time special of $44 USD flat rate shipping.

This is in response to the significant amount of orders we now receive from overseas, especially Australia and Hong Kong.

We are able to ship orders anywhere in the world that FedEx delivers, with the exception of Russia. Shipping charges will be added for shipping to your country when you begin the checkout process online.

We reserve the right to refuse orders from a select number of foreign countries due to high rates of credit card fraud.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: The International shipping rate does not include customs duties or local taxes. You are responsible for paying customs duties and any import fees or taxes due. BetterThanDiamond does not make any money from these taxes or duties. You can check with your local customs office for an estimate of what, if any duties, you would owe.

For all jewelry orders, please allow a minimum of 10 business days before inquiring about the status of the order. We make most of our rings as orders are received in order to customize them to your size and specifications, so please allow 15-25 business days for the ring to be made before it ships out.

We will send you an email notification the day your order has been shipped with a confirmation of shipment and a UPS or FedEx tracking number. This gives you the ability to track your order at all times until it reaches you or your recipient's doorstep.

40 Day, Any Reason, World-Wide Return Policy

Purchases from BetterThanDiamond.com should always meet or exceed your expectations.

However, if for any reason you are not satisfied, we are pleased to offer a Forty (40) day return policy on all purchases.

Returns may be made for any reason, and we strive for a fast and efficient refund for you.

Return credits are made directly to the credit card used for the original purchase. Depending on your credit card processor, it may take up to 10 business days to show on your card. We have no way of speeding up the time it takes for your card issuer to put the credit on your card.

To process your return, simply login to your account and view the 'completed orders' section. To the right of each order is a button stating 'return items' - simply select that and then you may check each item you are going to return and submit. We will then email you the RMA and full return instructions.

*Exchanges: The exchange process is the same as the return process, only in that you just need to request store credit when requesting an RMA. After we have received the item you are returning, we will issue a store credit to your customer account, with which you can place a new order for the item you would like.

To return an item, please verify you understand our return policy conditions below and then simply:

1. Login to your account, and click on 'Completed Orders'. To the right of each order is a button to initiate a return - click the relevant button, select the items you with to return and ideally, let us know the reason you are returning. We'll respond with your RMA number (RMA = return merchandise authorization). Ideally, we'd love to hear the reason for your return, but it is not required. However, it is required that you obtain an RMA or the return will not be processed.

(The reason for the RMA is to ensure we can quickly identify where the return came from, and greatly speeds return processing and credit here).

*Please DO NOT call for an RMA.

2. Ensure you are returning all the original decorative packaging in *as new* and resell-able condition (i.e. normally the wood ring or earring box, the foam outer liner for the wood box, and the white cardboard outer box). Do not tape the outer white cardboard box! If any part of the gift box or its related packaging is not returned or damaged (including failing to return the foam liner or the white outer decorative box), we will have to charge you $15 for replacing the decorative box as we cannot re-use if either item is damaged or missing!

3. Secure your item and all of the original packing materials, including receipt, in a plainly wrapped cardboard box (the post office has these available if you do not).
Do not ship loose stones in an envelope - this includes padded bubble mailers and Flat Rate envelopes.

4. Send the package via a traceable carrier so that you can track your package if necessary. BetterThanDiamond will not send email confirmation for packages received. For your protection, please insure the package for the full amount of the invoice plus shipping charges. BetterThanDiamond.com is not responsible for items lost or damaged while shipping.

5. Clearly print your name and address on the outside of the package in the return area.

Mail the package to the address provided in your RMA confirmation email.

710 5th Ave NW

Suite 350

Issaquah, WA 98027

USA

Please be careful: You should NOT write our full company name (BetterThanDiamond), jewelry, diamonds or other luxury-related words anywhere on the package, as this invites possible theft of the package.

Conditions of Return:

Returns are simple, but are subject to certain rules:

  Packages without a return authorization number clearly displayed on the outside of the package will not be accepted for refund.

  Once an RMA is issued, the item MUST be received at BetterThanDiamond no later than fourteen (14) days after the 40 day return period ends. Items must be dated as shipped within the 40 day return period, two additional weeks are allowed for transit. Any items received after this time will not be accepted for refund.

  Each item must be returned in the same condition as it was sent, unworn and undamaged. Damaged goods due to client negligence will not be accepted for refund. Worn goods as evidenced by micro-scratches, scratches, dirt, etc. will not be accepted.

Any certification or documentation provided with your order must be returned in as-new, undamaged condition. Missing or damaged certificates will incur a $35 replacement fee.

For rings, the original BetterThanDiamond security tag must still be on the item in order for refunds to be processed. BetterThanDiamond will not process the refund otherwise.

Please ensure the decorative packaging for the jewelry item is returned in as-new, undamaged condition! If we cannot re-use the box (due to taping the outer white box together, failing to return the inner foam liner, outer white cardboard box, and/or the inner decorative box), then we will need to charge you $15 for the box.

We offer a full refund on the price paid for most items, less shipping charges, with the exception of rings, customizable items, and orders containing multiple loose stones, which are subject to additional return fees explained below.

Shipping charges are not refundable - domestic (within the US) orders that were eligible for free shipping for the order will have a $25 charge deducted to cover a portion of the lost shipping fees.
International orders shipped at no cost (typically over USD$2,000) will have a $70 charge deducted to cover lost shipping fees.
International orders subject to additional delivery charges for "Remote Area" locations will have those additional amounts deducted from any refund amount due - thus far these orders have been from outlying areas of Canada and Australia and the amounts have been in the $40-$75 range.

Important for ring and customizable item orders - 15% lost labor fee: Because we customize our rings, and some of our pendants and earrings to your exact specifications (your exact ring size, prong style, choice of stone orientation, set high, set low, center stone, etc) there is a 15% lost-labor fee for all returned items that fall within this category.

A 15% lost labor fee will be charged for any cancelled or changed ring or customizable item orders older than 24 hours: This includes cases where you have ordered, and then cancelled or changed before receiving delivery...please do not place an order until you are confident in your selection.

Our goal is to deliver you the ring of your dreams, and to do that we allow you to customize your ring order to your specifications and our setters strive to complete your ring to Tiffany's quality. However, to do this at our current pricing requires that we charge lost labor fees on returned rings and cancelled order rings due to unrecoverable labor costs and the near impossibility of matching customized rings (which we have been customized by you to your taste) to future customers. Returned rings must be torn down to their component parts, and the prong heads melted back down (prongs are non-reusable), which incurs further unrecoverable labor costs on our part. We must charge this restocking fee to partially offset our unrecoverable labor costs in order to continue to sell our rings at internet-direct pricing. The same 15% restocking fee applies to ring order cancellations.

Important for orders containing multiple loose stones and ready-to-ship items - 3% restock fee: Our loose stone and ready-to-ship inventory is often limited in certain cuts and sizes and to order multiple loose stones or pairs of earrings for viewing, comparing, and returning at a later date means that you are potentially depriving someone else the opportunity to order the stone that they really want. On top of that, we must clean, inspect, and return every loose stone or ready-to-ship piece of jewelry to inventory, which incurs labor costs on our end. Hence, for orders containing more than one loose stone, or pair of earrings, or pendant, or necklace, there is a 3% restocking fee for each item returned. In order to prevent people from making multiple single item orders to get around the restocking fee, the 3% restocking fee will be applied to returns from all orders made by the same customer or sent to a similar shipping address within a 60 day period.

Additional Notes:

Once an RMA is issued, the item MUST be received at BetterThanDiamond no later than fourteen (14) days after the 40 day return period ends. Items must be dated as shipped within the 40 day return period, two additional weeks are allowed for transit. Any items received after this time will not be accepted for refund.

   Shipping charges are not refundable - domestic (within the US) orders that were eligible for free shipping for the order will have a $25 charge deducted to cover lost shipping fees.
International orders shipped at no cost (typically over USD$2,000) will have a $70 charge deducted to cover lost shipping fees.

  Special orders and auction items cannot be refunded unless there is an error on behalf of BetterThanDiamond.

  BetterThanDiamond will not refund shipping, handling and insurance charges for shipping the returned item back to BetterThanDiamond. BTD will refund shipping and handling costs only if the return is a result of BTD's error. Refunds will be made in the same form as the original purchase.

We will not 'trade-in' or 'exchange' purchases after the 40 day return period has expired. Thus, we will not accept requests to 'trade-in' your previous setting for a new setting we have made that you like better after your purchase, or to 'trade-in' your stone of one cut for a new cut that we have recently offered, or to trade-in for a different metal (i.e. yellow gold for platinum).

Return Time:

Returns take approximately five business days to process upon receipt of the item. We will email you to notify you once your return has been processed. BetterThanDiamond will not send email confirmation for packages received.

Please note: Once we issue the refund, the funds are pulled from our account that same evening. However, it may take up to 10 business days before the credit shows on your card. This is because the funds must move from:

BetterThanDiamond -> Our credit card processor > Your bank's card processor -> Your bank or actual card issuer -> Your credit card.

Thus, we have no way of 'speeding up' how long it takes to show on your card. Once we issue the refund, it it out of our hands and we cannot influence the time it takes to show on your card. You may contact your card issuer to enquire as to the return credits status if you wish.

Again, please ship all return items WITHIN 40 DAYS of the date your order was delivered to you, along with all of its original materials. If you have any questions, contact one of our customer service representatives.

(Note: You may leave a voice mail with any questions but please provide a return email address - we will reply in email:

425-818-2053 (PST Time Zone)

Return Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 40 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (approximately 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (2 to 14 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Higher value orders are shipped with a signature required, so please specify a work delivery for the shipping address if needed.