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Ten Questions to Ask Any Jeweller Before You Order
Written by a workshop. The reaction tells you as much as the answer.
Written by the Mapple Gems workshop, Surat Β· Updated 18 August 2026
Short answer
Ask who actually makes the piece, the exact metal and karat, the stone size in millimetres, which lab issued the report, the production and shipping time separately, what happens if it needs resizing, what the warranty covers and from when, who pays import duty, whether you will see a render before casting, and whether they will send video of the finished piece before it ships. A good workshop answers all ten without hesitating.
We are on the receiving end of these questions every week, so this list is written from the other side of the bench. A workshop that knows its work expects to be asked. If any of these produces vagueness or irritation, that is your answer.
1. Who actually makes this?
A great many jewellery sites are storefronts placing orders with a third party. That is not dishonest in itself, but it changes everything downstream: who you talk to about a change, how long a repair takes, and whether anyone can answer a technical question at all. Ask directly. βWe make it in our own unitβ and βwe work with trusted partnersβ are very different sentences.
2. What is the exact metal and karat?
βGoldβ is not a specification. You want one of: 925 sterling silver, or solid 10K, 14K or 18K. If the answer includes plated, vermeil, gold-filled or βgold toneβ, that is a base metal with a surface layer, and it will wear through. Ask it as a closed question and accept only a specific answer.
3. What size is the centre stone in millimetres?
Carat is weight, not size. This matters most with moissanite, which is about 15% less dense than diamond and is therefore sold by millimetre diameter and diamond equivalent weight rather than true carat. A β1Β ctβ moissanite measures about 6.5Β mm and weighs closer to 0.88Β ct. If a seller can only quote carats, ask again.
4. Which lab issued the report, and can I see it?
For lab grown diamonds, look for IGI or GCAL, both of which report full 4C detail. Since October 2025 GIA issues a Premium or Standard assessment for lab grown stones rather than letter grades, so a new GIA report tells you less. Moissanite is generally not graded on the DβZ scale at all, so nobody should be showing you one. An unnamed βcertificateβ from the seller themselves is marketing, not verification.
5. How long is production, and how long is shipping β separately?
This is where most delivery disappointment comes from, and it is almost always a wording problem rather than a lying problem. A shipping option labelled β10β12 daysβ usually means transit only. A made-to-order piece has to be built first. Ask for the two numbers separately and add them yourself.
For the record, ours. Production is about seven to eight days on the bench. Standard shipping is 10β12 days in transit and expedited is 6β8, so door to door is roughly 17β20 days standard and 13β16 expedited. We would rather write that out in full than let a checkout label do the talking.
6. What happens if it needs resizing?
Two parts to this. First, can the design be resized β a full eternity band or a shank with pavΓ© running all the way round usually cannot, because there is no plain metal to cut and rejoin. Second, what the process is and what it costs. Ask both before you choose a band style, not after the ring arrives.
7. What does the warranty cover, and from when?
A warranty against manufacturing defects is not the same as a warranty against damage, and a period running from the order date is not the same as one running from delivery β which on an international order can be three weeks apart. Get both the scope and the start point in writing.
8. Who pays import duty?
On a cross-border order, duty and local taxes are frequently payable by the recipient on delivery. That is normal, but it is a genuinely unpleasant surprise when the parcel is a gift. Ask whether the price includes duties, and if not, roughly what to expect for your country.
9. Will I see a render before you cast it?
For anything custom, the render stage is the last moment a change is cheap. Once a model goes to wax and casting, altering it means starting again. Ask for the side elevation as well as the top view β the side is where profile height, gallery and the gap for a future wedding band actually show.
10. Will you send video of the finished piece before it ships?
Studio stills flatter every piece equally, which is precisely why they are used. Video under ordinary indoor light is the only honest preview. A workshop confident in its work will send it without being pushed.
| Answer you want | Answer that should worry you |
|---|---|
| β14K solid yellow goldβ | βGoldβ / βgold toneβ / βgold finishβ |
| β7.5Β mm, which is 1.5Β ct DEWβ | βItβs a 1.5 caratβ and nothing further |
| βIGI, here is the report numberβ | βIt comes with a certificateβ |
| β8 days to make, 10β12 in transitβ | βDelivery 10β12 daysβ |
| βYes, Iβll send the side view tooβ | βIt will look just like the photoβ |
The one that is not a question
Watch how the answers arrive. A workshop that makes its own pieces gives you numbers quickly, because the numbers are simply what it does all day. Hesitation on metal, millimetres or timing usually means the person answering is not the person making.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I ask before buying jewellery online?
Ask who makes the piece, the exact metal and karat, the stone size in millimetres, which lab issued the report, production and shipping time as two separate numbers, whether the design can be resized, what the warranty covers and from when, who pays import duty, whether you will see a render before casting, and whether they will send video before it ships.
How can I tell if a jeweller actually makes their own jewellery?
Ask a technical question and watch how fast the numbers come back. A maker knows the karat, the millimetre dimensions and the bench time without checking, because those are what they handle daily. Ask also whether they can send a photograph of the piece part-finished β a storefront reselling someone elseβs work cannot.
Does a delivery estimate include making the ring?
Often not. Shipping options are usually labelled with transit time only, so for a made-to-order piece you have to add production on top. Always ask for the two figures separately and add them yourself rather than reading a checkout label as the total.
Who pays customs duty on jewellery bought from abroad?
In most cases the recipient pays duty and local taxes on delivery, unless the seller states that duties are included. Thresholds and rates vary by country. Ask before ordering, particularly if the piece is a gift being sent to someone else, since an unexpected charge on the doorstep spoils the surprise.
Ask us all ten.
We own our manufacturing unit in Surat, so the answers come from the people at the bench rather than from a supplier.
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