Frequently Asked Questions

Your prices are great but what about quality?

Quality is at the very heart of what we do. We only sell real, solid gold and platinum pieces set with natural diamonds and other genuine gem stones, then we hand finish to ensure perfection. It's simple, if we didn't supply the best possible jewellery at the lowest possible prices our returns would increase. This would be both costly and damaging to our reputation. Some of our pictures are better than others but the goods that we supply are at least equal to any that you'll see in any jewellery store, just at lower prices because we don't have the overheads of a High Street location.

Should I be worried about buying jewellery on the internet?

We understand that you may be concerned but there is no need to be. Buying from our site is probably more private and secure than buying in a shop. Our secure payment service is provided by HSBC bank and as soon as you start to enter any information this site is secured to bank standards using 128 bit SSL. HSBC insist on this and do check that we remain secure.

We have been selling on the web since 2004 and we've supplied thousands of very happy customers. We are full members of the British Jewellers Association, IMRG and SafeBuy. We operate a 100%, no questions asked, money back guarantee so that you can buy with complete confidence. We are real people too so talk to us about any concerns that you may have.

How do you keep your prices so low?

Jewellery stores have very high overheads. Prime location rent and rates, luxury fixtures and fittings, many staff and high electricity costs. Quite simply, we don't have all of those costs and we pass the savings on to you. We know you can't touch and feel on the internet so we offer a no quibble returns policy.

What if I see the same thing cheaper elsewhere?

If you find the exact item that you want, or have purchased from Ampalian.com at a cheaper price either before ordering, or within 7 days of purchase we will refund the difference, that simple. We will not be beaten on price be it online or on the High Street. Adequate proof will be required, a link to the item online or perhaps a mobile phone photo of the item in a jewellers window. Just email us or call us on +44(0)1243 787813 and assuming we can verify your claim we'll issue a discount or refund straight away, no fuss.

Do you have a shop to visit?

No, sorry. We couldn't offer the prices that we do if we had the overheads of a physical shop. We have two office locations and a workshop with goods moving between them to get to you fast, perfectly finished and of top quality. Because we don't have a shop we offer a no quibble returns policy.

When will my jewellery arrive?

We have a passion for service, See our Customer Feedback.

All orders are delivered fast and FREE, to all of the UK. We use Royal Mail Special Delivery for UK orders and Royal Mail Airsure for overseas orders. In the event of any disruption to Royal Mail services we have back up services in place. We are therefore not affected by Royal Mails strikes etc.

Every item that we sell is hand finished and inspected in our own workshops. This takes a little time but we believe it's essential to ensure the perfect quality of an item that will be treasured for a lifetime and beyond.

Expected maximum delivery times are shown on every item. Actual delivery time is often much faster than this but we don't want to disappoint you with late delivery for a special occasion. In the very rare event that the published delivery time might be exceeded we will contact you immediately and discreetly.

All items are delivered in a beautiful, piano finish, solid hardwood presentation box FREE of charge. We also supply a FREE replacement valuation for insurance purposes.

Can you deliver faster?

Sometimes, yes. Give us a call on 01243 787813 and tell us your deadline. We'll do our best to meet it but we won't compromise on quality. We are the best online jewellers and quality is very important. Jewellery that you purchase from Ampalian is intended to be treasured for a lifetime and beyond so we want to take care that what you receive from us is both beautiful and perfect in every way.

Can you deliver to a different address?

Yes. We understand that you may want to keep your jewellery as a surprise gift so during the checkout process you will be offered the opportunity to select an alternative delivery address. This could be your work address or perhaps the address of a friend or family member.

Can I send it back?

Yes. We want you to be happy with your purchase. If you are not, for any reason whatsoever, we will refund you provided the goods are returned exactly as supplied, with any tags intact and all paperwork/certificates. Please note that earrings cannot be returned for hygiene reasons, and full eternity rings cannot be returned because they have been specially made for you.

Ladies rings: sizes K to S inclusive may be returned
Mens rings: sizes M to W inclusive may be returned

We strongly recommend that you insure your returns and send them by signed for delivery. In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery is recommended. We cannot be held responsible for goods lost in the post that are sent by other means.

Do you do gift wrapping?

No we don't but everything is delivered in a beautiful, piano finish solid hardwood presentation box. We don't gift wrap because we believe that you'll want to inspect your purchase before giving it to someone special.

What if I order the wrong size?

No problem. Just return it to us with the completed returns slip that we provide and we'll re-size for you and return it within 4 working days for only £35.00.

What are gem weights?

We often don't quote carat weights of gems other than diamond. Their carat weights can be misleading vs. those of diamond due to different stone densities. Gems other than diamond are therefore best judged on their size and proportion to the design of the piece.

I've heard that white gold discolours, is that right?

Sort of. You see there is no such thing as white gold. Gold is yellow. Gold used in jewellery is alloyed with other metals for appearance and durability. In the case of 9 carat gold, 37.5% of the alloy is pure gold. In 18 carat 75% of the alloy is pure gold. "Whiter" gold is created by alloying white metals with the yellow gold. To give white gold a commercially acceptable finish ALL white gold is Rhodium (similar to Platinum) plated. It is this plating that wears over time revealing the less than perfectly white gold underneath. It's a relatively simple process however to refinish and re-polish white gold and yellow gold also needs re-polishing from time to time too. We offer a refinishing service on all of the goods that we sell for just £25. Details are provided with your order.

How does diamond grading work?

There is a lot of information about diamond grading here. Diamonds are graded for clarity, colour, cut and carat. The most important of these are colour and clarity. Most of the diamonds that we offer are at least H/I in colour and Si1 to Si2 in clarity. This is a higher standard than many internet retailers so do check. Diamond grades are clearly stated on our product descriptions.

What is diamond certification?

Diamonds are often graded by the retailer from experience and via merchant agreements. We insist that our merchants supply at least the minimum standard that we state and then we check every stone ourselves. We warrant the grading in writing on our valuations, each of which is personally signed by a director of this company.
Some diamonds are independently graded by a gemological laboratory. This doesn't make these diamonds any better, it just means that you have the extra reassurance of an independent body. There are only a handful of truly independent and accredited laboratories around the world, the main ones being AnchorCert, EGL, HRD, IGI and GIA. Be very wary of certificates from other, so called, gemological laboratories. Certification costs both time and money so it's uneconomic to have such certification on every piece. We reduce the cost by sending multiple stones for certification in large batches to keep our certified items at the low prices that you expect from Ampalian.