what counts as wear and tear?

Written by Daena
21.01.2019, 11:00

We believe that our products are not only excellent value but also of the highest quality! We do understand however that there may be the odd occasion when there may be something wrong with the item you have ordered, but unfortunately wear and tear does not mean that you can return the item back to us – so what counts as wear and tear?

Generally:

  • If you have had the item for over 30 days and it has now broken, e.g. a chain snapping
  • Tarnishing
  • Damage caused by misuse of the product / a fault that was avoidable
  • Loss

length of time

If you’ve had your item for over 2 years, any damage to your jewellery would be classed as wear and tear unfortunately. This is because there is not a manufacturing fault with your item. We are unable to accept returns on items that were purchased over 2 years ago. If the item was delivered less than 30 days ago and the item is faulty, we are happy to offer you a replacement, exchange or refund.

condition upon arrival

If your item arrived broken, e.g. with a stone missing or the clasp is broken, this is of course not your fault and we will be more than happy to repair or replace the item for you. Proof of purchase will be required however, and the item may need to be returned to us prior to any action being taken, depending on the value of the item itself.

tarnishing

All of our silver and 18ct Gold Dipped products are .925 sterling silver, and our gold .375 solid gold, and will therefore tarnish naturally over time. Tarnishing is caused by an oxidisation process with the air so therefore we would recommend regular polishing to keep an item looking at its best. There are many different factors that can cause jewellery to tarnish more quickly including exposure to skin products, perfumes, sweat and certain tanning products. If your item has tarnished, we would recommend that you polish the item, we have a whole guide to cleaning your jewellery here. As this is a natural process, we generally do not offer returns on tarnished items except for in extenuating circumstances.

damaged by misuse

Did your item get damaged due to an accident or misuse of the product? If you tried wearing your bracelet as an anklet, or you throw your necklaces into your jewellery box and they then get tangled for example, are cases where we would not be responsible for the damage of the product, and therefore we would not be able to offer a return on the item.

loss

If you lose your item, whether this is through dancing on your Friday night out, or your earring fell out in your sleep and you can’t find it, does not warrant a return or refund unfortunately. We understand that very occasionally butterfly backs may not fit onto earrings securely for example, however in this case we would require the issue to be reported as soon as the item has been delivered, otherwise loss of the earring would be classed as wear and tear.

If you’re unsure whether your item is damaged due to a manufacturing fault or wear and tear, just get in touch with our customer service team on hello@jewellerybox.co.uk with a photo of the damage and they will be able to help you out! To read more about our returns policy, click here.