Terms & Conditions

 

Commissioning a piece of jewellery

  • PLEASE NOTE: My order book is currently full and I cannot take on any new commissions in the foreseeable future, my apologies (April 2024)

  • Some of the most enjoyable pieces I get to make are those that are made for the most special moments in someone's life – a wedding or engagement band, a love token, a celebration of a new life or a memento of a life well lived. Perhaps my most favourite commissions are those between grandparent and grandchild.

  • While I do not take on commissions that are not of my own designing I can, in collaboration with a client, design a unique piece of jewellery that has special resonance for the people it will link. Your own heirloom may not be as expensive as you think - not all jewellery is made of gold, not all stones are diamonds.

  • Why not recycle jewellery you no longer wear, incorporating the stones in the new design and putting the precious metal value against the commission price? I do not have the facilities to process and recycle metals here at my workshop.

  • In preparation for commissioning a piece of jewellery it will be of help if you do some research on the Internet to identify your own, or the recipients, tastes.

  • It is important to discover if my skills and design preferences are compatible with your expectations and I am very happy to discuss a possible commission and all that it will entail before you commit yourself. On accepting the commission, I will provide a commission contract detailing what we will have decided upon, a price quote (dependent on bullion prices at the time of the quotation) and a request for a non-refundable first payment of 70% of the quoted price as payment towards my designing time and material costs.

  • New design commissions require not only individually focused making but also designing time while I tease out how the components will fit together and the correct line or texture to apply.

  • Approval of the final design choice will be requested before I move to the final manufacture and finishing stages and a final payment will be due before delivery of the completed item.

  • Please note that returns are not accepted on such items.

Ring Sizes

  • Accurate ring sizing is important as not all designs are possible to resize in my studio, especially if it includes a stone. Try not to test the size when hot or chilly as your finger size will alter.

  • Ideally, I would like to take my own measurement of a finger or an existing ring but failing that a measurement taken at a jewellers (cheeky I know) using the A-Z measurement scale. I do not find that adjustable plastic ring sizers provide an accurate measurement and I have a lightweight set of ring sizer that I can post to you (and you return to me). A commissioned ring will be made to the size I am provided with or measure myself. While I am happy to provide a single resizing for no additional charge (delivery excluded), if it is feasible and reasonable to do so, the inclusion of any surface patina or application of gold leaf, a pearl or delicate stone will make this impossible.

  • It is best to note here that square or U-shaped ring shanks, and I make a few of these, are not possible to accurately size so only a physical fitting will work and for this reason I often decline to sell these unless ‘face to face’.

Ordering from the website shop

  • Items displayed for sale represent the designs described and may not be the exact item you receive. Each item is individually handmade therefore no two items are the same so that while I can replicate an item it will never be possible to duplicate every wrinkle or hammer mark and sourcing specific stones or special fittings may take a while. This all means that while some designs are available for posting in a few days of ordering, others take between two and four weeks to complete while a few designs may need longer in order to recreate the original. If I encounter any unforeseen delays I will contact you immediately. Do contact me if you need an item faster than quoted on the web page and I will do all I can to help meet your deadline.

  • I photograph my work in daylight and consider that the photographs are an acceptable representation of the jewellery displayed on the website, however they cannot be guaranteed 100% accurate as this will vary depending on your individual computer's display settings. Repeated designs may be subject to minor fluctuations in size, shape, colour and appearance and all dimensions are given as a guide only. Patinating metal is an Art not a Science and colours cannot be guaranteed, only approximated. I will make all reasonable efforts to supply items similar to those displayed or already sold but no warranty is made as to the degree of similarity.

  • Due to the complexity of postal services, online orders from my website shop are currently only possible for customers based in the UK and many EU countries but I am working on expanding the areas served. I can send out to other countries but please contact me directly to arrange for a delivery quote and payment details.

  • Sadly, there are countries where it is difficult, if not impossible, to guarantee when or if a parcel will arrive, perhaps with excessive fees payable by the customer, so I reserve the right to choose to not send parcels to such places.

  • Payment

Payment is required in pounds sterling and no VAT is charged. Bullion prices and services provided by third parties are beyond my control and I therefore retain the right to vary prices without prior notice and would contact you as soon as possible so that you can confirm or cancel your order. I never obtain any details of your payment card or bank account from my payment service provider or bank. All payments must be received before shipment and any additional taxes and fees incurred on overseas orders are the responsibility of the recipient. 

Delivery 

  • I send all packages out securely wrapped via Special Delivery Post Office service which requires a signature on receipt.  If the item fails to arrive please access the Royal Mail website and use the tracking number provided to trace its progress. Postage beyond the UK will be via a Post Office international tracked and signed for service and will be quoted for individually - please contact me before ordering online. 

  • Items not received but tracked as being delivered - This frequently happens when items are delivered to places of work. In some cases, your item might have been delivered to a post room or colleague within your company, and someone else will have signed for it. In these cases, for a small charge, you can request a proof of delivery certificate from the Royal Mail (www.royalmail.com) by filling in a signature request form. I always recommend that you have items delivered to your home address, though do remember a signature is needed. 

Cancellation & Faulty Goods

  • CANCELLATION

    You may cancel an order for any reason up to the point of dispatch with the exception of Custom Order items specifically made or altered for you. Once I have confirmed a cancellation is feasible, all payments made by yourself will be refunded in full within 14 days. Once dispatched any cancellation will be treated as a Return.

  • FAULTY GOODS

    Within 7 days of receipt of Goods you must notify me via email to request a returns number if you deem the item to be faulty, damaged or not what was ordered. On verification of this situation the return postage will be refunded along with the initial purchase price and postage fees. Beyond 7 days of receipt you shall be deemed to have accepted the Goods, so please inspect the Goods ordered immediately upon receipt. With a few exceptions, I will guarantee an item of jewellery for one year of responsible use and I will in the first instance refund your returns postage costs and repair the item or replace it if this is not feasible. The issue of a credit note is at my own discretion. Obviously a substantial item of jewellery should last well beyond the stated year so please contact me if a fault becomes apparent as I would appreciate the opportunity to rectify the problem. It is worth noting here that stones don’t like sitting in rings when you garden or muck out horses and that household and swimming pool chemicals, perfumes and lotions can cause rapid and deep staining or pitting on certain metals and stones, surface patinas are just that and can be lost through abrasion or rough handling and the sheen on a pearl is as delicate as it looks.

  • For the return of incorrect or faulty goods from non-UK clients, please contact me for a Returns form. On their return, if the goods are confirmed to be incorrect or faulty, the cost of both the goods and the initial and return postage will be refunded but not any Customs duties, taxes or handling charges applied by your country’s authorities - you will need to make a claim for a refund for these costs from your own local authority.

Returning Goods

  • UK customers have a 14 day cooling off period after the date of delivery of the Goods, excluding items made to commission or altered/personalised items. During this period you can return the item for any reason. However you must take reasonable care of any products in your possession and must also write a cancellation notice via e-mail. For reasons of hygiene, earrings for pierced ears are excluded from this returns option. I will not exchange or refund goods that show signs of having been worn, are damaged, do not have their original packaging in a saleable condition, or where any tags are broken or removed. In this instance, the goods will be returned to the buyer at their own cost.

  • To arrange the return of an item please email me quoting your name and address, details of the product, the reason for return and whether you require a refund or replacement. You will be provided with a Returns Form to complete and send with the item. Your original postage costs will NOT be refunded unless the item you received was sent in error or is faulty (providing we are notified of faults within 7 days of receipt). You will be refunded within 14 days of my receiving and approving the return of the goods.

  • Returns will not be accepted from non-UK orders, unless the goods were incorrect or faulty - see above for details.

  • The jewellery remains your responsibility until it reaches me. For your own protection, I recommend that you send the parcel using a trackable service such as the Royal Mail Signed For (not insured) or Special Delivery (insured) services. I cannot be held responsible for returns that are lost in transit.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If you are unhappy with any element of the service or products I provide please email me with the details. I would appreciate the opportunity to review and resolve the matter swiftly and fairly, keeping you informed as to the likely timescale and progress of the solution.

COPYRIGHT

All copyright and intellectual rights of the goods and their design are the property of Ann Bruford, and the consumer agrees that they will not for any purpose copy the goods, commission copies of the goods or otherwise cause them to be copied by any person, company or other organisation. Please contact me in writing to gain prior consent if you would like to use any images or content for any other purpose. Anyone found to be in breach of copyright will be legally pursued.

Disclaimer

  • The laws of England and Wales govern these terms and conditions. By accessing this website for any reason, whether to purchase available products or not, you consent to these terms and conditions and to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in all disputes arising out of such access. Ann Bruford reserves the right to change these conditions from time to time as she sees fit and your continued use of this website will signify your acceptance of any adjustment to these terms.

  • In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987, I confirm that the Products that I supply as a distributor do not present a hazard to health and safety a) when properly used for the purpose for which they are designed; and b) if you take reasonable and normal precautions in their use.

  • Applicable laws require that some of the information or communications I send to you should be in writing. When using my site, you accept that communication with me will be mainly electronic. I will contact you by e-mail or provide you with information by posting notices on my website. For contractual purposes, you agree to this electronic means of communication and you acknowledge that all contracts, notices, information and other communications that I provide to you electronically comply with any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. This condition does not affect your statutory rights.

www.annbruford.co.uk is owned and operated by Ann Bruford and can be contacted via email ann@annbruford.co.uk