FAQs

You asked, we've answered.

Orders

How do I place an order?

Ordering with The Stone Lab is quick, easy, and secure. Once you have selected your Stone Lab jewellery, simply follow the below steps:

1. Click on the Add to Cart button, to place the item in your Shopping Bag.

2. Follow the directions through the checkout process to complete your order.

Your order will not be placed until the very end of the checkout process, when you will be asked for your payment information.

Do you have a store or showroom I can visit?

We have a head office in Manchester and offer virtual consultations. 

During your virtual consultation you'll be able to inspect a selection of our beautiful fine jewellery and a member of our jewellery consultancy team will be on hand to answer all your questions. 

What are your payment methods?

We accept all major credit and debit cards, bank transfers and also offer external PayPal and Klarna 0% payment options. 

The Stone Lab offer the opportunity for customers to split payment between two different payment methods. If you wish to do so, please contact us via email at thstonelab1937@gmail.com or call us on +44 7471 273378.

Is vat charged online?

All prices are inclusive of UK VAT. For all orders outside of the UK, VAT is not applicable.

Can I customise The Stone Lab jewellery?

We are able to customise all standard rings to accommodate your personal preferences. 

Please note that personalised designs are excluded from our returns policy and therefore cannot be returned or exchanged.

Can you help me design a unique piece of jewellery?

The Stone Lab’s expertise lies in bespoke jewellery design. Whatever your desire it can be achieved with the help of our
team who will guide you through the bespoke design process from start to finish. 

Our established design process ensures first class support from our bespoke team from design conception to delivery. 

We offer one-on-one consultations with our design experts, unlimited design alterations and a 3D wax ring resin for you to approve before purchasing your perfect bespoke ring.

Do your ring collections feature any branding?

None of our fine jewellery features The Stone Lab branding. 

We do however hallmark all our jewellery in line with UK regulations. Each hallmark includes a sponsor mark, fineness mark and assay office mark, indicating the piece’s creator, precious metal content, place & year the jewellery was hallmarked. This hallmark isn’t visible when worn and is engraved in extremely small text on the inside of the ring’s band.

Do you offer ring engraving?

Yes, we offer engraving on the vast majority of our engagement rings and wedding bands. Please get in touch to request this service. 

We recommend no more than 15 characters for engraving of standard sized rings. Please note that engraved rings are excluded from our returns policy and therefore cannot be returned or exchanged.

How can I measure my finger size?

We offer free ring sizers to customers within the UK & Europe. 

This plastic multisize ring sizer acts like a belt, placed over the finger and adjusted to fit like a ring, to indicate your ring size for a perfect fit. 

It is extremely important to us that your ring is a perfect fit, therefore, if for any reason you’re Stone Lab engagement ring isn’t a perfect fit, we offer a complimentary one-time ring resize within 30 days of receiving your order.

delivery

UK Delivery Information

The Stone Lab are proud to offer free UK delivery & returns.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 7-14 days, a small selection of products & bespoke designs items do have an extended delivery timescale and can take up to 5 weeks for delivery. Please contact us if you require a rush order.

EU Delivery Information

The Stone Lab are proud to offer free EU delivery.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2 - 14 days, a small selection of products & bespoke designs items do have an extended delivery timescale and can take up to 4 weeks for delivery. Please contact us if you require a rush order.

All parcels are shipped via our nominated couriers and are fully insured to your postal address, every parcel requires a signature upon delivery. 

All EU orders are shipped duty paid and no additional taxes or duties are payable on arrival (excluding Switzerland, Norway & Iceland).

We can zero rate all non-UK & EU orders to remove 20% VAT. Please get in touch.

Rest of World Delivery Information

The Stone Lab are proud to offer free worldwide delivery.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 2 - 14 days, a small selection of products & bespoke designs items do have an extended delivery timescale and can take up to 4 weeks for delivery. Please contact us if you require a rush order.

All parcels are shipped via our nominated couriers and are fully insured to your postal address, every parcel requires a signature upon delivery. 

All orders outside the UK & EU are liable to local taxes or duties on arrival. We can zero rate all non-UK & EU orders to remove 20% VAT. Please get in touch.

Will Brexit affect orders dispatched to Europe?

The UK's exit from the European Union in now complete and a new trade deal has now been agreed between the two trading blocks as per 1st January 2021. 

Following this agreement, no additional customs, duty or tariffs are payable for deliveries from the UK to Europe (excluding Switzerland, Norway & Iceland). 

We can zero rate all non-UK & EU orders to remove 20% VAT. Please get in touch.

How will my order be packaged?

Every Stone Lab ring is perfectly presented in a beautiful blush satin display box. 

Our shipping packages are free from our branding in secure tamper proof packaging.

Is my parcel insured during transit?

You will receive an automated email confirmation upon dispatch, including your tracking number. Your parcel is fully insured for the value of your purchase, please check and sign your package upon arrival.

Returns

How do I return or exchange my order?

We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee from the date of delivery. All returned items must be in an unworn condition with all original packaging. 

We do not accept returns or exchanges for engraved, personalised, bespoke, and made-to-order items.

We offer free postage on all UK returns. EU & ROW orders are liable for return postage costs.

What if my ring doesn't fit?

We are passionate about ensuring that all our customers are one hundred percent satisfied with their ring and therefore offer a one-time free ring resize service (not including postage) on all ring purchases within 30 days of receiving your order.

Please note that it takes approximately 5-10 days to resize your ring.

There is an issue with my piece of jewellery. Are you able to fix it?

We always strive to offer exceptional jewellery and offer a 12-month warranty on all jewellery orders.

If a problem occurs with your jewellery, it can be returned to us for inspection and repair. Any faults within your warranty period resulting from manufacturing error will be repaired or replaced free of change (excluding shipping), whilst damage resulting from normal wear-and-tear or misuse can be repaired at a competitive price by our in-house jewellery workshop. 

About The Stone Lab

Can you tell me more about The Stone Lab?

We're an online fine jewellery retailer based in the UK, also operating internationally. We offer luxury engagement rings,
eternity and wedding bands, and bridal jewellery at extremely competitive prices. 

Each and every piece of our collection is sustainably and ethically sourced, ensuring that no person or community is harmed, and no environmental damage is caused whilst producing your stunning ring. 

Our extraordinary engagement rings & beautiful bridal jewellery are set with the world’s premium lab diamonds, moissanite and
Chatham lab grown coloured gemstones.

Our selection of impressive mounts are available in 18k white, yellow, or rose gold and platinum, tested and hallmarked to ensure unrivalled British craftsmanship.

What is The Stone Lab's commitment to Assay Assured jewellery hallmarking?

Each piece of The Stone Lab jewellery has been certified in accordance with the Hallmarking act 1973 and will feature an official Assay Office hallmark.

The Stone Lab jewellery is beautifully crafted in a variety of precious metals such as 9K and 18K white, yellow, and rose gold, as well as platinum.

When it comes to manufacturing jewellery and silverware, precious metals (silver, palladium, gold, and platinum) are rarely used in their purest form. Instead, they are usually alloyed with lesser metals to achieve a desired strength, durability, and colour. 

It is not possible to detect the precious metal content of an item by sight or by touch. It is therefore a legal requirement to have items consisting of silver, palladium, gold, or platinum independently tested and then hallmarked before they can be described as such. Items must bear a hallmark at their point of sale, subject to the following weight exemptions:

Silver: mandatory for items above 7.78 grams; gold: mandatory for items above 1 gram; palladium: mandatory for items above 1 gram; platinum: mandatory for items above 0.5 grams.

The Stone Lab is registered with the Sheffield Assay Office, ensuring our precious metal jewellery is compliant with the UK’s hallmarking regulations. All stock is subject to an internal confirmation process to ensure it meets the UK’s hallmarking regulations before it is dispatched to our customers.

We are an Assay Assured Jewellery Retailer. Assay Assured status is only given to retailers who have been independently audited and verified by Assay Assured which is run and overseen by the Edinburgh Assay Office, and ensures that all precious metal jewellery (except items exempt by weight) are independently tested and hallmarked.

Find out what a hallmark looks like here.

Is The Stone Lab a trusted retailer?

We are committed to our customers and our knowledgeable team of jewellery consultants work hard to ensure the highest quality service possible. 

Our jewellery features only the best quality gemstones including the world’s premium Forever One Moissanite, Chatham gemstones and only the highest quality certified lab diamonds, to ensure our customers receive the highest quality jewellery possible, produced in an ethical and sustainable supply chain in align with our strong values. 

We are proud that all our jewellery is crafted, tested, and hallmarked in the UK. Our status as an Assay Assured jewellery retailer guarantees that we exceed all hallmarking standards set by law, so you can trust that you will receive the finest British craftsmanship when purchasing a The Stone Lab item of jewellery. 

The Stone Lab are honoured members of the National Association of Jewellers, the UK’s leading jewellery trade association. As a member we have been assessed by the association and abide by a strict code of conduct.

We come highly recommended by previous customers, having achieved a glowing 5 star rating on Trust Pilot and Google over several years.

What are lab created diamonds?

Lab created diamonds are identical to natural diamonds, displaying the exact physical, chemical, and optical properties as those formed within the Earth’s crust to exhibit the same fire, brilliance, and sparkle as mined diamonds. Therefore, it is impossible to distinguish between lab diamonds and natural diamonds with the naked eye. Man-made diamonds are grown under controlled laboratory conditions, using cutting edge technology to replicate the natural conditions in which diamonds are formed within the Earth’s crust. 

These highly controlled conditions mean that lab diamonds hold no impurities, flaws, or defects which can be acquired during formation of natural diamonds, resulting in enhanced purity, brightness and whiteness compared to their mined equivalent. Lab grown diamonds provide a conflict free, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to natural diamonds. Each of our lab diamond engagement rings feature a guaranteed record of how and where each diamond is produced, offering full transparency and traceability for your peace of mind. In addition to this, each lab created diamond has an IGI or GCAL certification to verify its exceptional quality and to provide you with the confidence that your lab diamond has been expertly crafted. 

Read our guide to lab diamond jewellery.

What are moissanite gemstones?

Moissanite, chemically known as Silicon Carbide, was first discovered within a 50,000-year-old meteorite crater. 

Extremely rare in nature, the majority of moissanite gemstones formed today are lab grown. It can take up to three months to develop a single moissanite gemstone, grown by imitating the conditions required for natural moissanites to form within a highly controlled laboratory setting. A diamond simulant, moissanite appears almost indistinguishable from diamonds, however, does not possess the same chemical or physical properties as its rival gemstone. 

Moissanite is a unique gemstone, beholding its own distinctive properties that display unrivalled fire and brilliance, as well as exceptional durability, rating second only to diamonds on the Moh’s hardness scale. Moissanite offers cost savings compared to a diamond. 

Read our ultimate guide to moissanite gemstones.

What are Charles & Colvard Forever One Moissanite Gemstones?

Charles & Colvard Forever One Colourless D-F Moissanite is the world’s premium moissanite. Charles & Colvard are the leading source and global distributor of lab grown moissanite, whose gemstones rank well above any competing moissanite on the market today. 

Forever One moissanite clarity falls between internally flawless and very slightly included offering unparalleled quality obtainable only through Charles & Colvard’s unique patented process perfected over years of experience. 

This meticulous production process follows extremely high standards of quality control, with each gemstone tested for quality, cut and purity, examined in detail by professional grading experts to ensure each gemstone is free from imperfections that could decrease optical performance, important to maximising the brilliance and fire moissanite is renowned for. Each Charles & Colvard stone comes with a limited lifetime warranty which assures that all Charles & Colvard moissanite will maintain its fire and brilliance for the lifetime of the owner.

What are Chatham coloured gemstones?

Chatham are the pioneers and world leaders of lab grown gemstones. Lab grown gemstones are physically, optically, and chemically identical to their mined alternatives, the only difference being that these gemstones are formed above ground by duplicating the environment in which gemstones grow within the Earth. Chatham are renowned for their superior quality, developed over their 8 years of experience and through strict quality control procedures. Chatham lab gemstones are sustainably and ethically produced to perfection for a fraction of the price of their mined counterparts. Each Chatham gemstone comes with a lifetime warranty, guaranteeing that your precious gemstone will be repaired or replaced free of charge if damaged under ordinary circumstances, as well as a certificate of authenticity to give you peace of mind when purchasing your lab grown gemstone engagement ring. The Stone Lab offers a selection of stunning Chatham Ruby, Emerald, Blue, and Yellow Sapphire rings in a variety of cuts, some of which are almost impossible to find in mined gemstones. Each dazzling gem is available in a choice of extraordinary designs of which the full collection can be viewed here.

What is the difference between 18K White Gold and Platinum?

White gold and platinum are two of the most popular precious metals chosen for fine jewellery. Similar in colour, both make beautiful choices to enhance your gemstones dazzling sparkle, yet each offer individual benefits to their wearer. 

18k white gold and platinum are suitable for everyday wear, however, platinum is incredibly durable with guaranteed longevity requiring minimal maintenance compared to white gold which requires replating every two to four years. This is due to the erosion of white gold’s plating through everyday wear and tear to reveal the natural yellow tones underneath, as pure gold is alloyed with other metals, such as silver and palladium, to increase its durability. 

Platinum carries a lovely weight which is slightly heavier than gold. However, white gold holds a lightness that can be viewed as more comfortable depending on the individual preferences of the wearer. Overall, platinum is often considered to be more luxurious than white gold, which when considered alongside its rarity, results in a higher price.

What is the difference between Heart & Arrows and Brilliant Round Cut?

Our standard Charles & Colvard Forever One brilliant round and hearts & arrows stones have identical colour & clarity ratings. 

The difference between the two being that hearts & arrows cut contains 58 precisely cut facets which produce 8 arrows seen through the crown of the stone and 8 perfectly proportional hearts when viewed from underneath, which is a marker of a well-cut diamond. 

On the other hand, brilliant round stones are cut to maximise brilliance, fire, and dazzling sparkle. Therefore, if you want your moissanite gemstone to resemble a diamond in sparkle and appearance, hearts and arrows cut is the ideal choice. Read our Hearts & Arrows moissanite guide.

How do I care for my moissanite fine jewellery?

Your fine jewellery is both physically and emotionally precious and therefore requires the appropriate love and attention to maintain its beauty for the lifetime of its owner. 

Read our ultimate guide for caring for your moissanite jewellery.