Terms of service
1. Introduction
1.1 www.aitchesjewelry.com (the "Website") is operated by AITCHES. Throughout the site, the terms "Website", “we”, “us” and “our” refer to AITCHES. AITCHES offers this Website, including all information, tools, services and products available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here. We registered at the chamber of commerce. VAT number is NL002478180B51. The customer service of AITCHES to be reached at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
1.2 These terms and conditions ("Terms") govern your interaction with the Services and Products as defined below:
1.2.1 "Services" refers to the Website and any associated applications, platforms, or media used for purchasing or communication purposes, including but not limited to social media, WhatsApp, email, phone calls, or any other medium.
1.2.2 "Products" refers to the physical goods or items available for purchase through the Website and Services.
1.2.3 these Terms apply, without limitation, to any invitation to treat, offer, sale, or purchase of Products through the Services. By accessing or using the Services, communicating with us through any medium, or purchasing any Products, you agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read these Terms carefully before proceeding.
1.3 These Terms should be read in conjunction with, and apply in addition to, our Privacy Policy (including the Cookies Policy contained within it), which provides important information regarding how we use your personal data.
1.4 We reserve the right to update or amend these Terms from time to time by publishing the updated version on the Services. By accepting these Terms, you agree to check for any changes prior to each use of the Services or purchase of Products. Your continued use of the Services, or purchase of Products, after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the amended Terms.
2. Use Of Website
2.1 Please note that these Terms do not affect your statutory rights. For more information about your rights contact a lawyer.
2.2 You warrant that the information that you provide when you register for an account on the Services is true, accurate, current, and complete in all respects. Should any of your registration information change, please notify us immediately. We may also change registration requirements from time to time.
2.3 We may change, withdraw, or suspend access to the Services (in whole or in part and permanently or temporarily) with or without notice and with no liability to you.
2.4 The Services may include links to other websites or resources. We have no control over the content of such websites and shall not be responsible or liable to you in any way for their content. We shall not be deemed to endorse or have any affiliation with any other website, service or products as a result of the website linking to them and you are advised to check the terms that apply in relation to any such third party websites.
2.5 Any material that you upload to the Website or which you send to us via any other media (including all social media) will be considered non-confidential, non-proprietary and we will have the right to use, copy, distribute and disclose to third parties such material for any purpose. Subject to our Privacy Policy, we also have the right to disclose your identity to any third party who claims that such material infringes their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy.
2.6 We will not be responsible or liable to you or any third party for the content or accuracy of any materials posted by you or any other user of the Services and you agree to be responsible to us for and indemnity us and keep us indemnified against all costs, damages, expenses, losses and liabilities incurred and/or suffered by us as a result of any claim in respect of your use of the Services.
2.7 We have the right to remove any material or posting you make on the Services at our sole discretion.
3. Purchase Of Products
3.1 Photos of the Products on the Website and Services are for illustrative purposes only. Some Products may be shown larger or smaller than actual size to more accurately display details of the Product.
3.2 We have made every effort to display colours accurately; however, we cannot guarantee that your device’s display of the colours will reflect the actual colour of the Products.
3.3 Your Products may vary slightly from those shown in the photos due to natural variations in materials including but not limited to diamonds, gemstones, pearls, and metals, often have unique, natural characteristics. These are inherent to the materials and cannot be fully standardized.
3.4 Your Products are made by hand (as opposed to mass-produced) may have minor differences due to the artisanal process or the handcrafted nature of some items.
3.5 When purchasing a product using the Website and Services, you are making a contract for purchase with AITCHES on the terms and conditions set out in these Terms.
4. Orders
4.1 You agree that the display of our Products on the Website or Services constitutes an invitation to treat and that your order for any Product(s) constitutes an offer to purchase such Product(s). All orders are subject to acceptance and availability. Items placed in your shopping basket are not reserved and may be purchased by other customers. We may notify you if we are unable to fulfill your order.
4.2 We may choose not to accept your order in our discretion for any reason without liability to you. Examples of occasions we may not accept your order are: that we are unable to obtain authorisation for payment; shipping restrictions apply to a particular item; the item ordered is out of stock; the item ordered does not satisfy our quality control standards and is withdrawn; or that you do not meet the eligibility criteria set out within these Terms.
4.3 We are under a legal duty to supply goods that conform with their description on the Website and Services.
4.4 We may also refuse to process (and therefore accept) a transaction for any reason to anyone at any time at our sole discretion. This includes refusing to process a transaction or unwinding or suspending any transaction after processing has begun.
4.5 After submitting an order to us, we will send you an order acknowledgment email. This email will include your order number, details of the items you have ordered from us and delivery details. Please note that this email is an acknowledgement of your order and is not an acceptance of your order.
4.6 Acceptance of your order and formation of a contract of sale takes place when your order has been dispatched and we have sent you an email confirming this.
4.7 When placing an order for the first time, you may be required to or may be offered the option to register with us and complete certain required fields on an order form. Where we ask you to provide and use identifiers and passwords to access restricted parts of the Website, it is on condition that you shall be responsible for ensuring that such identifiers and passwords are kept secure and confidential at all times. You shall comply with all security directions and/or recommendations given by us and inform us immediately if you become aware or suspect any unauthorised use of your account.
4.8 The status of any order is usually updated within 1 hour but we make no representation or warranty as to any such functionality or uptime.
4.9 Payment will be debited from your card when your order is placed.
4.10 Jewelry that is in stock will be dispatched within two weeks.
4.11 Jewelry that is not in stock will be dispatched within three weeks.
4.12 We may store a record of your transactions in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
5. Prices
5.1 Prices shown on the Website are inclusive of EU Value Added Tax ("VAT"). Import duties, taxes, and customs fees outside European Union ("EU") are excluded. Prices do not include delivery costs.
5.2 All prices and offers remain valid as advertised from time to time. The European price of a product displayed on the Website at the time the order is accepted will be honoured, except in cases of obvious error.
6. Taxes and Duties
6.1 VAT for EU orders
6.1.1 for orders shipped to countries within the EU, the price displayed on the Website includes VAT at the applicable rate. The VAT amount is incorporated into the total price of the product(s) and will be clearly itemized on the final invoice.
6.2 Import taxes and duties for non-EU orders
6.2.1 for orders shipped to countries outside the EU, the price displayed on the Website excludes any local taxes, import duties, VAT, tariffs, or other charges that may be levied by the destination country.
6.2.2 import duties, taxes, and customs fees are the responsibility of the recipient and are not included in the product price or shipping costs. These charges are assessed by the customs authorities in the destination country and must be paid by the recipient upon delivery.
6.2.3 the total amount of import duties, taxes, and fees may vary significantly depending on the destination country. We are unable to predict or estimate these charges. We advise contacting your local customs office or tax authority for information regarding potential costs prior to placing an order.
6.3 If you refuse delivery due to costs imposed by the destination country's government, you shall be responsible for any costs incurred in returning the package to the sender. The order recipient is considered the importer of record and must adhere to all applicable laws, regulations, and restrictions of the destination country. We will not refund the initial shipping charges or any return postage costs incurred.
6.4 AITCHES shall not be held responsible for any additional fees or customs-related delays associated with the delivery of the order.
6.5 We reserve the right to amend our tax and duty policies as necessary to reflect changes in tax laws, import regulations, or shipping practices. Any such updates will be effective immediately upon posting on the Website. Individual notice of such changes will not be provided.
7. Payment
7.1 Payment can be made by iDEAL, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro, UnionPay, PayPal, Sofort, Shop Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Klarna and Online bank transfer.
7.2 Payment will be debited and cleared from your account upon completion of the order process on the Website or Services.
7.3 When you select the option at checkout, you will be directed to the associated site to ‘Log In’ to your account and review the total amount to pay before clicking ‘Pay Now’. Once you click ‘Pay Now’ and you are returned to the Website, your transaction is complete.
7.4 We shall have no responsibility or liability in relation to the terms and conditions agreed between you and iDEAL, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro, UnionPay, PayPal, Sofort, Shop Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Klarna, Online bank transfer or any other payment intermediary.
7.5 You confirm that the credit/debit card or payment intermediary account that is being used is yours or that you have been specifically authorised by the owner of the same to use it. All credit/debit card holders are subject to validation checks and authorisation by the card issuer. If the issuer of your payment card refuses to authorise payment to us, we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery.
7.6 To help ensure that your shopping experience is safe and secure, we (or our third-party payment processors, as applicable) use industry standard security systems to encrypt your payment details to guard against unauthorised access.
7.7 You can save Credit Card details in your account and use them to complete future orders. For your security, you will always be asked to enter your CVV code at checkout. We receive authorisation to charge your account once the order is placed and the pending transaction will be settled upon dispatch. For security and fraud prevention, all orders made with a credit or debit card are subject to authorization and our fraud team may ask for further details before an order is processed.
7.8 We have the right to cancel your order without prior notification. Examples of occasions we may choose to cancel your order include: your card details have been flagged by our fraud screening processes or are declined by our fraud screening processed.
7.9 Furthermore, we take reasonable care, in so far as it is in our power to do so, to keep the details of your order and payment secure, but to the maximum extent permitted by law, and in the absence of negligence on our part, we cannot be held liable for any loss you may suffer if a third party procures unauthorised access to any data you provide when accessing or ordering from the Website. Please also refer to the terms of our Data Promise.
8. Delivery
8.1 Our delivery and return representatives will deliver your order(s) to you using PostNL or FedEx or DHL or UPS.
8.2 Ownership of any items ordered by you from us shall pass to you on the date and time of delivery to your nominated address.
9. Shipping
9.1 We currently ship to the Netherlands, most EU countries and other European countries. Additionally, we offer shipping services to various international locations.
9,2 We deliver exclusively to verified street addresses and cannot ship to P.O. boxes or forwarding services.
9.3 When your order is shipped, we will send you a confirmation email, which will include your tracking number. You can track and trace your order using this link. Order status usually updates within an hour after the order has been placed, but functionality and uptime cannot be guaranteed.
9.4 When placing your order please ensure that the billing and shipping address details are correct as we are unable to redirect packages once an order has been processed. You are responsible for any inaccurate or incomplete details provided to us.
9.5 To contact us regarding shipping, please email us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
10. Delivery Costs and Times
10.1 We deliver Monday to Friday excluding public holidays in the Netherlands. Unless otherwise stated on the Website or Services, delivery times, costs and other details are as stated below.
10.2 Full details on delivery costs and times can be found in our Shipping Policy.
10.3 Delivery times are provided as estimates and commence from the date of dispatch. While we strive to dispatch an order promptly, we are not liable for delays resulting from remote delivery locations or adverse weather conditions.
10.4 For items that are not currently in stock, a production time of fourteen to twenty eight working days are required.
10.5 We will make reasonable efforts to notify you of the estimated delivery date upon processing your order while we strive to provide timely updates, we do not guarantee notification in all cases. We are not liable for any delays resulting from our inability to provide notification.
10.6 Should delays arise due to customs inspections, we will work with the relevant customs authorities to expedite the process and facilitate the timely delivery of an order. However, we shall not be liable for any delays caused by customs procedures.
11. Cancellation
11.1 Cancellation is not accepted for sale goods, engraved items, or customized pieces, including bespoke and made-to-order pieces. All sales of these items are considered final.
11.2 Cancellation by the Customer
11.2.1 you may cancel an order within 24 hours of placing it, provided that it has not yet entered the processing or shipping stage. To cancel, please contact us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com. We will issue a full refund, including any initial shipping charges.
11.2.2 orders cannot be amended or cancelled once they have been processed or after 24 hours from placement. Please follow our Return Policy for any issues. For assistance, please contact us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
11.2.3 orders cannot be amended or cancelled once they have been dispatched. Please follow our Return Policy for any issues.
11.2.4 once the cancellation is approved, we will refund the full value of an order, excluding a 5% transaction fee, which depends on the payment method, country, and currency, as well as any shipping charges, amounts paid via gift cards, import and customs duties, VAT, return postage, tariffs, brokerage fees, and any other fees imposed by the destination country.
11.2.5 orders cannot be amended or cancelled when placed from countries outside the EU. Please follow our Return Policy for any issues. For assistance, please contact us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
11.3 We reserve the right to modify our cancellation policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting on the Website.
11.4 We will not provide individual notices of changes to this policy. Please review our policies periodically to stay informed of any updates.
11.5 To contact us regarding cancellation, please email us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
12. Returns
12.1 Returns are not accepted for sale items, engraved jewelry, or customized pieces, including bespoke, made-to-order, or certified items. All sales of these pieces are considered final.
12.2 Jewelry with a report from The Netherlands Gem Laboratory or GIA is considered made-to-order and is final sale.
12.3 Returns are not accepted for orders shipped to countries outside the EU.
12.4 Natural variations in materials, including but not limited to diamonds, gemstones, pearls, and metals, may occur and are not considered defects. Such variations do not constitute valid reasons for returns for orders shipped to countries outside the EU.
12.5 When you place an order on the Website and Services, you are welcome to return any item(s) using our returns service, provided you return them within fourteen days of delivery within the EU.
12.6 Condition of returns
12.6.1 items must be returned unused, in the same saleable condition as when purchased, accompanied by the original sales receipt and box.
12.6.2 returns that have been used, altered, or damaged will not be accepted and may be sent back to you, and/or a refund may be refused.
12.7 You are responsible for all items until they are returned to us. We are not liable for any loss or damage during return transit.
12.8 We recommend using the return shipping label we provide, as it is a trusted and traceable method. Please take photos of your return items and retain a record of your tracking number.
12.9 Upon receipt of the items, they will be subjected to a quality review.
12.10 If the items pass the quality review, a refund will be issued to the original payment method used for the purchase. We will refund the full value of an order, excluding a 5% transaction fee, which depends on the payment method, country, and currency, as well as any shipping charges, amounts paid via gift cards, import and customs duties, VAT, return postage, tariffs, brokerage fees, and any other fees imposed by the destination country.
12.11 We endeavour to process refunds as soon as they are received but please allow fourteen working days for returns to be processed. You will receive an email notification of the status of your refund once processed.
12.12 Retail stores cannot process returns or refunds for purchases made on the Website and Services. We do not accept returns or issue refunds for purchases made in retail stores or through third-party retail platforms.
12.13 Returns and refunds for online orders must be handled directly through the Website and Services.
12.14 In the event of a return, you are responsible for both the return postage and the original shipping charge, including cases where free shipping was provided on your order.
12.15 Return shipping is your responsibility.
13. Refunds
13.1 Refunds will be issued to the original payment method used for the purchase.
13.2 Non-refundable charges
13.2.1 A non-refundable restocking fee of 5% will be deducted from the refund amount.
13.2.2 shipping charges, amounts paid via gift cards, import and customs duties, VAT, return postage, tariffs, brokerage fees and any other fees imposed by the destination country are non-refundable.
13.2.3 orders shipped to countries outside the EU are non-refundable. All sales are final.
13.2.4 for sale goods, engraved items, or customized pieces, including bespoke and made-to-order pieces are non-refundable.
13.2.5 Jewelry with a report from The Netherlands Gem Laboratory or GIA is considered made-to-order and is non-refundable.
13.2.6 natural variations in materials, including but not limited to diamonds, gemstones, pearls, and metals, may occur and are not considered defects. Such variations do not constitute valid reasons for refunds. Orders shipped to countries outside the EU are non-refundable.
13.3 If the purchase was made in a currency different from your local currency, refunds will be processed in the same currency as the original transaction. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, the refunded amount may differ slightly from the original purchase price.
13.4 We will endeavor to process refunds promptly upon receipt of the returned item. However, please allow up to fourteen working days for the return to be processed. You will receive an email notification regarding the status of your refund once it has been processed.
14. Gift Card
14.1 The gift card is valid for use on all orders placed through the Website. The gift card cannot be redeemed for sale items, or for engraved or customized pieces, including bespoke and made-to-order pieces.
14.2 Gift card usage:
14.2.1 only one gift card may be applied per purchase.
14.2.2 a €10 gift card can be used for orders with a total value exceeding €100, excluding the delivery cost.
14.2.3 a €50 gift card can be used for orders with a total value exceeding €500, excluding the delivery cost.
14.2.4 a €100 gift card can be used for orders with a total value exceeding €1,000, excluding the delivery cost.
14.2.5 a €200 gift card can be used for orders with a total value exceeding €2,000, excluding the delivery cost.
14.2.6 a €300 gift card can be used for orders with a total value exceeding €3,000, excluding the delivery cost.
14.3 The gift card will expire if not used within six months from the date of issuance. Upon expiration, any remaining value on the gift card will be forfeited.
14.4 To redeem the gift card online, enter the code into the discount code field at checkout.
14.5 The value of the gift card cannot be refunded or exchanged for cash at any time.
14.6 We shall not replace any gift card that is lost, stolen or damaged.
14.7 The gift card remains the property of AITCHES at all times. The gift card is not a cheque guarantee, credit, or charge card.
14.8 You agree that the gift card is not personal to you. It may be used by anyone in possession of the gift card.
14.9 Gift cards obtained through unlawful means are null and void and must not be used to purchase products.
14.10 Our rights
14.10.1 we reserve the right to cancel any gift card at any time without refunding the amount on the cancelled card.
14.10.2 we may limit the number of gift cards that can be used by any customer or other entity.
14.11 These Terms shall be construed in accordance with and governed by Dutch law. The courts of the Netherlands shall have jurisdiction to settle any claim, dispute, or issue arising out of or in connection with these terms.
14.12 We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time as we reasonably consider necessary. Updates will be effective immediately upon publication on the Website, Services and Products, and individual notice of such changes will not be provided.
15. Made-to-Order and Bespoke
15.1 Definitions
15.1.2 “Made-to-Order” pieces: Items created specifically upon receiving your order, based on pre-existing designs or specifications provided by you. This includes jewelry purchased with a report from The Netherlands Gem Laboratory or GIA.
15.1.3 "Bespoke" pieces: Unique, custom-designed jewelry tailored specifically to your requests and specifications.
15.2 Order
15.2.1 you must provide accurate and complete information, including measurements, specifications, and design preferences, to ensure the successful production of the piece.
15.2.2 once an order is placed, you will receive an order confirmation summarizing the details of your made-to-order or bespoke piece through the Services.
15.2.3 for bespoke orders, you will be provided with a design proof for approval. Production will only commence upon your written approval of the design, submitted through the Services.
15.3. Payment
15.3.1 a non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to confirm any made-to-order or bespoke order. The remaining balance is due before production begins or upon completion of the piece, as specified in the invoice.
15.3.2 all payments must be made in accordance with the payment schedule provided. Delayed payments may result in production delays.
15.4. Cancellation
15.4.1 cancellations are not accepted for made-to-order or bespoke pieces after design and production have commenced.
15.4.2 if an order is canceled prior to design and production, the non-refundable deposit will be retained to cover administrative, design fee and material costs.
15.5. Returns and Refunds
15.5.1 returns and refunds are not accepted for made-to-order or bespoke pieces due to their personalized nature.
15.5.2 if the jewelry is found to be defective or does not meet the agreed-upon specifications, we will, at our discretion, repair or replace the jewelry at no additional cost.
15.5.3 customers must notify us of any defects or discrepancies within 3 days of receiving the product.
15.5.4 natural variations in materials, including but not limited to diamonds, gemstones, pearls, and metals, may occur and are not considered defects. Such variations do not constitute valid reasons for repair, replace, returns and refunds.
15.6. Delivery and Production
15.6.1 estimated production times will be provided at the time of order confirmation but are subject to change based on the complexity of the design and material availability.
15.6.2 we will not be held liable for delays caused by factors outside of our control, including but not limited to supplier shortages or shipping delays.
15.7. Liability
15.7.1 we are not responsible for inaccuracies resulting from incorrect information or measurements provided by you.
15.7.2 natural variations in materials are addressed in 15.5.4 and are not considered defects.
15.7.3 you acknowledge that slight variations from design proofs may occur due to the nature of the craftsmanship process.
16. Repairs & Warranty
16.1 AITCHES offers repair services exclusively for jewelry originally purchased from us. Any third-party modifications, accidental damage, or wear and tear may void eligibility for free repairs. Customers must disclose all prior modifications before sending items in for servicing.
16.2 Full details on repair eligibility, costs, and policies can be found in our Repair Policy.
17. Errors, inaccuracies, and omissions
17.1 Occasionally, information on the Website and Services may contain typographical errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, including but not limited to photos, product descriptions, pricing, promotions, offers, shipping charges, transit times, and availability.
17.2 We reserve the right to correct any such errors, inaccuracies, or omissions and to update or change information, or to cancel orders if any information in the Website, Services or Products is found to be inaccurate, without prior notice (including after an order has been submitted).
17.3 We are under no obligation to update, amend, or clarify any information in the Website, Service or Products, unless required by applicable law. This includes, but is not limited to, photos and pricing information. No specific update or refresh date applied to the Website, Services or Products should be construed as an indication that all associated information has been modified or updated.
17.4 We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to update, modify, or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and changes on our website. It is your responsibility to review our Terms of service periodically for changes. Your continued use of our Website, Services, or Products after any updates are posted constitutes your acceptance of those changes.
18. Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 ("ICACRs")
18.1 Nothing in these Terms shall affect your right to return products under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and any equivalent or replacement laws.
18.2 If you are located in the EU, you may have the right to cancel your order in accordance with applicable consumer protection regulations. To exercise this right, you must notify us of your decision to cancel within fourteen days from the day following the receipt of the last item in your order.
18.3 Under the ICACRs, the right to cancel is excluded for jewelry that is made-to-order, bespoke to your specifications, or clearly personalized.
18.3.1 to exercise the right to cancel, please inform us at customercare@aitchesjewelry.com.
18.4 Upon receipt of your notice of order cancellation, our customer care team will contact you using the contact information you have provided, in accordance with our Data Promise, with return instructions. Please email us once you have received your order so that we can process your refund promptly.
18.5 Please note that, under the ICACRs, you are responsible for covering the cost of return shipping. Additionally, if applicable, a 5% transaction fee, which depends on the payment method, country, and currency may be deducted from your refund if explicitly stated at the time of purchase. We do not offer a free return service for orders cancelled under the ICACRs.
18.6 We recommend that you insure the return shipment, as you are responsible for the items and liable for any damage until we receive them at our office.
18.7 We also recommend using the shipping method provided and returning the order to the address specified in our email correspondence. Please ensure you retain proof of sending to address any potential disputes.
18.8 All items must be returned unused, in their original condition, and from the country to which the order was delivered.
18.9 We will refund the full value of an order, excluding a 5% transaction fee, which depends on the payment method, country, and currency, as well as shipping charges, amounts paid via gift cards, import and customs duties, VAT, return postage, tariffs, brokerage fees, and any other fees imposed by the destination country, within fourteen working days of receiving your notice of contract cancellation.