Frequently Asked Questions

We pair certified loose diamonds with expertly crafted settings. Browse diamonds and fine jewelry directly, or use the ring builder to combine a setting with the exact stone you want — every diamond ships with its lab certificate.

Yes. Every diamond we sell is graded by an independent laboratory such as IGI or GIA. The certificate number is shown on the product page and the printed report ships with your order.

Yes. Orders are insured door to door, eligible pieces have a 30-day return window from delivery with no restocking fee, and payments are processed by Stripe — we never see or store your card details.

Our team includes trained gemologists who review every stone before it ships. If you would like help choosing between diamonds, contact us and we will compare them for you free of charge.

A jeweler reads and answers every message personally, usually within 1–2 business days. For anything urgent, call us during concierge hours for an immediate answer.

Include your order number in your message and we will check its status before we reply, so you get a complete answer in one email.

Eligible pieces can be returned within 30 days of delivery — free inside the US, with up to $50 of return shipping reimbursed elsewhere. Eligible rings include one free resize, also within 30 days of delivery. Custom, bespoke, engraved and resized pieces are final sale.

We do — from reworking a family heirloom to designing a ring from scratch. The fastest way to start is our custom ring request form, where you can share sketches and inspiration.

Lab grown diamonds are diamonds created in a lab under controlled conditions, using technology that copies the way diamonds form deep in the earth. Chemically, optically, and physically, they are identical to mined diamonds.

Lab grown diamonds are created using two main methods: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Both processes produce diamonds that are chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds.

A lab grown diamond is a diamond. It has the same crystal structure, the same hardness (10 on the Mohs scale) and the same sparkle as a mined diamond. Even expert gemologists cannot tell them apart without specialized equipment, and the grading report states that the stone was grown in a lab.

Lab grown diamonds are typically 50–80% less expensive than comparable mined diamonds, making them an excellent choice for those who want a larger or higher quality stone for their budget.

Lab grown diamonds offer exceptional value — the same beauty and durability as mined diamonds at a fraction of the price. They are also a more sustainable choice, as they require fewer natural resources and have less environmental impact.

The resale market for lab grown diamonds is still evolving. While they may not appreciate in value like some rare natural diamonds, their primary value is in the joy and symbolism they provide rather than as an investment.

This step only shows stones that physically fit the setting you picked. Each setting accepts a specific list of shapes and a minimum and maximum center-stone carat weight, so anything outside that range is hidden to save you a disappointment later.

You do not need to work it out yourself. We check the pairing twice — once when we filter this list, and again when you add the ring to your bag — so any diamond you can select here is compatible with your chosen setting.

Yes. Go back to the setting step at any point before checkout and pick a different one. If your current diamond does not fit the new setting we will let you know and help you choose another stone.

Most people choose a stone near the middle of the setting range, where the diamond fills the head without overwhelming the band. Larger stones read bigger on slim bands, and shape matters too — elongated cuts such as oval and marquise look larger than a round of the same carat weight.

Every diamond is graded by an independent laboratory such as IGI or GIA, and the certificate number is shown on the diamond's detail page. A hard copy of the report comes with your order — on orders under a $2,500 cart total it is posted separately, so it may arrive a few days after the ring.

You go to the preview step, where you can see the finished ring and choose your ring size before adding it to your bag.

Your order ships in a discreet outer box with no exterior branding, so the surprise stays safe. The inner gift box is only revealed once unwrapped.

Yes — eligible pieces can be returned within 30 days of delivery, with no restocking fee. Contact us and, inside the US, we will send you a prepaid return label.

We offer one free resize on eligible rings within 30 days of delivery. Send the ring back to us and we will resize it at no charge. Some designs cannot be resized, or can be resized only within a limited range, because of the setting style or the stones in the band. Certain wedding bands are not eligible.

Yes. We ship worldwide.

Free Insured Shipping is included on orders of $500 and over — orders under $500 carry a $35 shipping fee. Express Insured Shipping is $120. Delivery times depend on what you order, so see our Shipping Policy for the full breakdown.

On Free Insured Shipping, loose diamonds arrive within 2 weeks and engagement rings or fine jewelry within 3–4 weeks. On Express Insured Shipping, diamonds arrive within 1 week and rings or fine jewelry within 2–3 weeks. Diamonds marked with the truck icon are in our US inventory and typically arrive within 3–5 business days, even on Free Shipping.

We do not ship on weekends or public holidays, and we cannot ship to PO boxes.

Email support@caratandclay.com with your order number and we will do our best to speed it up.

Your diamond or finished piece, and a hard copy of its IGI or GIA certificate.

All orders ship in plain, unbranded outer packaging with no mention of jewelry. The jewelry box itself is inside, so the surprise is safe until the moment you open it.

For orders under a $2,500 cart total, the certificate is posted separately from the item, so it may arrive a few days after your diamond.

Yes. Every shipment is fully insured in transit.

Yes — shipping and billing addresses are collected separately at checkout, so you can send an order anywhere convenient, including your workplace. We cannot deliver to PO boxes, so use a street address.

Yes. You will get a shipment confirmation email with your tracking number, and you can see the status of any order under Orders in your account. Tracking becomes active within 24–48 hours of dispatch.

Orders inside the United States are not subject to customs duties. For other countries, duty and import tax are set by your government and are payable by you. The carrier will contact you to collect anything due. We cannot say in advance how much it will be, and we cannot declare an order below its value on the customs paperwork. Customers in Europe may also be charged broker fees.

We can usually send your parcel to a carrier pickup location to be held for you, normally for up to 2 business days. Email support@caratandclay.com with the location you want before your order ships — once a parcel is on its way we cannot reroute it, and redirecting it voids the insurance.

Email support@caratandclay.com with your order number and we will track it down for you.

Your order is fully insured in transit. If a parcel is genuinely lost, you receive a full refund. We open a claim with the carrier, and if it is approved you choose between a replacement or a refund. A replacement normally takes 4–6 weeks from the start of the claim.

Contact us within 24 hours of the delivery notification. Claims raised after that window cannot be covered by the shipping insurance.

You may return eligible items within 30 days of delivery. Returns requested after 30 days are not eligible for a refund.

So you can shop with confidence. Thirty days gives you time to inspect your purchase, try it on, and be sure it is what you expected. The 30 days start on the day your order is delivered.

Yes — cancel it yourself from your order page while it is still pending, paid, or in processing. Once it has shipped it cannot be canceled. If you cannot reach the button, email support@caratandclay.com as soon as possible.

Within 24–48 business hours of the cancellation being confirmed, back to your original payment method.

Yes, as long as your order has not shipped yet. Email support@caratandclay.com as early as you can.

No. Custom rings, bespoke designs, engraved pieces and resized rings are made for you individually, so they are final sale. The one exception is a piece that arrives damaged or defective — email support@caratandclay.com and we will put it right.

When the 30-day window has passed, when the item is used, damaged or not in its original condition, when the required IGI or GIA grading report is missing, or when the item is custom, bespoke, engraved or resized.

Eligible rings include one free resize within 30 days of delivery. Some designs can only be resized within a limited range, and certain wedding bands are not eligible at all. Email support@caratandclay.com with your order number and we will arrange it — bear in mind that a resized ring can no longer be returned.

Email support@caratandclay.com with your order number and the reason for the return. A maximum of two returns or exchanges per customer per year is allowed.

Not in the United States — we send you a prepaid, insured label. For international returns we reimburse up to $50 toward the cost, and anything above that is yours to cover.

Always to the original payment method used for the order.

If you are outside the United States, your bank or payment provider may have charged currency conversion or foreign transaction fees. We refund the full approved amount, but we cannot cover those fees. Email support@caratandclay.com for a refund receipt, and ask your bank about its conversion charges.

We email you as soon as it is initiated. It then usually reaches your account within 2–10 business days, depending on your bank.

If you have had the confirmation email, the refund has been sent. Most arrive within 2–10 business days, but banks sometimes take longer. If it has been longer than that, email support@caratandclay.com and we will look into it.

No. We cannot refund customs duties, import taxes or government fees. Contact your local customs authority about reclaiming those.

Not the right piece? Return it within 30 days of delivery for a full refund to your original payment method. Returns inside the US are free — we send you a prepaid, insured FedEx label. Custom, engraved and resized pieces are final sale. See our Return Policy for the full details.

Eligible pieces can be returned within 30 days of delivery. Returns inside the US are free with a prepaid, insured FedEx label, and we reimburse up to $50 of return shipping from anywhere else. Eligible rings also include one free resize within 30 days of delivery. Please note that a resized ring can no longer be returned.