Terms of sale

Last updated: 9 November 2026

1. Who we are

This website and shop are operated by Laurence Ardies BV, with registered office at Nachtegalendreef 34, 2280 Grobbendonk, Belgium, enterprise number 0783.338.445, VAT number BE 0783.338.445 ("Laurence Ardies", "we", "us"). You can reach us at inquiry@laurenceardies.com.

2. Scope

These terms apply to every sale of jewellery by us: orders placed through this website, purchase requests confirmed by us, sales confirmed by invoice, bespoke commissions and work on materials you entrust to us. Bespoke commissions are additionally governed by the written proposal we agree with you; if the proposal and these terms differ, the proposal prevails. Your own general conditions never apply.

The version of these terms published at the time of your order or request applies to that order. You must be at least 18 years old to place an order. Nothing in these terms limits the rights you have as a consumer under mandatory law. Article 16 sets out the rules that apply to business buyers.

3. Our jewellery

Natural stones. All diamonds and gemstones we use are natural; we never use laboratory-grown stones. Our pearls are cultured pearls. Every natural stone is unique. Its colour can look different in daylight, artificial light or candlelight, and it may show small inclusions or natural characteristics. These are not defects: they are part of what makes a stone natural.

Treatments. Natural does not always mean untreated. Some gemstones undergo treatments that are customary in the trade, such as heating of sapphires or oiling of emeralds, which are stable under normal wear. Where we know a stone has been treated, we tell you before your purchase, in the product description or in writing. If you would like to know more about a particular stone, just ask us before you buy.

Handmade pieces. Our pieces are made by hand. A piece made to order is made to the same design as the piece shown, but small differences in the stones, their colour and the finish are inherent to handmade jewellery with natural stones and are not a lack of conformity. Carat weights, metal weights and dimensions are indicated as accurately as possible but are approximate; for small stones, total carat weights are rounded. Where a grading report or certificate is mentioned in the description, it is delivered with the piece. On request, we can have an additional certificate issued by a recognised gemological laboratory: for a one-of-a-kind piece, of the finished piece as set; for a bespoke commission, of the loose stones before they are set.

Photographs. We photograph and edit our images with great care, so that they come as close as possible to the piece in real life. Because lighting and screens differ, small differences in colour and appearance between the photographs and the piece remain possible and are not a lack of conformity.

Pieces marked "One of a kind" exist only once and are sold subject to availability.

4. Prices

Prices are in euro and include Belgian VAT. Shipping within the European Union is included in the price; shipping to destinations outside the European Union other than the United States is quoted on request. For pieces shown as "Price on request", the price is the one we confirm to you in writing. The price confirmed at the time of your order is final.

For delivery to the United States, prices are shown in US dollars and do not include Belgian VAT. Import duties and customs formalities are taken care of by us, so there is nothing further to pay on delivery. Any US state sales or use tax is not included.

If a price or description on our website contains an obvious error, for example a misplaced digit, we are not bound by it. We will inform you and you may then confirm the order at the correct price or cancel it, with a full refund of any amount paid. Bank charges for transfers from outside the euro area are borne by you.

5. How a sale is concluded

• Direct checkout (pieces up to €5,000, or US$6,500 for delivery to the United States): the contract is concluded when you complete payment and receive our order confirmation.
• Purchase request (pieces above €5,000, or above US$6,500 for delivery to the United States, and all one-of-a-kind rings) and price on request: your request is not yet an order. The contract is concluded only when we confirm the order to you in writing and you pay through the secure payment link or invoice we send you. Unless we state otherwise, our confirmation and payment link are valid for 5 working days. A one-of-a-kind piece is reserved for you only once your payment has been received; until then, it may be sold to someone else, in which case we will tell you.

Before confirming or shipping an order, we may ask you for additional information to verify your identity or payment, for example when the delivery address differs from the billing address. We may decline or cancel an order, for example when a piece is no longer available, when a size cannot be achieved, when the verification is not completed, or when we have reasonable grounds to suspect fraud. In that case, any amount already paid is refunded in full and no further compensation is due.

6. Payment

Payment is made through the secure payment methods offered at checkout or through the payment link or invoice we send you. Except for bespoke commissions (see article 11), we start making or adjusting your piece only after full payment has been received. In line with Belgian law, payments in cash are limited to €3,000 per purchase. Your piece remains our property until the price has been paid in full.

7. Made to order and right of withdrawal

Most of our pieces are made to your size or finished to order, and every piece in which you choose a ring size, necklace length or bracelet size is made or adjusted to your specifications. Under article VI.53, 3° of the Belgian Code of Economic Law, the right of withdrawal does not apply to goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised. You confirm this when you place your order or purchase request. Such pieces cannot be returned or exchanged.

Earrings. For reasons of hygiene and health protection, earrings are delivered sealed. Under article VI.53, 5° of the Belgian Code of Economic Law, the right of withdrawal does not apply to sealed goods that are not suitable for return for reasons of health protection or hygiene once they have been unsealed after delivery. Earrings whose seal has been broken can therefore not be returned or exchanged. You confirm this when you place your order.

Exception. If you buy at a distance a one-of-a-kind piece that is delivered exactly as it is, without any adjustment, or a pair of earrings whose seal is still intact, you may withdraw from the purchase within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason. To do so, send us a clear statement by email (you may use the model form below). You must return the piece within 14 days of that statement, unworn, complete and in its original condition and packaging, with any certificate or grading report. We arrange the fully insured return transport; its cost is borne by you. We refund the price, including the standard delivery cost, within 14 days of receiving your statement, using the payment method you used, but we may wait until we have received and checked the piece. If the piece has been handled beyond what is needed to establish its nature and characteristics, we may deduct the resulting loss in value.

Model withdrawal form: "To Laurence Ardies BV, inquiry@laurenceardies.com: I hereby give notice that I withdraw from my contract for the sale of the following piece: [piece], ordered on [date] / received on [date]. Name: [ ]. Address: [ ]. Date: [ ]."

A purchase concluded in person, during a private viewing or when collecting a piece, is not a distance sale and carries no right of withdrawal.

8. Delivery

Pieces made to order usually ship within 2–3 weeks; one-of-a-kind pieces usually within 2 weeks. Elaborate pieces and bespoke commissions may take longer; we will always tell you. These times are indicative, but if we do not deliver within 30 days of the contract or within an additional period you have given us, you may cancel the purchase and receive a full refund.

Every piece travels fully insured with a specialised secure transport company. Within the European Union and to the United States, we ship directly; for the United States, import duties and customs formalities are taken care of by us. To other destinations outside the European Union, shipping is on request, and any import duties, taxes and customs formalities are your responsibility. We bear the risk of loss or damage until the piece is handed over to you or to the person you designate. If a piece is lost or damaged in transit, we will, once the transport company has confirmed this, deliver an equivalent piece or refund the price in full.

For your security, the transport company verifies the identity of the recipient on delivery and hands the piece over only to the person you name. For this purpose, we need a copy of the recipient's identity document, and the transport company may also ask for a copy of the buyer's identity document. For deliveries to the United States, the copy is also needed for US customs clearance. We ask for these only with the consent of the person concerned, pass them on to the transport company for this delivery only and do not keep a copy. The national register number may be covered. If you prefer not to share an identity document, you can collect your piece in person, by appointment.

If delivery fails for a reason that lies with you, for example because the recipient is not present, cannot show a valid identity document that matches the details you gave us, or the address is incorrect, the transport company returns the piece to us. The cost of this return transport and of any new delivery is borne by you. A piece to be collected in person is kept for you, insured, for 3 months after we tell you it is ready.

Please do not accept a parcel whose packaging or seal appears opened or damaged, and tell us straight away. Check your piece on delivery and report any visible damage or missing item to us within 2 working days, with photographs where possible.

9. Sizes and resizing

The ring size, necklace length or bracelet size you choose is the size we make or adjust your piece to. If you are unsure, choose "Not sure, please contact me" or book a private viewing, and we will help you before we begin. A size that turns out not to fit is not a defect and is not a reason for return.

Whether and how far a piece can be resized depends on its design, setting and stones. We always confirm this with you before any work is done. If your size cannot be achieved, we will discuss alternatives with you, such as a bespoke piece, or cancel and refund the order. Resizing after delivery is possible on request, where the piece allows it, at a price we quote to you in advance.

10. Warranty

As a consumer, you benefit from the legal guarantee of conformity for two years after delivery. Please inform us of any lack of conformity within two months of discovering it. We will then repair or replace the piece, or, where that is not possible, agree a price reduction or refund.

The guarantee does not cover normal wear, scratches, loss or damage of stones caused by impact or improper use, damage caused by accidents, chemicals, heat or cleaning methods not suited to the stone, or repairs, resizing and adjustments carried out by anyone other than us. Some stones, such as pearls, emeralds, opals and turquoise, are softer or more sensitive than others; please follow the care advice we give you.

11. Bespoke commissions

For bespoke pieces, we agree the design, stones, price, payment schedule and timing with you in a written proposal. When you accept the proposal, you pay a deposit of 50% of the price; we start work, including the purchase of stones for your piece, once the deposit has been received. The balance is payable before the piece is shipped or handed over to you. If you would like certificates for your stones, we arrange them before setting (see article 3).

Changes you request after accepting the proposal may affect the price and timing; we will confirm these to you before making them. Because a bespoke piece is made entirely to your specifications, no right of withdrawal applies once you have accepted the proposal. If you nevertheless cancel the commission, we may keep the part of the deposit that covers the costs we have already incurred, such as design work, stones purchased for you and labour; any remaining part is refunded.

12. Your own stones and materials

When you entrust us with your own stones, jewellery or precious metal, for example to rework an heirloom, you confirm that they are yours. We examine them visually, but we do not grade, certify or value them, and we may decline to work with a stone or material.

Setting, resetting, cleaning or heating can, despite every care, damage a stone because of its own nature, for example internal inclusions or fractures, earlier treatments or sensitivity to heat. We discuss these risks with you before we start. We are not liable for such damage unless it results from our fault. Melting and refining old metal involves a small loss of weight. Your materials are insured while in our care up to the value you declare to us in writing beforehand. Materials and pieces not collected within 12 months after we have told you they are ready may be stored at your cost.

13. Designs and intellectual property

All designs, sketches, drawings, photographs, texts and other content of Laurence Ardies, including the designs we create for bespoke commissions, remain our intellectual property. A bespoke piece is made only for you, but its design remains ours. You may not reproduce or have our designs reproduced, or use our content for commercial purposes, without our written permission.

14. Force majeure

We are not liable for delays or failure to perform caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, such as natural disasters, epidemics, war, strikes, government measures, disruption at suppliers or transport companies, or unavailability of a particular stone. We will inform you as soon as possible. If the situation lasts longer than 30 days, either of us may cancel the order, and any amount you have paid for a piece not yet delivered is refunded.

15. Liability

We are liable for damage resulting from our failure to perform these terms, within the limits of the law. We are not liable for indirect damage or for damage caused by improper use, unless caused by our intentional or serious fault. This does not limit any liability that cannot be limited by law.

16. Business buyers

If you buy for professional purposes, articles 7 (right of withdrawal) and 10 (consumer warranty) do not apply. Visible defects must be reported within 8 days of delivery, hidden defects within 2 months of their discovery and at the latest one year after delivery. Our total liability towards business buyers is limited to the invoice amount of the piece concerned. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) does not apply.

17. Personal data

We process your personal data as described in our privacy policy.

18. General provisions

If any provision of these terms is held invalid, the other provisions remain in force, and the invalid provision is replaced by a valid provision that comes as close as possible to its purpose. If we do not enforce a right at a given moment, this does not mean we waive it. Emails, electronic order confirmations and our records of orders and payments are accepted as evidence. We may update these terms; the version applicable to your order is the one in force when you placed it.

19. Complaints and disputes

If you have a complaint, please contact us first at inquiry@laurenceardies.com; we will always look for a solution with you. If we cannot resolve it together, consumers can contact the Belgian Consumer Mediation Service (consumentenombudsdienst.be).

These terms are governed by Belgian law. Disputes fall under the courts of Antwerp, without prejudice to the mandatory rules that protect consumers, including their right to bring proceedings before the courts of their place of residence.