Insuring, shipping, and protecting an engagement ring you bought online

Buying a significant piece of jewellery online involves a set of practical anxieties worth addressing directly, before they occur to you at 11pm the night before delivery. This essay covers shipping, insurance, and long-term protection — the practical mechanics of owning a fine ring bought at a distance.

How Rauno Oidram ships

Every ring leaves my studio by insured courier — either FedEx or DHL, depending on the destination. All shipments are tracked in real time and require a signature from the recipient on delivery. I do not use postal services or untracked shipping for any order.

Packaging is discreet. Nothing on the outside of the parcel identifies its contents as jewellery. This is deliberate.

The declared value on the shipping documentation reflects the full replacement value of the ring, not a reduced figure. Customs declarations are accurate. I do not under-declare to reduce duty — this is both illegal and leaves you under-protected if the shipment is lost or stolen in transit.

Shipping is fully insured by me until the point of delivery. If a package is lost or damaged in transit before you receive it, the loss is mine to resolve, not yours. Once you have received and signed for the package, responsibility passes to you — which is when your own insurance needs to be in place.

Where to ship

For deliveries within the EU, the process is simple — no customs complications, no import duties, no VAT on top of what you have already paid.

For deliveries outside the EU — to the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, or elsewhere — customs and import duties applicable in your country will apply. These are your responsibility as the importer. I provide accurate documentation, but I cannot predict exact duty amounts. Check your country’s jewellery import thresholds before ordering if this is a concern.

Insuring the ring once it arrives

This is the step most buyers defer and should not. A €5,000 ring is a material asset; losing it uninsured means losing €5,000.

You have two main options:

A standalone jewellery insurance policy. Providers including Jewelers Mutual, Lavalier, and BriteCo specialise in jewellery and offer comprehensive coverage — typically including loss, theft, accidental damage, and mysterious disappearance (the technical term for “it fell off my finger and I don’t know where”). Policies for a €5,000 ring typically cost €50 to €100 per year. They require a valuation or purchase receipt, which I provide with every order.

A rider on your home contents insurance. Most home contents policies can be extended to cover specified high-value items. This is often cheaper than standalone jewellery insurance for a single ring, but check the terms carefully: some home contents riders require the item to be in the home to be covered, which defeats the purpose for a ring worn daily. Confirm you have worldwide coverage, all-risk cover, and that loss is explicitly included — not just theft or damage.

In the US or Canada, a standalone policy from a specialist insurer is usually better value and more comprehensive than a home rider. In Europe, a well-constructed home contents rider often works well — but read the fine print.

What my warranty covers

Every Rauno Oidram ring comes with a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects. This covers setting failure, solder joint separation, casting defects, and finishing defects. It does not cover normal wear, accidental damage, loss or theft, or damage caused by improper cleaning or chemical exposure.

Beyond the warranty period, I offer ongoing maintenance at cost — prong tightening, polishing, cleaning — at any point in the ring’s life. A ring I made is a ring I am responsible for, and I am not interested in making things that need a yearly paid service plan to remain in acceptable condition.

Resizing

Ring sizing is not an exact science. Fingers change size with temperature, time of day, pregnancy, and age. A ring sized in winter may feel loose in summer.

For most rings, resizing one to two sizes in either direction is straightforward and can be done by any competent goldsmith worldwide. I can arrange resizing through Valenza if you prefer — contact me and we discuss the best route depending on your location.

For rings with full eternity settings, resizing is extremely difficult or impossible without removing and replacing stones. I do not make full eternity engagement rings for this reason. Companion bands are designed in half-eternity format, which allows future resizing.

If something goes wrong

If your ring arrives damaged, photograph it immediately and contact me the same day. I will arrange collection and repair or replacement at no cost to you.

If your ring is lost or stolen, contact your insurer first. If I can assist with documentation or valuation for the claim, I will.

If a prong loosens or a setting develops any movement at any point after delivery, stop wearing the ring and contact me. A loose stone is a recoverable problem; a lost stone is sometimes not.

For questions about the purchase process, read A guide to commissioning bespoke. For a full explanation of what you are paying for, see What you’re actually paying for in a €5,000 engagement ring.