Return & Refund Policy

1.1 Statutory Inspection Period: Buyers are entitled to a mandatory fourteen (14) calendar day inspection period. This window commences precisely at the timestamp of verified physical delivery recorded by our integrated carrier telemetry networks (DHL Priority or FedEx Security Courier).

1.2 Escrow Freeze Mechanics: Throughout the 14-day inspection window, 100% of the transaction capital is held securely in a segregated institutional escrow account managed by Garnets. If a buyer initiates a formal Return Authorization (RA) within this period, the escrow settlement countdown is immediately frozen, preventing any capital disbursement to the vendor until the return cycle concludes.

2.1 Pristine Condition Requirement: To qualify for a full escrow refund, returned gemstones, artisanal jewelry, or luxury goods must be returned in their original, unaltered, and unworn condition. Any evidence of mounting, setting, chemical cleaning, chipping, or mechanical abrasion voids return eligibility.

2.2 Mandatory Gemological Dossiers: All original laboratory certificates (including GIA, IGI, EGL, or local gemological authority dossiers), appraisal documents, and security seals must accompany the returned physical asset. A statutory replacement fee of $250 to $500 will be deducted from the escrow settlement for any missing or damaged gemological certificates.

3.1 Direct-to-Vendor Routing: Because Garnets operates as a decentralized multi-vendor marketplace, physical returns must be shipped directly back to the respective originating Vendor purveyor (e.g., vendor vault facilities in Nairobi, Mombasa, or international hubs). Under no circumstances should returned parcels be shipped to Garnets corporate headquarters.

3.2 Insured Escrow Return Manifests: When a Return Authorization is approved, the system generates a bonded, fully insured priority carrier shipping label. Use of non-platform shipping labels or uninsured postal carriers strictly violates escrow governance and forfeits buyer dispute protection.

4.1 The 24-Hour Inspection Verification: Upon carrier confirmation of return delivery to the vendor vault, the vendor is allotted exactly twenty-four (24) hours to perform a gemological verification and confirm asset integrity via their merchant dashboard.

4.2 Automated Fund Clearing:Once the vendor verifies item condition (or upon expiration of the 24-hour verification window without a formal vendor contest), escrow capital is automatically released back to the buyer's original payment instrument (Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, or M-Pesa mobile money). Clearing timelines range from instantaneous (M-Pesa/PayPal) to 1–3 business days for global banking networks.

5.1 Transit Damage Protocols: If a package arrives with visible tampering or transit damage, the buyer must refuse delivery or lodge an immediate digital claim with unedited photographic and video evidence within twelve (12) hours of receipt.

5.2 Garnets as Final Arbitrator: In the event of an unresolvable dispute between a Buyer and a Vendor (e.g., conflicting claims regarding gemological authenticity, carat discrepancies, or wear condition upon return), Garnets steps in as the sole, binding legal arbitrator. Our gemological compliance officers will review inspection logs, carrier chain-of-custody telemetry, and high-resolution pre-shipment vault imaging to execute a final, non-appealable escrow disbursement decision.