Returns, Exchanges and Refunds Policy

Australian Opal Cutters wants every customer to feel confident when purchasing jewellery or opals from us.

This policy explains:

·         30-day change-of-mind returns for eligible retail purchases;

·         Returns involving faults, damage, incorrect supply or other mistakes;

·         How natural opal pattern and colour variation is handled; and

·         Products that are not eligible for change-of-mind returns.

This policy applies to retail purchases made directly through the Australian Opal Cutters online store, Sydney showroom or another sales channel operated by us.

Trade, wholesale and resale purchases may be subject to separate written terms. Nothing in those terms or this policy excludes rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Australian Consumer Law Rights

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.

You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

This policy does not limit your rights where a product:

·         Is faulty or unsafe;

·         Is not of acceptable quality;

·         Is materially different from its description or an agreed sample;

·         Is not fit for its normal purpose;

·         Is not fit for a purpose you made known to us before purchase;

·         Is the wrong product;

·         Has been incorrectly supplied; or

·         Otherwise fails to meet an applicable consumer guarantee.

A change-of-mind return is different from a return involving a fault, mistake or other failure to meet a consumer guarantee.

The time limits, exclusions and product-condition requirements in our change-of-mind policy do not remove or reduce your Australian Consumer Law rights.

30-Day Change-of-Mind Returns

For an eligible product purchased directly from Australian Opal Cutters, you may request a change-of-mind return within 30 calendar days after delivery for a shipped order, or within 30 calendar days after purchase for a showroom purchase.

For an eligible change-of-mind return, you may choose:

·         A refund to the original payment method;

·         An exchange for another available product; or

·         Store credit.

To qualify for a change-of-mind return, the product must:

·         Be unworn and unused, other than reasonable inspection;

·         Be undamaged and unaltered;

·         Be in its original saleable condition;

·         Include its original packaging, certificates, tags and accessories;

·         Not have been resized, engraved, modified, recut or specially altered; and

·         Be accompanied by proof of purchase.

Please contact us before sending an item back. Products returned without sufficient identifying information may take longer to process.

For a change-of-mind return made by a gift recipient, we will provide store credit for the value of the eligible return. This does not replace any refund or other remedy available under the Australian Consumer Law.

Change-of-Mind Return Costs

For a change-of-mind return:

·         The customer is responsible for return delivery and insurance costs;

·         Original delivery, expedited delivery, gift-wrapping and insurance charges are not refundable unless Australian Opal Cutters made an error or the law requires otherwise; and

·         The customer remains responsible for the product until it is safely received by Australian Opal Cutters.

Because jewellery and opals may be valuable or irreplaceable, we strongly recommend tracked, signature-required and appropriately insured delivery.

Australian Opal Cutters can provide return-delivery guidance before the item is sent.

Products Excluded From Change-of-Mind Returns

Unless Australian Opal Cutters agrees otherwise, change-of-mind returns or exchanges are not available for:

·         Custom-made or bespoke jewellery;

·         Special orders sourced or manufactured at the customer's request;

·         Engraved or personalised products;

·         Jewellery resized or altered at the customer's request;

·         Loose opals or gemstones cut, recut or modified at the customer's request;

·         Products incorporated into another jewellery item;

·         Products materially altered after purchase;

·         Gift cards;

·         Products purchased on sale or as part of a limited-time promotion, unless specified otherwise;

·         Products clearly marked "Final Sale" before purchase; or

·         Products that cannot be resold for hygiene, safety or condition reasons, including personal-care goods such as polishing cloths.

These exclusions apply to change-of-mind requests only. They do not remove rights relating to faulty, unsafe, incorrectly supplied or misdescribed products.

Natural Opal Pattern and Colour Variation

One-of-a-Kind Natural Opals

Boulder, black, dark, light, crystal and other natural opals sold as individual or one-of-a-kind pieces are intended to be the actual product displayed on the relevant product page.

Normal differences in appearance may occur because:

·         Opal displays different colours from different viewing angles;

·         Lighting conditions affect the appearance of colour and brightness;

·         Cameras and screens reproduce colour differently; and

·         Product photographs may not show exact physical scale.

Australian Opal Cutters will take reasonable care to ensure photographs and descriptions are accurate.

Where a one-of-a-kind product supplied is not the product shown, or is materially different from its description, please contact us so that we can correct the mistake.

Doublets, Triplets and Repeat-Design Jewellery

Some doublet, triplet and repeat-design jewellery products may be produced in multiple similar examples.

Where product photographs are representative rather than photographs of the exact item, the product page will state this before purchase.

Because the opal layer contains natural material, minor differences may occur in:

·         Opal pattern;

·         Colour distribution;

·         Directional colour;

·         Shape or orientation;

·         Tone;

·         Brightness under different lighting; and

·         The precise placement of colour within the setting.

A minor natural difference is not, by itself, a fault where the supplied product is consistent with:

·         The product description;

·         The stated opal type;

·         The selected metal and variant;

·         The represented design;

·         The advertised quality; and

·         Any representative images or variation notice shown before purchase.

However:

·         Eligible customers may still use the 30-day change-of-mind policy;

·         A material difference is not treated as a minor natural variation;

·         Supplying the wrong SKU, metal, size, design or product is not a natural variation; and

·         This section does not limit any rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

Faulty, Damaged, Incorrect or Misdescribed Products

Please inspect your order when it is received and contact us as soon as reasonably possible if:

·         The parcel arrives damaged;

·         The product is damaged in transit;

·         The wrong product or variant was supplied;

·         A gemstone or jewellery specification is materially incorrect;

·         The product is materially different from its description or photograph;

·         A product has a manufacturing problem; or

·         You believe the product does not meet a consumer guarantee.

We may request:

·         Photographs or video;

·         The order number, receipt or other proof of purchase;

·         A description of the issue; and

·         An opportunity to inspect the product.

A customer does not need the original packaging to exercise rights relating to a faulty product, although retaining packaging may assist with transit-damage claims.

Where a Product Is Faulty or Australian Opal Cutters Made a Mistake

Where a product is confirmed to have a problem, or Australian Opal Cutters sends the wrong item, supplies the wrong variant, makes a material error in the product description, makes a packing or fulfilment error, or is responsible for damage, we will work promptly and fairly to correct the issue.

Where appropriate, Australian Opal Cutters will:

·         Arrange or reimburse reasonable return delivery costs once the problem is confirmed;

·         Refund the original reasonable delivery charge where required;

·         Provide a repair, replacement or refund as required;

·         Keep the customer informed during the assessment; and

·         Avoid charging the customer for correcting our error or a confirmed product problem.

Major and Minor Problems

Where a product has a major problem under the Australian Consumer Law, the customer may choose a refund or replacement.

A refund for a major problem will be for the full amount paid for the product and will be provided using the original payment method unless the customer and Australian Opal Cutters agree otherwise.

Where the problem is not major, Australian Opal Cutters may provide a free repair or another appropriate remedy within a reasonable time.

If a minor problem cannot be fixed, is not fixed within a reasonable time or cannot be remedied appropriately, further rights may apply.

Australian Opal Cutters will not replace a customer's statutory right to a refund with store credit where the law entitles the customer to a refund.

Refund Processing

Once an eligible return has been received and inspected, Australian Opal Cutters will notify the customer of the outcome.

Approved refunds will normally be initiated within five business days using the original payment method.

Banks, card providers and payment platforms may require additional processing time before the funds appear in the customer's account.

Refunds will not be issued to a different person, card or payment account unless required by law or agreed after appropriate verification.

Exchanges

An exchange is subject to product availability.

Because many opals are unique, the same product or pattern may not be available as a replacement.

Where the replacement product has:

·         A higher price, the customer must pay the difference; or

·         A lower price, the difference will be refunded or credited, depending on the type of return and the customer's legal entitlement.

No replacement will be sent before the original item has been received unless Australian Opal Cutters agrees to another arrangement.

Proof of Purchase

Proof of purchase may include:

·         A receipt;

·         An online order confirmation;

·         A bank or payment record;

·         A gift receipt;

·         A warranty or valuation certificate identifying the product; or

·         Another reasonable record showing the purchase was made from Australian Opal Cutters.

Gift recipients have the same basic consumer-guarantee rights as the person who purchased the gift.

How to Request a Return

Contact Australian Opal Cutters before returning an item:

Australian Opal Cutters Pty Ltd
Level 3, 295-301 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Telephone: +61 411 802 402
Email: sales@australianopalcutters.com

Please include:

·         Your name;

·         Order number or proof of purchase;

·         Product details or SKU;

·         The reason for the return;

·         Your preferred outcome; and

·         Photographs where the product is damaged, incorrect or faulty.

Do not send high-value jewellery or opals without first receiving appropriate return instructions.

Do not send a return package containing hazardous materials, flammable liquids or gases.

Changes to This Policy

Australian Opal Cutters may update this policy from time to time. Any update will be published on our website and will not remove rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.