Returns & exchanges.

We'd rather refund a stone than have you keep one you don't love. Inspect every stone under your own light for up to 30 days from delivery. If anything's off — color, size, surface character, or just chemistry — return it for a full refund. We cover return shipping. No restocking fees. No questions about why.

How to start a return

1. Email returns@thestoneatlas.com within 30 days of receiving your order. Include your order number (starts with #SA-).
2. We send a prepaid return label within 24 hours (1 business day). You'll get tracking + packing instructions.
3. Pack the stone in the original packaging (or padded equivalent) and drop at your nearest USPS, UPS, or DHL point.
4. Refund is issued to your original payment method within 3–5 business days of return receipt. We'll email a confirmation with the refund amount.

What can be returned

• Any catalog stone — single pieces, parcels, lots — within 30 days of delivery.
• Stones in original condition. Inspecting under loupe / light / through a setting all fine; cutting, re-polishing, or mounting in a permanent setting is not.
• Stones with all original tags, certificates, and packaging materials intact.

What can't be returned

• Monthly subscription stones — see Subscriptions below for the swap/pause/cancel flow.
• Custom-cut or commissioned pieces made to your specification.
• Stones cut, set, or modified after delivery.
• Gift cards (non-refundable but never expire).

Damaged or lost in transit

Every order ships fully insured for the declared value. If a stone arrives damaged or a package is lost in transit:

1. Photograph the packaging and stone immediately (within 48 hours of delivery for damage claims).
2. Email photos + order number to returns@thestoneatlas.com.
3. We file the insurance claim and ship a replacement or refund — your choice — within 2 business days. You don't wait on the carrier.

International returns

Same 30-day window applies globally. We provide prepaid international return labels for orders shipped to the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, and Japan. For other destinations, we reimburse return shipping (DHL Express or equivalent) up to $60 on receipt of the carrier receipt.

If your country charged import duties on the original delivery, those are refunded by your local customs office on re-export — we provide the paperwork. We refund the merchandise value directly.

Subscriptions

Pocket, Cabinet, and Collector subscription stones are not individually returnable, but you have full control over the dispatch:

• Skip a month — anytime from your account, up to 24 hours before the next dispatch.
• Swap a tier — Pocket ↔ Cabinet ↔ Collector, takes effect on the next billing cycle.
• Pause — for 1, 2, or 3 months. Billing pauses with it.
• Cancel — anytime, no fee. Active dispatches still ship; future billing stops.

If a subscription stone arrives damaged or visibly mis-described, we replace it (or upgrade your next month) — just email us within 14 days.

Authenticity guarantee — separate from returns

Independent of the 30-day window: if a GIA or other major lab finds a stone materially mis-described — wrong treatment, wrong origin, wrong identity — we refund the purchase in full plus the lab fee, regardless of when you purchased. This applies for the life of the stone in your possession.

We've never had to honor it, but the offer stands.

Common questions

How fast is the refund?

3–5 business days after we receive the return at our US desk. Most credit cards show the refund within 7 days; bank transfers up to 10. Shop Pay / Apple Pay / Google Pay typically clear within 2 days.

Do I have to give a reason for returning?

No. We log "customer preference" by default and move on.

What if I lost the original packaging?

Any padded mailer or small box with bubble wrap works. The stone needs to survive the trip back — that's all.

Can I exchange for a different stone instead of refunding?

Yes. Same process — once we receive the original, we ship the replacement. If the new stone is a different price, we adjust the refund or charge the difference.

What if a stone arrives different from the photos?

That's exactly what the 30-day window is for. Hand-graded stones have natural variation; if the variation is outside what's pictured, return it. We use the lab-bench photos as the source of truth.

Questions? Email returns@thestoneatlas.com — we reply within one business day.