If the stone is not available — and how your money comes back

When an order closes without a sale — no stone, no confirmation in time, a missing identity check, a dispute upheld — and how the refund works.

Updated 14 October 2026 · 3 min read

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Who it's for: Buyers whose order did not go ahead, or who want to know what happens if it does not.
What you need ready: Your order page, and our letters about it.
How long it takes: The seller has 48 hours after your payment to confirm the stone; if it is not confirmed within 96 hours, the order closes by itself.
What it costs: Nothing. Your payment for the stone comes back in full.

The promise

Every checkout states it:

Good to know ·Your payment is held. The seller confirms the stone within 48 hours, 96 at most; if they can't, you get it back in full. Once you have the stone, you have 48 hours to check it.

When an order closes, and what you see

What happened	What your order page says	Your money
The seller no longer has the stone	“This stone is not available”, with a note from our desk	Back in full — or, where our desk can offer another stone, your choice of that stone or the refund
The stone was not confirmed within 96 hours	“The seller could not confirm the stone in time”	Back in full
The desk asked for your identity check and it did not come within 48 hours	“This order is cancelled”	Back in full
Your dispute was upheld	“Your dispute is upheld”	Back in full; we write to you about returning the stone

When the money has been sent, the order shows “Your payment has been returned” with the transfer reference, and a letter says the same.

Where your money is

1 · The stone — paid when you order

You pay

Price + buyer's premium + settlement fee

The premium is 3–7% by price; the settlement fee 3% (at least $75). A seller's delivery charge, if you chose it, is paid here too.

Held

Held until you confirm the stone

Nobody is paid while the seller confirms, the stone travels and you check it.

When you accept

Released to the seller

Their price, less any commission (no commission while we launch under $10,000, 5% from $10,000), plus their delivery charge. The premium and the settlement fee are Everystone's.

If not

Back to you in full

The seller no longer has the stone, it is not confirmed within 96 hours, your identity check does not come when asked, or your dispute is upheld — the stone you send back is the one you received.

2 · Only if you added something — after the stone is confirmed

You pay

A lab check, a Passport or custody

And delivery, when it is quoted for your country once the stone is confirmed.

Once

Paid once, not refundable

“Billed only once the stone is confirmed, as a second payment. Paid once, and not refundable.”

It pays for

The work you chose

Never billed for a stone that isn't there. The stone is not handed over while this payment waits.

Two payments at most. The first is for the stone and is held until you accept it. The second exists only if you added something, and is asked for once the stone is confirmed.

If our desk offers another stone

Sometimes the note offers an alternative:

1.
Read the note on your order page and in the letter.
2.
Reply to the letter and say what you prefer — “we will arrange the alternative, or return your payment”.
3.
If you take the other stone, your order moves to it and goes ahead as “Under way”. Anything you chose to add carries over if the new stone's price allows it; otherwise it is dropped.

Your second payment

Not paid yet — it is withdrawn; you owe nothing.
Already paid — it is paid once and not refundable. If the purchase falls through before the work it paid for has started, the desk can return it; you then get the letter “Your second payment has been returned” with the transfer reference.

Cancelling before you pay

Until the payment is in, you can cancel the order yourself with Cancel the order. Nothing was paid, so nothing comes back. If your money arrives after the order was cancelled, the order page says “A payment for it arrived after it was cancelled.” and the desk writes to you: the order goes ahead, or the money comes back in full.

Common problems

How long does a refund take?

Our desk sends it back and writes to you with the transfer reference once it is sent. If you have not heard after a few days, reply to the letter.

The page says “Payment received” and nothing moves

The seller has 48 hours to confirm, and the order page gives the latest date and time by which we write to you. If the stone is still not confirmed by then, the order closes by itself and your money comes back in full.

I want to cancel after paying

There is no cancel button once the payment is in. Reply to your order letter; the desk answers. Once the stone has reached you, the way back is a dispute during your check — see Your check.