How to Buy on TopGems: The Full Walk-Through

The TopGems flow at a glance

1. Browse the catalog or use the concierge to shortlist
2. Reserve a stone (30-minute hold, price + FX locked)
3. Checkout with card, PayPal, or wire transfer
4. KYC if the order is above our verification threshold
5. Insured shipment ships within 48 hours of payment clearance
6. Delivery with signature; unboxing video on request
7. 14-day returns for any reason

Each step below expands on that one-line summary.

1. Browse

The main catalogs are Colored Stones (our own inventory), Diamonds (certified naturals from partner suppliers), and Lab-Grown (HPHT and CVD, traceable to grower). Each card shows:

• High-resolution photography + 360° video where available
• Lab report preview (GIA, GRS, SSEF, Gübelin, AGL, AIGS, IGI)
• Key specs: carat, origin, treatment, certificate number
• Price in USD with live FX display in your chosen currency

Use the wishlist (heart icon) to save stones across sessions — requires a free account, then syncs across devices.

2. Reserve

Clicking Add to Cart triggers a 30-minute reservation. Two things happen:

• The stone is locked to you — no other buyer can add it while your hold is active
• The price is locked at today's USD and your displayed-currency FX rate

The hold is visible on the cart as a countdown. Reserving does not commit you to buy; the hold simply prevents a race condition during checkout. If you let it expire, the stone returns to the catalog and anyone can reserve next.

High-value stones occasionally require a refundable reservation deposit before the 30-minute hold is extended — we'll tell you at checkout if your cart triggers this.

3. Checkout

Supported payment methods:

• Credit / debit card — Visa, Mastercard, Amex. Stripe-powered, 3D Secure authentication for card-not-present.
• PayPal — for orders under $10,000
• Wire transfer / bank payment — for orders above $25,000. Quote held 72 hours; wire instructions emailed after you select this method.
• Crypto (BitPay) — coming late 2026 for Middle East and Asia markets

Card and PayPal clear instantly; wire takes 1–3 business days to reach our account, at which point the order moves forward.

4. KYC — when it applies

Orders over a threshold (currently $25,000) trigger Know Your Customer verification under AML regulations in our operating jurisdictions (UAE DIFC, Thailand DMCC). The process:

• Passport or government ID upload (encrypted at rest, AES-256)
• Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement, within 90 days)
• For orders above $100,000: Source of Funds documentation

KYC usually completes in 2–4 business hours during Bangkok/Dubai working hours. Once cleared, the KYC level persists on your account and repeat purchases within 12 months skip re-verification.

5. Shipping

Every stone ships fully insured via FedEx Priority, DHL Express, or Malca-Amit (for high-value). Standard timing:

• Bangkok HQ → customer: 2–4 business days to most destinations
• Dubai DMCC → customer: 2–5 business days
• Signature on delivery is mandatory
• Real-time tracking included

Customs and duties: we ship DAP (Delivered at Place) — duties are the buyer's responsibility. We provide HS code 7103 (precious stones) and declare the full insured value. We do not accept requests to under-declare; this is non-negotiable.

Sanctions: we cannot ship Burmese-origin rubies or jadeite to the United States (2003 Burmese JADE Act + 2021 extension). The checkout will block the order and suggest comparable stones from permitted origins.

6. Delivery

Packaging: sealed tamper-evident case, signed by the gemologist who packed it, with a hand-signed inventory card. Inside: the stone in a lined box with the lab certificate, a high-resolution printed image, and a welcome letter.

Unboxing video — we record one on request so the condition is documented end-to-end. Useful for insurance appraisal or if the parcel arrives damaged.

7. Returns

14-day return window. Any reason, no questions. Conditions:

• Stone in original condition — not mounted, not re-cut, not altered
• Lab report included and intact
• Packaging in resalable condition (minor wear OK)
• Return shipment insured at your cost; we reimburse if the return is due to our error or a misdescription

Bespoke pieces (stones set into a custom mounting made for you) are non-returnable once casting begins. We're explicit about this at the bespoke consultation.

High-value returns (> $50,000) require a pre-authorization and may require a gemological re-verification before refund — standard industry practice to prevent swap fraud.

Investment-grade purchases

For stones purchased primarily as stores of value:

• Certification is mandatory — GIA for diamonds, GRS/SSEF/Gübelin for premium colored stones
• No-heat / no-treatment premium is typically 20–50% over equivalent treated stones
• Origin determination from SSEF or Gübelin is the standard for Kashmir, Burmese, and Colombian stones
• Insurance — we recommend scheduling the stone on a dedicated jewelry rider within 30 days of delivery
• Storage — home safe is fine; safety deposit box for stones above $100,000

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See also: Certification Explained for what's on the lab report, and Glossary for the trade terms you'll meet on our product pages.