Shipping
Shipping policy
Last updated: 18 April 2026
We ship worldwide (with narrow sanction-based exceptions below) from our offices in Bangkok and Dubai. Every parcel is fully insured at its declared value. Customs documentation is on us.
Coverage
We routinely ship to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and most of Southeast Asia. For other destinations contact us first — we can usually arrange, but transit time and insurance vary.
Restrictions: stones of Myanmar (Burmese) or Russian origin cannot ship to US addresses. US Executive Order 14068 (JADE Act) and the G7 Russian-diamond restrictions of March 2024 prohibit this trade. Our checkout blocks the combination automatically.
Carriers
Orders under \$50,000: DHL Express International — door-to-door, fully insured, 3–6 business days to most destinations.
Orders \$50,000 and above: Malca-Amit Global Logistics — the specialist secure carrier for jewellery and precious stones. Slightly longer transit (typically 5–10 business days) but white-glove handling, bonded vault storage in transit hubs, and personal-delivery coordination at destination.
Transit times
From Bangkok: 3–5 business days to US, UK, EU, GCC, Hong Kong; 4–7 days elsewhere.
From Dubai: 2–4 days to Europe and GCC; 4–6 days further.
Customs clearance adds 0–2 business days depending on destination. Expect longer for first-time high-value imports — customs may request supplementary documents, which we supply on your behalf.
We send the tracking number the day the parcel ships. DHL/Malca-Amit updates refresh every 2–6 hours once the parcel is in transit.
HS code, Incoterms, and duties
Shipments travel under HS code 7103 (natural precious or semi-precious stones, excluding industrial diamonds) on DAP (Delivered at Place) Incoterms.
DAP means we pay export-side fees and shipping, and you are the importer of record on the destination side. You pay any import duties, VAT / GST, or customs-brokerage fees your country charges. These are not our fees — we have no control over them. Rough guide:
— United States: no federal duty on loose gemstones; individual states may charge sales / use tax.
— United Kingdom: 0% customs duty + 20% VAT on entry value.
— European Union: 0–2.5% duty + 19–25% VAT depending on member state.
— GCC: generally 5% VAT; UAE / Saudi / Qatar have no customs duty on loose gemstones.
Declared value — no exceptions
Every customs declaration carries the full insured value paid at checkout. We do not accept requests to under-declare, period. Doing so would:
— void your shipping insurance (the insurer pays the declared amount, not the actual amount);
— expose both parties to criminal liability for customs fraud;
— invalidate your consumer-protection rights at destination.
If this policy doesn't work for you, we can't ship. We're happy to walk through the numbers before you order.
Signature, inspection, damage
All shipments require an adult signature at delivery. When the parcel arrives, inspect the packaging and seals before signing. If the outer box is damaged, the security tape is cut, or the parcel weight seems wrong — refuse delivery and WhatsApp us at +971 58 502 3001 immediately.
If you sign and discover damage afterwards, notify us within 48 hours with photos. We file a carrier insurance claim on your behalf; resolution typically takes 15–30 business days.
Lost in transit
If a parcel hasn't arrived within 14 business days of shipping, we open a formal tracer with the carrier. Full insured reimbursement is made within 30 days of the carrier declaring the parcel lost (usually 21 days from the original ship date).
You may choose: a full refund to the original payment method, or a replacement stone of equivalent grade and price from our inventory (subject to availability). Replacement stones ship insured + priority.
Tracking questions or customs assistance: shipping@topgems.com.