Five things to check before you buy a band online

None of this takes more than a few minutes, and all of it is easier to check before you order than after.

1. The grading report

Confirm the stone ships with an independent grading report (from a lab such as GIA or IGI) that states it's lab-grown and lists cut, colour, clarity and carat. A retailer that can't provide this for a diamond band is worth a second look.

2. The return window

Look for the exact number of days, whether the ring needs to be unworn/unresized to qualify, and who pays return shipping — especially important when ordering from a US retailer into Canada.

3. Resizing policy

Wedding bands often need a resize after the first fitting. Check whether the first resize is free, how long you have to request it, and whether resizing is even possible for the band style you've chosen (eternity bands, for instance, are harder to resize than half-eternity or plain bands).

4. Warranty terms

Look specifically for what's covered: stone loss, prong repair, plating touch-ups (for white gold), and lifetime vs. limited-year coverage. Warranty terms vary more between retailers than almost anything else on this list.

5. Who covers duties and import fees

If you're ordering from a US retailer, confirm before you buy whether the listed price includes Canadian duties and taxes, or whether they're collected separately at delivery. See our shipping and duties guide for more detail.

Where this shows up in our reviews

Every retailer certificate in The Ledger is graded partly on these factors — that's what the "Transparency" and "Value" grades are built from.