Legal

Terms of use

By browsing this website, submitting an inquiry, or corresponding with AVA about a piece, you agree to these notices and to the related Policies. If you do not agree, please do not use the site or send personal information.

This site is provided for information and correspondence. It does not constitute a public retail storefront, a binding catalogue, or an invitation to treat beyond what AVA confirms in writing. Access may be interrupted for maintenance, hosting, or force majeure without liability for temporary unavailability.

You agree not to misuse the site: no scraping that impairs service, no submission of unlawful or misleading content, and no attempt to interfere with security or form integrity.

Product & stone disclaimers

Natural and lab-grown. AVA labels stone origin plainly. Natural diamonds and lab-grown diamonds are distinct goods. They are never mixed, substituted, or described with a single ambiguous word after sale. Where another gem material is considered, it is named in full.

Carat, colour, and clarity. Figures shown on this site, in Studio, or in early correspondence are estimates or working preferences until AVA confirms a specific stone against an independent laboratory report. Final grading is as stated on the applicable certificate (or equivalent documentation) at confirmation.

Photographs and renders. Images, lighting studies, and Studio renders are illustrative. Colour, scale, and brilliance on screens vary. They are not warranties of exact appearance. Measurements and finish are confirmed before production and again at inspection before release.

Certificates. Where AVA states that a stone is accompanied by a GIA, IGI, or equivalent independent laboratory report, the report number and origin labelling are recorded against the commission or Collection piece. Certificate details prevail over marketing copy if wording differs. AVA does not invent grading.

Responsible sourcing. AVA seeks stones and metals through channels that support conflict-free and responsible supply practices consistent with applicable Canadian expectations and industry norms. AVA does not claim that every upstream actor is independently audited by AVA, nor that any single certification covers the entire chain. Specific provenance statements, when made, are limited to what AVA can reasonably verify and will confirm in writing for the piece.

Metals and craft. Partner ateliers may fabricate abroad; AVA inspects in British Columbia before release unless another written arrangement is agreed. Metal purity and hallmarks, where applicable, follow the documentation confirmed for that commission.

Pricing & availability

Prices, when quoted, are in Canadian dollars (CAD) unless AVA expressly states otherwise in writing. Displayed figures on third-party platforms or drafts are not final until AVA confirms them for your order.

AVA does not use artificial “was / now” strike-through pricing on this site. Any promotional language, if ever offered, will be clear and time-bound in correspondence.

Custom quotes, Studio specifications, and Collection inquiries are invitations to discuss — not binding offers — until AVA issues written confirmation of stone, metal, price, timeline, and payment terms. Stones and components remain subject to market availability; AVA may propose alternatives of equivalent class with your written assent.

Taxes applicable in Canada (including GST/HST and provincial sales tax where due) are stated or itemised when a confirmed sale is documented. Import duties and foreign taxes for shipments outside Canada are addressed under Shipping.

Voluntary engagement & independent estimates

Clients deal with AVA freely and without duress. AVA does not use high-pressure tactics. Correspondence, Studio briefs, and commissions proceed only when you choose to continue.

You are encouraged — and entirely free — to obtain independent estimates, appraisals, or second opinions from other jewellers before committing to a piece or a deposit. Seeking another view does not offend the house.

AVA prices and quotes against transparent specifications and aims at fair market value for the stone, metal, and craftsmanship described. Quotes, Studio figures, and early correspondence are not binding offers until AVA confirms stone, metal, price, timeline, and payment terms in writing.

Where you continue with a commission after that written confirmation, AVA takes it that you are satisfied with the proposed terms and the value offered for that piece. Nothing here requires praise of the house as a condition of purchase.

Custom / Studio commissions

A Studio brief or Custom letter sets working specifications. Supply constraints, laboratory availability, and atelier capacity may require adjustments to metal, setting, band, or stone parameters. Material changes are confirmed with you in writing before production continues.

Lead times are estimates, not guarantees. Craft, inspection, shipping, and customs (where relevant) can extend timelines. AVA will keep you informed of material delays.

Where a deposit or progress payment is requested, it is applied toward the commission as stated in writing. Deposits and progress payments for Custom and Studio work are generally not casually reversible once stones are reserved or bench work is committed, subject to any mandatory consumer rights that cannot be waived and to fault remake or repair arranged by appointment. See also Returns.

Studio renders and specification sheets remain illustrative working documents. They do not transfer design ownership of third-party maisons or of AVA’s own intellectual property, as set out below.

High-value orders

For certain orders — particularly higher-value commissions or transactions that engage Canadian anti-money-laundering expectations for dealers in precious metals and stones — AVA may request government-issued identification and related information before accepting payment or releasing a piece. This is a discreet compliance step, not an allegation of wrongdoing. Refusal to provide information reasonably requested may mean AVA declines or pauses the order. This notice is descriptive of house practice; it is not legal advice on your obligations or AVA’s.

Shipping, duties & taxes

Domestic shipping within Canada is typically arranged by Canada Post with tracking appropriate to value, or by local collection as below. Dispatch dates and carriers are confirmed in writing. See Policies — Shipping for operational detail.

International shipping is not the default path and is offered only when AVA agrees in writing. Where a piece ships outside Canada, the buyer is responsible for import duties, customs clearance fees, brokerage, and any taxes or charges imposed by the destination country, unless AVA expressly states otherwise in the written confirmation. AVA does not control foreign customs timelines or assessments.

Transit and delivery timelines are estimates. Risk of loss or damage in transit follows the arrangement stated in the written confirmation (for example, carrier terms and any declared value or insurance AVA arranges). Write promptly if a package appears delayed or compromised.

Warranty & aftercare

What AVA stands behind. AVA specifies the piece in British Columbia, confirms stone documentation where applicable, and inspects before release. That care is the house standard — clarity of specification and a checked release — not an open-ended promise to remake jewellery at no cost.

Craft warranty rests with partner ateliers. Manufacture and craft warranties on finished pieces are provided and fulfilled by the partner ateliers that craft the work. Those warranties are not carried out, supported, administered, or supplied by AVA. AVA is not the manufacturer for warranty purposes and does not underwrite, insure, or operate a repair desk for atelier warranty claims.

How we help. If a documented craft issue arises within the atelier’s stated terms for that piece, write to hello@theava.ca with photographs, the certificate or order reference, and a short description. AVA will help open correspondence with the relevant atelier so their warranty path can proceed. Response times and remedies (repair, remake, or decline) are decided by the atelier under its own terms.

What is not covered by AVA. Normal wear, knocks, resizing after release, lost stones from impact, improper care, third-party alteration, chemical damage, and ordinary ageing of metal or finish are not AVA warranties. Everyday guidance lives on Care. Post-release resize, re-tipping, and polish are by written appointment and may involve atelier bench time at cost, confirmed before work begins.

Shipping coverage. Coverage for loss or damage while a piece is in transit — when you opt for it — is arranged through Canada Post (or another carrier AVA confirms in writing) under that carrier’s coverage options and terms. AVA does not sell, underwrite, or administer Canada Post coverage. If coverage is declined or unavailable, transit risk follows the arrangement confirmed in writing for that shipment. See also Policies — Shipping.

Nothing in this section limits rights that cannot be waived under applicable Canadian consumer law. This page is protective maison copy, not advice from counsel.

Local collection by appointment

AVA serves Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver clients by appointment and by letter. Local collection, when offered, is arranged privately after an order or inquiry is confirmed. Pickup location is shared in correspondence only.

AVA is not required to maintain public retail premises. Absence of a walk-in showroom does not diminish these terms. Appointments are set only after correspondence; there is no public telephone line on this site.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of British Columbia and Canada, AVA’s total liability arising from use of this site or from a confirmed order is limited to the amounts you have paid to AVA for the specific piece or service giving rise to the claim.

To the same extent, AVA is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages — including lost profits, emotional distress, or substitute procurement costs — whether based in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility.

Nothing in these notices excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be waived under applicable British Columbia or Canadian consumer protection law. Where liability cannot be limited, it is limited to the minimum extent permitted.

Site content is provided “as available.” AVA does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free access, nor that third-party links or hosting will remain available.

Intellectual property

The AVA name, wordmark, site design, text, photographs, and Studio interface are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may view and download pages for personal, non-commercial reference related to a genuine inquiry. You may not copy, scrape, republish, or commercially reuse AVA content without prior written consent.

Studio renders and specification sheets are tools for your commission with AVA. They do not grant rights in third-party maison designs, nor a transferable licence to reproduce AVA’s designs for manufacture elsewhere. Commissioned pieces made for you are released under the terms of your written confirmation; underlying patterns, digital assets, and house methods remain with AVA unless a written assignment says otherwise.

Privacy & cross-border processing

AVA collects only what correspondence and commission require, as described in Policies — Privacy. Inquiry forms and site hosting may be processed by service providers — including Netlify and email infrastructure — that operate servers outside Canada. By using the site or writing to AVA, you understand that information may be stored or processed in other jurisdictions subject to their laws.

Payment card data, when commerce is open, is handled by the payment provider and is not stored as full card numbers on AVA pages. To ask what AVA holds, or to request that a file be closed where practicable, write using the contact below.

Governing law & venue

These notices and any dispute arising from this site or from jewellery correspondence with AVA are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict-of-law rules that would refer the matter elsewhere.

Subject to mandatory consumer protections that require otherwise, the courts of British Columbia have exclusive jurisdiction. You and AVA attorn to those courts. If you are a consumer entitled to bring a claim in another forum under non-waivable law, that entitlement is reserved.

Dispute & contact

Please raise concerns in writing before formal proceedings. AVA prefers quiet resolution by letter.

Write to hello@theava.ca (aspirational house address for correspondence) or use the Inquire form. Region: British Columbia — Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver. AVA does not publish a street address or telephone number on public pages.

Changes to terms

AVA may update these notices from time to time. The “Last updated” date above will change when material revisions are published. Continued use of the site after posting constitutes acceptance of the revised notices for future correspondence, except where a signed commission confirmation states different terms for that piece.

For a confirmed order already in progress, the written confirmation and the notices in force when that confirmation was issued govern, unless you and AVA agree otherwise in writing.