Buying real gold jewellery online: 10 things to check first

The checklist at a glance

You can't hold gold jewellery in your hand online. But you can check everything that matters. These ten points apply to every shop, including ours. The last column shows how TOV does it.

Is the karat stated, and is it real gold?

"Gold" or "gold tone" on its own tells you nothing. Look for 14 karat (585) or 18 karat (750). If it says 375 or 333, it's 9 or 8 karat: real gold, but with less gold in it.

Also watch for words that give away a layer: gold-plated, GP, HGE, rolled gold, gold filled or vermeil. That's gold over another metal, and a layer wears off. How to tell the difference is in real gold vs gold-plated.

At TOV, every piece is real 14 or 18 karat gold, never gold-plated. The 585 or 750 hallmark sits inside a ring, near the clasp or on a small tag, next to the TOV signature. Our white gold is real 14 karat gold with a fine rhodium layer for its white shine.

Can you see how much gold is in it?

The karat tells you what percentage of the metal is gold. The gold weight tells you how many grams. Two 14 karat necklaces can differ a lot: a fine chain weighs far less than a wide one. Want a fair comparison? Look at the weight.

At TOV, the gold weight is on every product page, in the specifications. For diamonds, you'll find the exact carat weight there too.

Looking for gold hoops that last for years? Choose real gold rather than a layer, and a size that suits your day. Real gold doesn't rust or oxidise, and if soap or lotion dulls it, you simply polish it back up.

From this story

Essential Medium Hoops (18mm) €329,00 Beaded Stacker Ring €234,00 Essential Small Huggie Hoops (10mm) €199,00

Certificate and nickel-free

A certificate of authenticity puts in black and white what you're buying. At TOV, every piece comes with a personal digital certificate. For diamonds, it also states the cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Our diamonds are always natural, in colour F-G and clarity SI.

Got sensitive skin? Check that everything is nickel-free, including the post of an earring and the clasp. All our jewellery is nickel-free and suitable for sensitive skin. If your skin still reacts, ask your doctor for advice.

Exchanges and warranty: read the small print

Buying online means no trying on in a shop. So a good exchange policy isn't a luxury. With us, within the EU, you can exchange it for another size free of charge within 30 days. In the UK, the US and Canada, you send it back yourself. Shopping for stacking rings? Then that's extra handy: a ring that's a touch too snug is easily swapped.

With a warranty, look at two things: how long, and what it covers. At TOV, on top of your statutory rights, you get a two-year manufacturer's warranty on all our jewellery, and one year on the setting of stones and how clasps work. Read what isn't covered too, such as breakage, loss or scratches from wear. It's all on our warranty and repairs page.

Reviews, the maker and customer service

Reviews. Don't just read the stars, read the text. Look especially at what people say about size: in a photo, a delicate piece often looks bigger than it does on your ear. Read the critical reviews too, so you know what to expect. Ours are on our reviews page.

The maker. The shorter the chain, the more of what you pay goes into gold and craftsmanship. At TOV, a piece goes from the maker, via TOV, to you: no shop, no agent and no wholesaler in between. We sell online only. Who we are is in is TOV Essentials legit?.

Customer service. Send a question before you order, about the gold weight or the size, say. A concrete answer tells you more than a pretty website. With us, that's always welcome. And what you can order at TOV is actually there: we don't do backorders or pre-orders.

Gold Jewellery Real 14 and 18 karat gold, never gold-plated. Shop Gold Jewellery