Buying Jewellery Online in India
By the Seraphaé team · Updated August 2026
Buying jewellery online in India is now completely normal, and mostly excellent. But product photography is flattering by design, and a lot of listings are deliberately vague about the things that determine whether a piece lasts. Here is what to actually check.
What a good product page must tell you
If any of these are missing, treat it as a signal rather than an oversight:
- Base metal, named. “Nickel-free brass”, “stainless steel”, “sterling silver”. Not “alloy”, not silence.
- Plating detail. Karat and, ideally, thickness in microns. This is the number that determines lifespan.
- Stone type. Cubic zirconia, freshwater pearl, shell, glass — each is fine, but you should know which you are buying.
- Actual dimensions. Chain length, pendant size, earring drop, ring size. Photographs distort scale badly.
- Weight, particularly for earrings.
- Care instructions. A brand that explains care is a brand expecting the piece to last.
Judging photographs
Look for a model shot or a hand shot alongside the styled product image. Scale is the most common online disappointment — a pendant that looked substantial arrives the size of a lentil, or hoops that looked delicate arrive enormous. A worn photo resolves this instantly.
Be mildly sceptical of images where the metal glows unnaturally or every stone throws rainbow fire. Heavy retouching is common. Multiple angles under consistent lighting is a good sign; a single perfect hero image is less reassuring.
Returns and exchanges
Read this before ordering, not after. A fair policy for jewellery in India typically looks like:
- A clear window, commonly 7 days from delivery.
- Items unworn and in original packaging with tags.
- A stated process — who arranges pickup, who pays return shipping.
- Clear treatment of damaged or wrong items, usually with a short reporting window.
Many brands now require an unboxing video for damage or wrong-item claims. This is increasingly standard and entirely reasonable — but it means you need to film opening the sealed parcel before you open it. Get into the habit; it takes thirty seconds and it is the difference between a claim being honoured and refused.
Note that hygiene exclusions on earrings are normal and legitimate across the industry.
Payment safety
- Check the URL begins with https and the domain is spelled correctly. Lookalike domains are the most common scam vector.
- Prefer established gateways — Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree — or UPI. These provide a dispute path.
- Never pay by direct bank transfer or to a personal UPI ID for an online order. There is no recourse.
- Be wary of sellers who only accept payment over WhatsApp or DM, especially on social media.
- Legitimate sites never need your UPI PIN to receive a refund. Any request for your PIN is fraud.
Checking the brand itself
- Look for a physical address and a working phone number. Indian e-commerce rules require sellers to publish contact and business details.
- Read the policy pages. Shipping, returns, privacy and terms should exist and be specific. Generic copied text is a warning sign.
- Check social proof — but read it critically. A brand with 200k followers and no comments is not the same as one with 10k engaged followers.
- Search the brand name plus “review” and read what comes back, including complaints.
Warning signs
- Prices far below the category norm — genuinely good plating has a floor cost.
- “18k gold” used ambiguously to imply solid gold when the product is plated.
- No returns policy, or one that is impossible to find.
- Stock images used across multiple unrelated sites.
- Permanent countdown timers and manufactured urgency.
- No contact details beyond a form.
Sizing without seeing
Rings are the main risk. Either measure properly, choose an adjustable style, or buy a different category. For necklaces, check the length in inches or centimetres against your own measurement — an adjustable chain with an extender is the safest choice. Earrings carry essentially no sizing risk, which is why they are the most reliable online jewellery purchase.
When your order arrives
- Film the unboxing before breaking the seal, in one continuous take.
- Check the piece against the listing — dimensions, stone, finish.
- Inspect the findings: clasps close crisply, posts are straight, stones are secure.
- Try it on before removing tags where possible.
- Raise any issue within the stated window; do not wait.
Done consistently, this checklist removes almost all of the risk from buying jewellery online — and the category is well worth buying online, because the range available far exceeds what any single local shop can stock.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to buy jewellery online in India?
Yes, provided you check a few things: the product page states base metal and plating detail, the returns policy is clear and findable, the site uses https with an established payment gateway, and the brand publishes a real address and phone number.
Why do jewellery brands ask for an unboxing video?
It verifies that damage or a wrong item occurred before delivery rather than after. It is now standard practice across Indian e-commerce — film opening the sealed parcel in one continuous take, starting before you break the seal.
What should I check on a jewellery product page before buying?
Base metal named explicitly, plating karat and thickness, stone type, exact dimensions, weight, and care instructions. Vagueness on base metal or plating usually means thin plating over an unspecified alloy.
What are the warning signs of a fake jewellery website?
Prices far below category norms, no findable returns policy, no address or phone number, payment only via personal UPI or bank transfer, stock images reused across sites, and permanent countdown timers.
