Terms of commission

Who you are contracting with

Cleave & Company Limited, registered in England and Wales under company number 04259273, of 1 Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HR.

These terms apply to a commission from the moment you accept a quotation. They do not replace anything we have agreed with you in writing for a particular piece; where the two differ, what we agreed for your piece governs.

Quotations and prices

Every piece is quoted individually, because what it costs depends on the materials and on how long the work takes. A quotation says what is included and whether VAT is part of the figure.

A quotation holds for 30 days. Metal and stone prices move, and beyond that we may need to requote. We will not change a price you have accepted.

The deposit, and the balance

We ask for a deposit of 50 per cent when the commission is accepted. It pays for the materials and the drawing, both of which are committed from that point.

The balance falls due on completion, before the piece is collected or sent.

The drawing, and your approval

We design and render the piece before anything is made, and we revise it with you as many times as it takes. Nothing goes to the bench until you have approved the design.

That approval matters, because it is the point from which the piece is being made for you and no one else.

Changes after approval

You may ask for a change at any point, and we will tell you honestly whether it is possible. Where a change means work already done has to be undone or repeated, or different materials bought, that is charged in addition and quoted to you before we act on it.

How long it takes

• Pieces held in stock — straight away.
• A bespoke commission — usually four to eight weeks from approval of the design.
• Work of real complexity — twelve to sixteen weeks.

These are honest estimates, not guarantees. Handwork does not always go to a timetable, and we would rather take an extra week than let something leave the bench that is not right. If a date genuinely matters — an investiture, a presentation, a birthday — tell us at the outset and we will say plainly whether it can be met.

Your own stones and heirlooms

You are welcome to bring us a stone, or a piece to be remade. Many of the best commissions begin that way.

Once it is in our hands, it is our responsibility. If something we do damages it, that is ours to put right, and we insure accordingly. We will tell you before we begin if a stone looks fragile or has been treated in a way that makes setting risky, and you can decide then whether to go on.

Cancellation, and refunds

Because a commissioned piece is made to your specification, it cannot be cancelled for a change of mind once the design is approved, and the deposit is not refundable at that point. This is also why the law's usual fourteen-day cancellation right for goods bought at a distance does not apply to bespoke work.

That said, we would always rather find a way through than stand on the wording. If circumstances change, tell us: depending on how far the work has gone, and what can be recovered from the materials, we will refund what we reasonably can. We have done it before.

None of this affects your legal rights if something is wrong with the piece. If it is faulty, not as described, or not of satisfactory quality, you have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which we cannot and do not exclude — including, in the right circumstances, to a repair, a replacement or your money back.

If something is wrong

We will put right any manufacturing defect, free of charge, for twelve months from the day the piece reaches you. Bring it back to us and we will look at it.

That cover is in addition to your legal rights, not instead of them. It does not extend to ordinary wear, to accidental damage, or to work done to the piece by somebody else.

Beyond the twelve months we will still look at anything we have made — often for nothing, sometimes for the cost of materials. A piece of ours should last generations, and we would rather see it back here than anywhere else.

Collection, delivery and risk

Finished pieces can be collected at 1 Buckingham Place by appointment, or sent, insured, anywhere in the world. Where a piece is sent, the risk passes to you when it is delivered to you or to someone you have asked us to deliver it to.

The piece remains ours until it has been paid for in full.

Hallmarking

Precious metal is hallmarked as the law requires. A hallmark is struck into the metal and its position is a matter of judgement; we will discuss it with you where it affects how a piece looks.

Law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction. Nothing here limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.

Questions

Ask. byappointment@cleave.com, or +44 20 7016 1499. We would far rather answer a question at the start than have a disagreement at the end.