Rules of Engagement

Initial Contact

The easiest and most effective way to discuss your project is by phone. Your initial consultation is always complimentary. For detailed inquiries or longer discussions, please book a phone appointment. Email is not always reliable, particularly for messages containing many links or large attachments, as these are often filtered into spam. To ensure uninterrupted communication, please add info@leonmege.com to your email safelist. For quick, secure communication, we prefer WhatsApp. This line is monitored by our entire team. Please note that we do not use standard text messaging. To request an initial estimate, please complete our general quote request form. You can share your preferences and, if you wish, upload an image of a design that inspired you so we can clearly understand your vision.

The Retainer

Our work begins with a retainer, a good-faith preliminary deposit that shows your commitment to the project. It covers our initial legwork: sourcing and evaluating stones, and our time spent developing the design as your ideas take shape. The retainer is nonrefundable but will be credited in full once you make the purchase. Retainer small print here.

Center stone selection

Typically, the next step after the retainer has been received is the search for a center stone. It takes a day or two (in some cases, longer) to prepare a list of potential stones based on your specs and budget. This labor-intensive process involves reviewing, sorting, and preparing each stone, and verifying all documentation and pricing before presenting options. Your prompt response matters to ensure the stones are still available.

The number of stones on the initial list depends on the general availability of the stones in that specific category on the market. Smaller stones in basic shapes (Round, emerald, cushion, etc.) are plentiful, while larger stones or specialty cuts (Antique cushion, Asscher) are scarce.

Once we get your feedback, we will source the most attractive options from the list, while actively monitoring the market for new stones. As soon as we confirm the stone’s availability, we’ll provide all relevant information, including GIA certificates, images, and pricing. We can give you a few days to decide or to come in person to take a look, but we cannot keep stones on hold indefinitely. For an in-person visit to view and select stones, please give us at least two business days’ notice so we can prepare and present the stones. If you decide to adjust or refine your criteria at any point, we’ll return the stones and start fresh.

Purchase Order

Once you decide which stone you want, we’ll prepare a Purchase Order (PO) for you to review and sign. The signed PO is a revocable agreement to make the purchase and an obligation to submit payment within 24 hours. If you need to extend the 24-hour payment window, please discuss it with us before we prepare and send the Purchase Order.

A Purchase Order (PO) is a binding contract describing all the sale’s costs, terms, and conditions. Signing it constitutes the acceptance of all terms without exception. Once signed, the PO becomes a mutually binding agreement that cannot be revised or canceled under any circumstances. Leon Megé retains sole discretion over the execution of every design aspect, except for the specifications explicitly described in the Purchase Order. To prepare the PO, we will need:

Your out-of-state shipping address; otherwise, you’ll be charged 8.875% NY sales tax.
The purchaser’s full legal name.

In most cases, we finalize the ring design before you sign the PO and pay the deposit. Some designs, such as three-stone rings, require purchasing the center stone first, with the side stones and design details finalized afterward.

The PO will be sent to you as a PDF and will include:

Diamond description and certificate number
Type of metal (platinum, gold color, etc.)
Brief description of the work
Finger size
Total price and deposit amount

Placing Order & Final Sale Policy

Please review the Purchase Order carefully before signing. In particular, pay close attention to diamond details and finger size. If anything needs clarification or a second look, please reach out to us right away. A signed purchase order and payment are due within 24 hours. You can pay by wire transfer, direct bank deposit, or Zelle. Please include your account number with each transaction so we can match it to your account.

Each piece is made specifically for you. It cannot be resold or restocked, and materials and craftsmanship are committed as soon as work begins. This policy lets us deliver the quality you expect. Because each piece is custom-made, no changes can be made once the order is signed. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge that you’ve read and accepted our policies, and understand that the order is final and non-refundable without exception.

An order is considered signed and initiated when you approve the final specifications (including measurements, materials, colors, and design details) and either sign our order agreement or submit payment, whichever comes first. Once you sign an order, production begins, and we reserve the materials and labor for your piece.
Once you sign an order, we cannot modify, cancel, exchange, or refund it. This includes changes of mind, changes to size, style, or color, and cases where the piece doesn’t match your taste after delivery. Before signing, you are welcome to contact us with any questions so you can be confident in your choices.
You are responsible for the accuracy of all information you provide, including measurements, finger size, specifications, contact details, and delivery address. We build your piece exactly as specified in your signed order. We are not responsible for issues resulting from incorrect information supplied by you.
This policy does not limit any rights you have under applicable consumer protection law. If your piece arrives damaged, defective, or doesn’t match your signed order specifications, contact us immediately with your order number and photos. We will review the issue and, where the problem is confirmed, repair or remake the piece at our discretion. In half a century of doing this work, this has never happened and hopefully never will.

The deposit

All custom orders require a 50% deposit of the total (or estimated) price, less any retainer you have already paid. Full payment is required at the time of order, instead of a deposit, for:

Custom-made wedding bands
Work involving simulant, lab-grown, synthetic, treated, or semi-precious stones
Work involving low-value gemstones
Work involving conceptual or unusual designs
Work involving vulnerable gemstones, such as emeralds or tanzanites

The terms of payment will be listed on the Purchase Order. If the deposit (or full payment, where required) is not received within 48 hours of the PO being issued, the PO is null and void. We will not begin work, and we are not obligated to hold the price, materials, or production slot. Any remaining balance must be paid in full before the item is delivered or released to you. We will not ship or hand over a piece until the balance has cleared.

Commencement of Work and Production Schedule

Custom work officially commences only after:

full receipt of the required payment or deposit
execution of the applicable Purchase Order by the customer.

No production shall begin until both conditions have been satisfied. All production schedules, completion dates, and delivery estimates are approximate and are provided solely as a courtesy. Because precision forging involves numerous variables, including design adjustments, gemstone sourcing, material availability, third-party services, and production complexities, Leon Mege Inc. does not guarantee any completion date, delivery date, or production timeline unless expressly agreed to in writing.

Leon Mege Inc. shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or economic damages arising from delays in production, completion, delivery, or availability of custom work, including but not limited to missed events, lost opportunities, travel expenses, lost profits, emotional distress, or other monetary losses. Any eligibility for expedited production, guaranteed delivery, promotional terms, or special accommodations must be expressly stated on the applicable Purchase Order. No verbal statement, estimate, or prior communication shall modify the terms of the Purchase Order unless confirmed in writing by Leon Mege Inc. Upon receipt of any jewelry item, gemstone, or other goods, the customer shall promptly inspect the item and notify Leon Mege Inc. in writing of any alleged defect, discrepancy, damage, grading issue, quality concern, or nonconformity.

We are jewelers, not content creators.
During fabrication, we do not provide CAD renderings, progress photos, videos, screenshots, or other visual updates. Our clients commission a finished piece of jewelry, not a seat in the workshop. A custom piece passes through many stages that are incomplete by design and do not reflect the appearance, proportions, finish, or quality of the finished jewel. Reviewing work in progress often creates confusion and invites decisions based on unfinished details rather than the final result. Individual stages bear little resemblance to the completed piece and are easily misunderstood by those who do not make jewelry for a living. Endless reviews of work in progress are distracting and counterproductive.

We do not work by committee. Once you entrust your project to us, we shall have the freedom to do exactly what you hired us for – our judgment, craftsmanship, and aesthetic vision. The methods of implementing the design, exact fabrication technology, engineering, stone setting, and execution shall remain entirely at our discretion. We will present the piece only when it is complete, polished, inspected, and worthy of carrying the Leon Mege hallmark. Until then, the curtain stays down.

Payment, Sales Tax, and Import Duties

No jewelry item, gemstone, or other merchandise will be released, delivered, shipped, or made available for pickup until the purchase price and all applicable charges have been paid in full and the funds have been received and cleared by our bank. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, all sales are final. All prices, quotations, estimates, invoices, and other amounts referenced by Leon Mege Inc. are stated in United States dollars (USD).

Applicable sales and use taxes will be collected in accordance with federal, state, and local law. For orders delivered within New York State or collected in person at our Manhattan location, Leon Mege Inc. will collect the applicable New York sales tax, currently 8.875%, unless the customer provides valid documentation establishing an exemption. The applicable tax will be calculated and shown on the final invoice prior to delivery or pickup.

Items shipped to destinations outside New York State may not be subject to New York sales tax. However, customers remain solely responsible for any sales tax, use tax, value-added tax (VAT), goods and services tax (GST), excise tax, customs duty, brokerage fee, import charge, or other governmental assessment imposed by the destination jurisdiction. For international shipments, the customer is solely responsible for all customs duties, import taxes, tariffs, brokerage fees, clearance charges, and other costs associated with importing the merchandise into the destination country. Such charges are not included in the purchase price, shipping charges, or insurance fees unless expressly stated otherwise in writing. Leon Mege Inc. has no control over customs procedures, import requirements, or governmental assessments imposed by foreign jurisdictions and shall not be responsible for delays, refusals, seizures, additional charges, or other actions taken by customs authorities or government agencies.

Disclaimer

In no event shall Leon Megé Inc. be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising from a customer’s purchase or use of any product or service, even if Leon Megé Inc. has advance notice of the possibility of such damages. Any loose gemstones are sold on the condition that they will be set in Leon Mege jewelry. Ask all questions about stock availability, return policy, costs, and availability before purchasing. Leon Mege, Inc. makes no explicit assurances or guarantees regarding the finished item’s appraised or market value. Leon Mege cannot be held liable for any accidental errors/typos or obsolete, outdated, or incorrect information on our website.

Because of their intended usage, Leon Megé Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, expressed or implied, written or oral, to purchasers of their products regarding performance, safety, fit, merchantability, or length of service. Purchasers are responsible for selecting proper goods. They must rely on their skills or judgment that such goods are suitable for the purchaser’s application.
Under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, Leon Megé Inc. retains all rights to all patterns, concepts, engineering techniques, processes, designs, directions, drawings, models, prototypes, computer data, et al., unless released explicitly in writing. They are subject to Leon Megé, Inc.’s rights under national patent, Trademark, and Copyright laws. They are the property of Leon Mege, Inc. Leon Mege’s work is guaranteed for life. The consumer must exercise proper care to display, handle, wear, store, and clean the jewelry. The manufacturer’s warranty does not cover any damage caused by everyday wear and tear.