Terms of Sale & Use

1. About us and these terms

Sofia Vitrine is operated by [TRADER LEGAL NAME], a sole trader registered in the Slovak Republic (IČO: [IČO], DIČ: [DIČ / VAT STATUS]), with a registered address at [REGISTERED ADDRESS]. You can reach us at [CONTACT EMAIL].

These terms govern the sale of items through sofiavitrine.com and your use of the site. By placing an order you agree to them. Please read them before you buy — they include important information about your right to cancel, delivery, and our authenticity guarantee. Nothing here removes any right the law gives you as a consumer.

2. About our items

We sell antique and vintage jewellery. As a guide, we describe a piece as antique when it is approximately one hundred years old or older, and vintage when it is roughly twenty years old or more. Every item is second-hand and pre-owned, and almost always one of a kind.

Because our stock is unique, each piece is sold only once. Descriptions and photographs form part of the description of the goods — the photographs show the actual item you will receive, including any honest signs of its age. If anything about a piece is unclear, please ask us before ordering.

3. Authenticity and provenance

We stand behind what we sell. As a dealer, we guarantee that the era and the materials of each item are as described. Where we state an attribution, maker, or provenance, this is our honest, good-faith opinion based on the evidence available to us — it is offered as informed opinion rather than a scientific certainty.

Wear that is consistent with the age of a piece is part of its character and is not a fault. Our authenticity guarantee is void if a third-party jeweller alters, repairs, resizes, or otherwise works on the piece, as this can change or obscure its original characteristics.

4. Ordering and how a contract is formed

When you place an order, you are making an offer to buy an item. A contract between us is formed only when we send you a dispatch confirmation email. Until then, no contract exists.

Because every item is one of a kind, occasionally an item may already be sold, or a price or description may contain a genuine error. In these cases we may decline your order and, where you have already paid, we will refund you in full as soon as possible. We will always let you know if this happens.

5. Price, currency and taxes

Prices are shown in euros (EUR) and include any taxes that apply under our selling regime. [PLACEHOLDER — CONFIRM WITH ACCOUNTANT: margin-scheme wording for second-hand goods.] Delivery costs, where they apply, are shown separately before you confirm your order.

We ship only within the United Kingdom and the European Union, so import duties do not normally arise. If any local charges do apply to your delivery, they are your responsibility.

6. Payment

Payments are handled securely by Stripe. You can pay by card, or with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Link. Your full card details are entered directly with Stripe and never reach us or our servers — we only receive confirmation that a payment has succeeded.

To protect both of us, orders may be subject to routine anti-fraud and verification checks. We may decline or cancel an order where a payment cannot be verified.

7. Shipping, delivery and risk

We ship to addresses in the United Kingdom and the European Union only. All orders are sent fully insured, tracked, and requiring a signature on delivery. Please note that the insurance is conditional on the parcel being signed for — if a signature is refused or the delivery is left unsigned against instructions, cover may be lost.

The expected dispatch timeframe is stated in your order confirmation. Risk in the item passes to you when it is delivered. Legal ownership (title) passes to you only once we have received payment in full.

8. Your right to cancel — the 14-day withdrawal right

As a consumer, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days without giving any reason. This period ends 14 days after the day you (or someone you nominate) receive the item.

To cancel, simply tell us by email at [CONTACT EMAIL] before the period ends. You can use the model wording below, though you do not have to.

To [TRADER LEGAL NAME], [CONTACT EMAIL]: I hereby give notice that I withdraw from my contract of sale of the following item [description / order reference]. Ordered on [date] / received on [date]. Name: [your name]. Address: [your address]. Date: [date].

Once you have told us you wish to cancel:

• You must return the item to us without undue delay, and in any event within 14 days of telling us you are cancelling.
• You pay the cost of the return shipping, which must be fully insured and tracked. We will confirm the return address and requirements when you contact us.
• The item must be returned unworn, with its security tag intact and in its original packaging. You may inspect the piece as you would in a shop, but not use or wear it.
• We may reduce your refund to reflect any diminished value if the item has been handled beyond what is necessary to inspect it.

We will refund the price you paid, together with the cost of the cheapest standard outbound delivery we offered, within 14 days. We may withhold the refund until we have received the item back, or until you have supplied proof that you have sent it, whichever is earlier. Refunds are made to your original payment method.

9. Faulty or not-as-described items

Separately from your right to cancel, you have statutory rights if an item is faulty or not as described. These rights are not affected by anything in these terms.

If an item does not match its description, or has a fault that was not disclosed, please contact us. Where there is a genuine non-conformity, we will cover the cost of the return and put things right — by refund or, where possible, another agreed remedy. As noted above, honest wear consistent with the disclosed age of a piece is not a fault.

10. Our liability to you

We do not exclude or limit our liability where it would be unlawful to do so — including for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for any of your mandatory rights as a consumer.

Subject to that, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss. For any liability arising from your use of this website, our total liability to you is limited to the amount you have paid us. This does not affect your statutory rights in relation to the items you buy.

11. Using this website

The content of this site — including text, photographs, and design — belongs to us or our licensors and is protected by law. You may browse the site for your own personal use, but you may not copy, reproduce, or reuse our content without our permission.

12. Governing law and disputes

These terms and any sale are governed by the law of the Slovak Republic. This does not deprive you of the protection of any mandatory consumer-protection rules of the country where you live, and you may bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence.

If you are unhappy and we cannot resolve things directly, you may refer the matter to the Slovak Trade Inspection (Slovenská obchodná inšpekcia, SOI), which is the competent body for the out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes.

13. General

If any part of these terms is found to be invalid, the rest remain in force. We may update these terms from time to time; the version in force when you order is the one that applies to that order. The date at the top shows when they were last updated.

Questions about these terms or your order? Email us at [CONTACT EMAIL].