Hespera Long Auction Rules 

Straightforward terms for bidding, payment, shipping, and customer protection. 

1. Who Can Bid 

You must be at least 18 years old. Your account information must be accurate, and you must be authorized to use the payment method associated with your purchase. 

Please confirm your account, contact, shipping, and payment information before bidding. 

2. Bids Are Binding 

Every valid bid is a commitment to purchase. If you are the successful bidder, you agree to complete the purchase at the winning amount. 

Changing your mind, winning another lot, deciding the piece is not the right fit, or finding another item elsewhere are not grounds for canceling a bid. 

3. Bid Mistakes and Corrections 

Bids cannot ordinarily be withdrawn. If you enter a clearly incorrect amount, contact Hespera Customer Care immediately via email at support@hespera.com. 

Hespera may correct or cancel a bid for an obvious numerical entry error, a material listing change made after the bid, or a verified platform or administrative error. 

Correction cutoff: Requests based on bidder error must be received more than two hours after the bid was placed. The cutoff does not apply when Hespera materially changes the listing or the auction platform malfunctions. 

A change of mind is not a bid error. 

4. Starting Bids, Increments, and Maximum Bids 

Each lot will show its starting bid, current bid, required bid increment, and scheduled closing time. A new bid must meet the next valid amount shown by the auction system. 

When maximum or proxy bidding is available, you may enter the highest amount you are willing to pay. The system will bid for you only as needed, using the stated increments. Your private maximum will not be shown publicly. 

If two identical maximum bids are submitted, the earlier valid bid receives priority, subject to the auction platform records. 

5. Hidden Reserves 

Some exceptional pieces carry a confidential reserve, allowing us to open bidding well below their traditional retail value while still honoring the piece. If the reserve is not reached, the piece simply remains with Hespera. In select cases, the highest bidder may be given the first opportunity to purchase it after the auction. 

6. Closing Times and the Five-Minute Soft Close 

The Auction Today clock controls the official closing time for each lot. 

Soft-close rule: If a bid is placed during the final five minutes, that lot will extend by five minutes. Additional qualifying bids will continue extending the lot until five full minutes pass without another bid. 

An extension applies only to the lot receiving the late bid. Other lots retain their own closing times unless they are separately extended. 

Do not wait until the final seconds to bid. Hespera is not responsible for a bidder's internet interruption, device delay, unrefreshed browser, or a bid submitted too late for the system to receive it. 

7. Technical Problems and Bidding Disputes 

If a platform failure, duplicate bid, incorrect closing time, listing error, or other material problem affects the fairness of an auction, Hespera may pause, extend, reopen, correct, withdraw, cancel, or rerun the affected lot. 

Hespera will use Auction Today and Shopify records when resolving timing and bidding questions and will act reasonably to protect the integrity of the auction. 

Once a lot has closed fairly above its reserve, Hespera will not cancel the sale merely because the final price was lower than expected. 

8. Fair Bidding 

Hespera prohibits false bids, artificial price inflation, bidding without intent to purchase, coordinated manipulation, interference through multiple accounts, and any attempt to discourage or threaten other bidders. 

Hespera owners, employees, contractors, family members, or anyone acting on Hespera's behalf may not bid on Hespera-owned auction lots to increase the price. 

Hespera may remove bids, restrict accounts, cancel transactions, or prohibit future participation when manipulation or fraud is reasonably suspected. 

9. Lot Descriptions, Fit, Condition, and Provenance 

Hespera will provide the information reasonably available for each piece. Depending on the lot, this may include artist, materials, stone information, dimensions, ring size, wrist-fit guidance, weight, hallmarks, chain inclusion, condition, known repairs or alterations, and available provenance. 

Photographs, video, measurements, written descriptions, fit guidance, and posted corrections are all part of the lot description. 

Vintage, estate, handmade, and artist-made jewelry may show patina, age, previous wear, tool marks, natural variation, or other characteristics appropriate to the piece. Hespera will disclose known material issues but cannot describe every minor surface variation. 

Artist, origin, age, stone, and provenance information is provided in good faith based on hallmarks, records, representations, and information reasonably available to Hespera at the time of sale. The absence of additional provenance beyond what was disclosed is not, by itself, grounds to cancel a sale. 

Please ask questions before bidding. 

10. Listing Corrections 

Hespera may correct or expand a lot description before the auction closes. Material changes will be posted clearly on the lot page. 

If a correction substantially affects condition, fit, identity, materials, attribution, or value, a bidder who placed an earlier bid may request that the bid be canceled. 

11. Winning Bidder and Payment 

The winning bidder is the highest valid bidder after the scheduled close and any extensions have ended, provided the reserve has been met. 

The winner will receive a Shopify invoice. Payment is due within 48 hours after the invoice is sent. 

No buyer's premium: Your total is the winning bid, applicable sales tax, and any disclosed charges. Hespera does not add a buyer's premium. 

Hespera gift cards, Shopify store credit, and Afterpay may be used when available through the winner's Shopify checkout. A bidder experiencing a legitimate checkout problem must contact Hespera before the payment deadline. 

12. If the Winner Does Not Pay 

If the winner does not pay within 48 hours and has not received an approved extension, Hespera may cancel the sale, restrict the account from future auctions, relist the piece, return it to the website, or contact the next-highest bidder. 

The next-highest bidder will be contacted by email and given 48  hours to accept and pay. If that bidder's last valid bid did not meet the reserve, Hespera may make a separate offer, which the bidder is free to decline. 

13. Complimentary Insured Shipping and Signature Delivery 

Complimentary shipping: Hespera's standard free shipping is maintained for auction purchases unless a lot page clearly states otherwise. 

Insured delivery: Auction purchases will be shipped with tracking and insurance appropriate to the value of the piece. 

Signature required: A signature will be required at delivery to help protect both the collector and Hespera. Please arrange a secure delivery location and make sure someone is available to receive the package. 

Hespera will not ship an auction purchase until payment has cleared. 

14. International Bidders 

International bidding is welcome unless a destination is restricted by law, carrier requirements, insurance limitations, or export rules. 

The buyer is responsible for all import duties, tariffs, customs charges, brokerage fees, taxes, and other costs imposed by the destination country. 

Customs delays, refusal to pay import charges, or inability to receive an international shipment do not cancel the sale. 

15. Final Sale and Limited Exceptions 

Auction purchases are final sale for change of mind, personal preference, fit, buyer's remorse, or a decision that the piece is no longer wanted. 

This final-sale rule does not limit a customer's remedy when Hespera sends the wrong item, the piece is damaged in transit, the item is materially different from the auction description, or there is a valid material authenticity or attribution concern. 

16. Reporting a Problem 

Three-day notice window: The buyer must notify Hespera in writing within three calendar days of confirmed delivery if the item arrives damaged, is the wrong item, or materially differs from the auction description. 

The buyer must provide requested photographs, retain all packaging, and keep the item in the condition received while Hespera reviews the concern. 

A buyer who believes an item may have been materially misattributed must also notify Hespera within the same three-day window. When the concern reasonably requires private appraisal or expert review, Hespera may allow a limited additional period for supporting documentation. 

During any review, the piece may not be resized, repaired, polished, cleaned, altered, transferred, or worn beyond reasonable inspection. Hespera may require return of the piece and may obtain an independent opinion. 

17. Withdrawal of a Lot and Unsold Pieces 

Hespera may withdraw a lot before closing because of damage, loss, attribution or authenticity concerns, ownership or legal questions, a material listing error, a platform failure, or another issue that makes a fair sale impossible. 

If the reserve is not met, Hespera may return the piece to Hespera.com, relist it, hold it, or make a separate offer after the auction. 

18. Acceptance of the Rules 

By placing a bid, you agree to these Hespera Long Auction Rules, the description and special terms shown on the lot page, applicable Shopify checkout terms, and any clearly posted correction made before the auction closes. 

If a clearly disclosed lot-specific term conflicts with a general rule, the lot-specific term controls for that lot. 

Questions should be submitted before bidding whenever possible. Hespera will answer in good faith using the information reasonably available about the piece.