Online Jewelry Stores
POSTED by: Doug on 08/16/2013 — Updated: December 5, 2013
Which is the best online jewelry store? This is a question that gets asked quite a bit. But more important, the question to ask yourself is: Which is the best online jewelry store for my budget…
Online, two of the biggest jewelers are James Allen (www.jamesallen.com) and Blue Nile. Both offer a wide selection of excellent quality ring settings and GIA certified diamonds at affordable prices. They are safe choices when shopping online.
2mm Knife Edge Solitaire Ring – by James Allen. Setting: $180 more…
Pave Cushion Style Halo Engagement Ring – by James Allen. Setting: $1025 more…
Smaller boutique jewelers, that are well known, such as Whiteflash, Brilliant Earth or Brian Gavin are also safe choices. They offer unique setting styles and very high quality diamonds. Their lines also carry designs from well known designers such as Verragio, Ritani or Vatche. Generally these high quality rings will cost more.
Verragio Split Shank Cushion Style Halo Engagement Ring – by Whiteflash. Setting: $4450 more…
Vatche Pave Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring – by Whiteflash. Setting: $1675 more…
The larger chain stores like Jareds, Kay and Zales also have an online presence. They are big and well known, however the downside to the chain stores is that you will typically end up paying more for the same quality diamond or setting. The diamonds used in their preset engagement rings are often of a lower quality and in the I1 to I3 clarity range.
Preset vs. Loose Diamond Engagement Rings
One of the things the beginning engagement ring shopper may be confused about is that there are actually two ways to buy a diamond engagement ring. One is the popular “design-your-own-ring”, in which you choose a setting and loose diamond separately. The other is to buy a “preset-ring” where the diamond is already mounted in the setting.
In general, preset rings are lower in price and are popular with the chain stores such as Zales and Kays and also the online giant Amazon.
The downside is that preset rings usually use lower quality diamonds ranging into the I1, I2 and even I3 clarity grades. However, they may offer a good option if you’re on a tight budget. For more information please visit our Engagement Rings For Under $1000 page.
Like the chain stores, Amazon.com also specializes in preset engagement rings. However, Amazon has a much larger selection and better prices. Amazon is an excellent option for those on a budget.
0.7 CTW Halo Engagement Ring – by Amazon. more…
1/2 CTW Halo Wedding Set – by Amazon. more…
At the high end are Tiffany, Cartier and Harry Winston, where entry level pricing for a 1 carat diamond engagement ring begins at around $11,000 to $15,000.
For safety online, stick to the established and well known sites. And make sure the online jeweler offers a “no questions asked” money back guarantee (and also make sure it’s for a full refund and not an “exchange” policy.), so if you don’t like the ring you can easily return it. They should also offer Free FedEx shipping, and full insurance coverage.
Jeweler Price Comparison
One good way to compare jewelers is to check out what they offer in the way of price and quality for their version of the most popular engagement ring style: the classic “Tiffany Style” diamond solitaire.
Six Prong Knife-Edge Diamond Ring – by James Allen. Setting: $180 more…
2mm Knife Edge Solitaire Ring – by James Allen. Setting: $180 more…
Most top jewelers offer one or more versions of this classic ring in either in 4 or 6 prong versions. Below we compare the offerings of a number of jewelers. We will use a Round 1.0 carat, H color, VS2 clarity, Excellent cut diamond for the center stone and a 6-prong white gold classic style solitaire for the setting…
| Jeweler | Diamond Price | Setting Price | Total Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Nile | $6200 | $170 | $6370 | – |
| James Allen | $6370 | $185 | $6555 | – |
| White Flash | $9071 | $350 | $9421 | Top quality “A CUT ABOVE” diamond |
| White Flash | $9071 | $1800 | $10871 | Top quality “A CUT ABOVE” diamond plus a Vatche designer setting |
| Brian Gavin | $9595 | $325 | $9920 | Top quality “Signature” diamond |
| Zales | $10047 | $615 | $10662 | – |
| Kay / Jarad | $9400 | $220 | $9620 | 14k 4 prong setting only |
| Tiffany | – | – | $11,000 | 1 ct. Preset Tiffany grade diamond |
Featured Jewelers
Here’s our short list of featured online jewelry stores. We’ve weeded out any sites that don’t have GIA or AGS certified diamonds or those sites that sell clarity enhanced, laser treated, or color treated diamonds. Hopefully you will find this list useful when making your online jewelry purchases…
Name: James Allen
Website: www.jamesallen.com
Return Policy: 60 day full refund or exchange.
Shipping: Free FedEx shipping. Insured for full value.
Warranty: Lifetime Warranty for structural defects.
Upgrade Policy: Yes
Conflict free: yes
Certificates: GIA, AGS
About James Allen
“Founded in 1998, James Allen is one of the largest online jewelers. James Allen is unique in that they offer 360° Diamond Display Technology™ which provides a REAL video of the actual diamond you are considering purchasing. Now you can “see what the jeweler sees” and can examine the diamond in close up detail. Another nice feature is the 3HD Player, which gives you a 3-D video view of each engagement ring setting. Their warranty also offer free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning for the life of your jewelry. Each ring setting lists which diamond shape and which carat sizes are appropriate for the setting.“
Name: Whiteflash
Website: www.whiteflash.com
Return Policy: 30-day money-back returns.
Shipping: Free FEDEX shipping to shipped to Authorized FedEx “Hold for Pick” up locations. Insured.
Warranty: One Year Service Plan.
Upgrade Policy: Yes
Conflict free: Yes
Certificates: GIA or AGS
About Whiteflash
“High-end boutique jeweler Whiteflash was founded in 2000 and offers the finest in ideal diamonds together with designer settings from renowned designers such as Verragio, Ritani, Vatche and Mark Schneider. The Whiteflash mission is to deliver top quality products, information and service in a friendly, professional manner and ensure that each customer has total confidence in their purchase.“
Name: Brian Gavin Diamonds
Website: www.briangavindiamonds.com
Return Policy: 15-day money-back returns.
Shipping: Free FEDEX shipping to Major Cities. Insured.
Warranty: Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Upgrade Policy: Yes
Conflict free: Yes
Certificates: GIA or AGS
About Brian Gavin Diamonds
“Brian Gavin is a 5th generation diamond cutter and a leading authority in the world of diamond cutting and jewelry design. Working in his family’s diamond factory, he mastered the craft, including how to achieve unsurpassed visual balance in the cutting process. In March 2009, Brian founded Brian Gavin Diamonds, specializing in precision-cut diamonds and custom jewelry creations. Brian Gavin Diamonds combines old world knowledge with new age technology to bring you the highest quality designs at affordable prices. – About Brian Gavin.“
About Doug
Blogging about Engagement Rings, Diamonds, Wedding Rings and other Fine Jewelry. Follow me on Pinterest
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