Verified Diamond Dealers – Who Are The Best And Why?
Find out how you can buy a stunning diamond engagement ring like this…
For the uninitiated, buying a diamond ring can be a scary undertaking. If you want to buy a beautiful, brilliant diamond engagement ring without getting ripped off, finding a trusted diamond dealer to work is absolutely critical.
Now, there are literally thousands of jewelry dealers available, and access to them has never been easier with the help of the internet. In this article, I’m going to reveal the things to look out for and how to spot a good diamond dealer.
You are also going to find out who are the best dealers in the industry with a good reputation and a proven track record of delivering high quality diamond rings. In fact, this is a list of verified diamond dealers I’ve made multiple purchases from and you can even see how the rings look like in real life!
Let’s jump right in…
6 Things to Look Out For When Choosing a Dealer
1) How’s their reputation like? – Finding out the past experiences of customers is a good way to size up a company’s service. This goes for both online and offline dealerships. The quickest and easiest way to find out is to check 3rd party review sites (e.g. Trustpilot or iVouch) and dealership websites for customer testimonials.
Watch out for negative reviews and complaints that were made by customers. That’s where you want to pay attention to and find out how the business reacts and addresses problems.
The point here is that there is no jeweler on Earth (regardless of how good they are) who would have a 100% client satisfaction. But, the way they handle or behave would reveal a lot about their business practices.
2) What kind of diamonds do they sell? – You can find out whether the dealer handles quality diamonds by browsing their inventory. If the jeweler only deals with EGL graded or other dubious “in-house certified” diamonds, it’s a telltale sign for you to RUN!
Why? That’s because every single jeweler who deals with unreliably graded diamonds are out to rip you off. It’s as simple as that. In fact, they are banking on you to be inadequately educated so that they can overcharge you for an inferior stone with an inaccurate report. It’s a shark tank out there and the only way a layman consumer can protect themselves is to ask for an AGS or GIA certificate.
3) Are their prices competitive compared to other retailers? – The best way to do this is to utilize the same specifications of a diamond and look around different dealerships for prices of identical diamonds.
A good benchmark would be using the listed prices of online vendors and I’ve laid out an easy method here. By comparing the information, you will be able to figure out a rough average and have an idea of whether you are overpaying for a stone.
4) Do they provide adequate support or information about the 4Cs? – A good dealer will always seek to educate the consumer on what they are buying. These are carat, clarity, color and cut. Of course, it’s also a good idea to research these topics before you even start shopping.
Make sure that the company or dealer is willing to address any questions you have and if they can’t or won’t, move on. If they can’t even get basic customer service correct, imagine what would happen if something was to go wrong or if you needed them for post-purchase services.
5) Do they have a certified gemologist on staff? – A trained gemologist will be able to give you detailed information on everything that has to do with the diamond and what makes it unique. Now, I am not referring to sales people here but qualified personals who can handle technical questions about diamonds knowledgeably.
6) What are the return policies? – Is the dealer offering a 100% refund guarantee if you decide to change your mind within the return period? You will want this to be in writing in case any disputes arise. If they don’t have a refund policy (exchange policies don’t count), change the vendor you are buying from. There’s really no reason for you to buy from a diamond jewelry dealer that doesn’t stand behind their products.
Verified Diamond Dealers We Personally Tested And Recommend
The following merchants are listed here because they had all upheld a certain level of service to both online and offline customers. More importantly, all of them have transparent business practices and strictly abide by the guidelines stated above.
James Allen – Dealer With Revolutionary 360° Video Listings
James Allen is a vendor that upended the jewelry industry with their patented video technology. With their video listings, James Allen allows you to scrutinize a loose diamond to the tiniest details and helps you see exactly what you are buying.
This helps you understand what you are buying and gives you the ability to pick out eyeclean diamonds easily. Coupled with their generous 30 day return policy and free return shipping, there’s absolutely no risk for you when you make a purchase from them.
I’ve actually shopped at James Allen on numerous occasions. Below, you can watch the box opening video to find out what to expect when you make a purchase and also a full length video review of the engagement ring that I’ve purchased.
White Flash – Best Dealer For Designer Rings & Super Ideal Cut Diamonds
White Flash is a highly reputable diamond dealer based in Houston, TX. They hold the world’s largest in-house inventory of super ideal cut diamonds which are subjected to a strict screening process.
White Flash is run with some of the best business practices you will ever find in the diamond industry and their listing pages come fully stocked with tangible data like ASET, Idealscope, hearts & arrows and 360° HD video.
Transparent listing with video, Idealscope, ASET and hearts & arrows images easily available.
Besides top-notch customer service, White Flash offers a 30 day money back guarantee and generous upgrade policies. Combined with a portfolio of inhouse and designer settings for you to choose from, you will be able to find the perfect ring regardless of your budget.
You can find out more about my personal experience with White Flash via the videos below. Watch me open the package I received from FedEx and also a full-length review of the diamond ring I bought.
Brian Gavin – Pioneer of High Performance Super Ideal Diamonds
Brian Gavin Diamonds is the pioneer of super ideal cut diamonds that display the best sparkle and brilliance. His signature diamonds are carefully curated for high performance and the in-house craftsmanship standards of their settings are superb.
Brian Gavin also offers a niche selection of diamonds with ideal cut princess & cushion diamonds, blue fluorescence and warm colored diamonds. They also proudly stand behind their products with a 15-day full refund policy.
This list is not exhaustive and comes from the tons of online sites that I had personally tested so far. I would love to share a list of sites that DO NOT meet my expectations and warn you of who to stay away from. But unfortunately, I can’t.
One reason is that there are simply too many of them and would take more than a page to fill (think eBay dealers, Amazon and the majority of brick and mortar stores).
The other reason is that there might be legal ramifications for singling them out. If you happen to come across any other online sites that you might not be sure of, feel free to email me in private for my opinions.
Before we end this article, it would be a good idea for you to spend some time learning how to pick a diamond and have a rough idea of how diamonds are priced. Not only would better knowledge lead to a much better deal in the long run, it will also help you avoid bad decisions.
Remember, good vendors want to help you find what you’re looking for and help you understand what you are buying. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and express your honest opinions. After all, you are the customer and the one who’s paying the money!
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8 Comments
Good morning Sir,
Like many other guys out there, I’m finally at the point of my relationship to propose to my girlfriend. I have the proposal plan all set, the family’s blessing, and photographer ready, I just don’t have the ring yet! I’ve recently been doing a lot of research, online and in stores, and I came across your website that had more information then I could’ve asked. I live in Stamford, CT, and most people around me go to the diamond district to buy engagement rings.
I went last week to visit a couple of wholesale diamond dealers near me and was completely overwhelmed. I wish I read your tips prior to going, but still, then I don’t think it would’ve helped. I went into about 20 stores and got a mixture of personalities. Some jewelers were very nice and some were the complete opposite. The point of my trip was to really scout out the pricing of emerald shaped rings, which is what my girlfriend really likes.
After reading your information, I started to look online at James Allen. I never would’ve considered buying from an online distributor simply because I would like to see the diamond in front of me. I want to buy the diamond separately and customize the ring at home, and I have a few diamonds and I was wondering if I could get your feedback.
Realistically, if buying a diamond like this online is trustworthy, which of these diamonds do you think is the best, what you like and don’t like about these diamonds, and just a professional opinion if I’m doing this whole engagement ring shopping the right way. What are your thoughts about private diamond dealers where you tell them what you want and let them source the stone for you?
1- https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.52-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-sku-3167949
2- https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.51-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2670401
3- https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.63-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2604898
Thank you for any help or guidance you can give.
Buying an engagement ring from an online deal is much safer compared to buying from a physical retail store. It is more transparent and there are better selections of loose diamonds to choose from. For emerald cut diamonds, you need the inventory volume to have a better probability of finding something well cut. Lower prices are just a side benefit.
When it comes to private diamond dealers, those that I’ve come across have terrible knowledge about cut quality and light return. They behave just like salespeople in a jewelry store. A very small minority of them actually care but the majority are just out to make as much money as possible out of you without your interests in mind.
The diamonds you selected are terribly cut except for this. The only one that has great light performance is this emerald diamond but the problem is that it is’t eyeclean: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.52-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-sku-3167949
So, ditch all the stones. You clearly need help here. I did a comprehensive search for you and would recommend these diamonds instead:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.51-carat-k-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-323775
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/2.51-carat-k-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3233822
These are much much better options that the mediocre stones you picked. The contrast patterning and light return of these 2 diamonds are much stronger.
Yes, I did download the book and I did find the whole website- including the book very helpful.
I recently decided to upgrade my center stone in my wedding set. My husband originally picked out a Tolkowsky cut from Jared’s about two years ago. They told us it was the perfect cut and a superior diamond… and to be honest, I did really like the stone. I went in a few weeks ago and told them I would like to upgrade in size but would like to stay with a Tolkowsky. To which they insisted that my Tolkowsky is inferior because they are all I1’s or SI2’s. My feelings were hurt and I was confused as they had told me my diamond was perfect when they sold it to us.
They proceeded to take me to the counter to show me the Chosen collection, but I felt bad about the whole situation at that point. I went home, looked online and found the handful of Tolkowsky diamonds they had left. I did some research and found that Tolkowsky declared bankruptcy and Signet was dropping them too. I also saw that Signet bought James Allen which is an online diamond engagement ring dealer.
The prices online for Jared’s Tolkowsky cuts had also dropped. Jareds had a 1.69 carat for $9900 and a 1.25 carat for $6200. Neither looked like it would be eye clean, but I wanted to stick with what I knew and felt trapped to trade in to get what I paid for my ring towards the new one. I asked the sales man if I could order diamonds from James Allen since they bought them. He said no.
They showed me a couple of diamonds in store when I went back, but didn’t really explain much about them other than, oooohhhhh isn’t this one pretty. I really just wanted a 1.25 (approx.) that really popped. The long and short of it- they said we’ll just order in the bigger one. If you don’t love it, you can return it. Well I have it, I don’t love it. I let them set it to see if I liked it better in my setting. No. So I tried to return it. They said how about I look for something else I like. Then they started pushing other diamonds- just trying to keep me at the $10k range. I really expressed I was mostly interested in cut, and they seemed to imply all ideals are the same. Ugh… my husband told me to get whatever I wanted and they were trying to talk me into whatever they wanted to sell. Talk about making diamond shopping a chore.
While I was on the Jared’s website I found two diamonds I liked. I started comparing… and low and behold… it’s the same diamond listed twice but with a $1200 difference! This company just keeps leaving a bad taste in my mouth and I don’t trust them. So, that is what brought me to your site. I felt uninformed and taken advantage of. I told them I would return the whole thing and the manager told me to look at James Allen which is one of the diamond dealers online they work with and she might be able to order one in for me if I found one I like on there. I did. I found the one I sent you. But I LOOKED a lot at diamonds by now and after reading your site, I was looking for something very specific. The same diamonds on James Allen are now the same loose stones on Jared. I checked the serial numbers on the AGS reports. Exact same diamonds… but of course $500 – $1000 or so more on Jared.
So, thank you for your information and help. It was nice to read about someone understanding how frustrating what should be a fun process is. I asked the manager to order the diamond that you replied to my comment was excellent. It’s still available on the site and she said she ordered a different one in. I am sticking to my guns. That’s the one I want and I am just going to keep my original stone if they won’t work with me on getting a diamond with the cut I want.
Thanks for all of your help and information!!!
It appears James Allen may get brought down by Signet. Time will tell.
At least they are being honest with you now. That’s what I feel as well when I look at the Tolkowsky diamond inventory. The diamond’s aren’t as well cut as they are claimed to be and they aren’t graded reliably by GIA. So, those are red flags for me.
James Allen is run separately from Jareds. As is Zales and Kays which are all companies under the Signet umbrella. James Allen was bought by Signet because of the video technology JA developed as well as to get an immediate exposure to ecommerce. Those video listings you see on Jared originated from JA.
I hope you get this sorted out and stick to your guns. Diamonds sold on the b&m stores are always higher due to overheads. I would rather you dump them completely and start fresh on JA. It’s really easier that way to buy from a reliable online diamond dealer.
Is moissanite a diamond or a variant of it? What do you think of it and can you recommend a reputable dealer that sells them?
They are 2 completely separate types of gemstones. If you are interested, read this article for an indepth discussion of moissanite vs diamond. Moissanite tends to display more fire and gives off a “plastic-like” appearance because of its optical properties. Brilliant Earth is a dealer that sells both moissanite and natural diamonds.
We are located in Canada, and have found that the prices we are getting for diamonds (both earth mined and lab created) are still much higher then what diamond dealers and retailers in the states offer. (Brilliant earth, James allen etc.)
If we bought a diamond from an online dealer from the states, the places that would be able to set the diamond in a ring would not include the warranties.
How important is the warranty and appraisal document from the diamond supplier? as we would get our ring insured anyways.
Thanks
The place where you buy the setting will provide the warranties for your setting. Be it locally or online. i.e. if you buy a diamond online and get it set locally, the LOCAL jeweler is responsible for the ring’s warranties. You could also bring the ring to them for servicing if issues crop up in future.
I recommend readers to buy the diamond at the SAME place they buy the ring setting from. This reduces stress levels and makes one jeweler completely responsible for the finished product.
And vendors like JA and Brilliant Earth provide the necessary appraisal documents for insurance policies with the ring purchase. So, there’s no need to even pay an appraiser a fee to get that document.