Summary
- Buying diamonds online offers more flexibility and convenience.
- There are several factors to consider when looking for the best place to buy diamonds online.
- The kind of Imagery used is important as it helps establish the diamond’s features and clarity almost as if you’re there physically.
- An online store with a huge inventory is a plus as it establishes trust with the buyers and offers competitive prices.
- Ensuring that the diamonds are certified by reputable labs will help prevent buying low-quality diamonds at exorbitant prices.
- Compare prices between online stores to ensure you get the best bang for your bucks. Some online stores will even offer to match the price of their competitors.
- The top four best places to buy diamonds online include James Allen, Blue Nile, Whiteflash, and Brian Gavin owing to their exceptional quality diamonds, best prices, GIA and AGS certification of diamonds, and their state-of-the-art imagery technology.
Introduction
Buying a diamond is comparable to a major life fete that marks a serious point in life. While the most prevalent reason for buying diamonds is usually for engagement rings and gifts, luxury buyers also have a hard time finding what best suits their tastes and preferences. Diamonds are highly valuable and it, therefore, makes sense that the decision about the type of diamond you’re going to buy and from which vendor be taken seriously. You do not want to buy a diamond that you will own for a substantial time only to regret later.
With that said, the world is transitioning into an online virtual world. Ecommerce and online marketplaces are increasingly becoming a staple for most shoppers. Thankfully, diamond sellers and vendors are embracing this advancement in technology. And while most of it is driven by advancement in technology, much of it comes from the convenience it bestows on buyers.
While most buyers are cautioned from buying items online with the caveat that what you see is not what you get, reputable online diamond sellers have set a good track record and they have testimonials and reviews to show for it. Furthermore, due to the cost advantages of selling online, diamonds sold through online retail stores are cheaper, greater in quality, and offer more functionality than those sold in physical retail stores.
A myriad of advantages can be accrued when buying a diamond online. Save for the ability to easily scrutinize every diamond’s details from the descriptions and imagery, there’s no pressure to buy. It also allows you to shop around before settling down with the best diamond that offers the best value for your bucks.
That being said, when looking to buy your engagement ring, necklace, or diamond jewelry online, there are a few factors that you should keep in mind in order to have a smooth experience. These factors, when well checked, guarantee you a seamless online experience with your purchases.
1. Imagery
Diamonds are bought for their visual beauty. Their ability to shine brightly when exposed to light and their durability is what makes them highly valued. When buying your diamond online, it is paramount to ensure that the images and pictures of the diamonds are of high quality. Not only does this ensure that what you order is what you get, but it will also help you easily analyze the features of the diamond, allowing you to pick exactly what you’re looking for.
For instance, having an online vendor that has interactive 360-degrees images of diamonds gives you increased leverage in choosing your desired diamond as it allows you to easily check for inclusions and other defects on the diamond. You can view it from all angles giving you the feeling of being in a physical jewelry store all at the comfort of your home.
Color, clarity, inclusions, shapes are all factors that should be easily ascertained in a diamond devoid of its product descriptions. If this is not possible, then avoiding that online store should be your best option.
2. Large inventory
No one wants to keep jumping around from one store to another looking for their desired diamond. You want it all under the same roof. You want to be able to compare and analyze different types of diamonds and see one that works best for you. It is therefore important to ensure that the online store offers a wide variety of diamonds including different shapes, carat weight, clarity levels, and even colors.
A large inventory is a good indication that the store is reliable owing to the fact that a large diamond inventory requires massive investments. And if a store has invested in a large inventory, it shows they’re in the business to stay. You are guaranteed that they won’t play mind games with you to increase profits. A large inventory also gives them economies of scale meaning fewer costs for them which translates to better prices.
3. Diamond certification
Diamond certification is a very important aspect when buying a diamond, whether online or at a retail store. The certification is a detailed report about the quality of the diamond based on the 4Cs, carat, color, clarity, cut. It tells the buyer whether the diamond has excellent quality and why it’s worth its price. Now granted, there are numerous diamond certification labs. Their certifications and reports will defer from diamond to diamond and it makes sense to rely on only one or two labs to guide you.
The best diamond certification labs with extensive experience and consistent reports have been found to be GIA, IGI, and AGS. These give accurate reports that clearly depict the quality of the diamond and therefore places fair value for each diamond. It means that each diamond with any of those certifications is priced fairly and that you will get value for your bucks.
4. Prices
Price is another important factor to consider when buying your diamond online. Online retail stores have been found to be cheaper compared to physical stores. For starters, the costs involved in running a physical diamond store are extensively more than from an online store. Security costs, high-end building rent for the store, insurance, staff, etc. will all drive the prices of the diamonds up.
Now, granted, you might assume a highly-priced diamond means it’s high quality. That is not always the case, especially with physical stores. There’s more incentive for a store to sell you a poor quality diamond at a higher price especially when they can easily convince you. With online buying, you have a myriad of reviews from different reputable sites that guide you on your purchase, allowing you to compare prices from different vendors and choose one that best fits your budget. Furthermore, some online stores guarantee to match the price of their competitor if you find a diamond valued at a lower price. This will help you avoid being knocked off.
5. Warranty
Warranty is a very important feature when it comes to buying your diamond, be it online or physically. It gives you the confidence that when you order your diamond, you’re sure you will receive what you ordered, failure to which the company will be responsible for giving you a new one or refunding you. Ensuring that the terms of the warranty are favorable should be your next task. Some retailers may hide clauses that will basically make the warranty useless. So ensure to read the fine print especially when buying your diamond online.
6. Reputable vendor
The most important factor of all when buying your diamond online is to ensure that you’re buying from a reputable retailer. There are a plethora of online diamond sellers who all claim to be the best. Heck, they all have good reviews and customer testimonials. But that shouldn’t mean they offer the best products. In fact, finding a good online retailer will be 90% of the task, because a good vendor will cover all of the above 5 factors to consider when buying diamonds online. In our experience, we have found that these four online diamond vendors offer the best quality diamonds at fair prices. These are:
- James Allen
- Whiteflash
- Blue Nile
- Brian Gavin Diamonds
Let’s dive into each one of them and see why they’re considered the best.
i. James Allen
James Allen revolutionized online diamond retailing by introducing the best interactive display technology for diamond images. Founded in 2006, James Allen has continued to be the leader in the online diamond retail sector offering quality services for its customers. Each diamond in their inventory has its own specific 360-degree image allowing customers to visually see each diamond in all angles without needing to visit a physical store. This allows you to easily scrutinize the clarity of the diamond as well as the color in the comfort of your home.
Furthermore, all James Allen diamonds are either IGI or AGS certified, meaning they have been analyzed by the best labs and their quality matches their prices. Interestingly, James Allen offers to match prices of their competitors should you find any diamond priced lower than theirs provided they have the same cut grade quality, carat weight, and are certified by IGI or AGS. You’re therefore guaranteed that you won’t be ripped off.
Their superior customer service staff sets them apart from most online sellers, with highly extensive staff always on standby 24/7 to help with inquiries. They will easily guide you on your purchases and give you unbiased opinions.
ii. Whiteflash
Talk about the precision and customization of diamonds! Whiteflash has been in the diamond industry for decades now, a factor that has seen them win awards of excellence from the Better Business Bureau consistently. Whiteflash specializes in super ideal cut diamonds with their “A Cut Above” diamonds being one of the best fancy diamonds in the world.
The diamond images are of exceptional quality with videos to accompany them should you need a more detailed view. Furthermore, all their diamonds are certified by either GIA or AGS meaning you’re guaranteed exceptional quality matched with a fair price.
Their ability to easily customize your diamond and give you setting options makes them a go-to diamond retailer for bridal jewelry. Their designer engagement rings such as Danhov, Verragio, Ritani, and Tacori will knock your socks off.
The company offers great product policies such as a 1-year buyback guarantee at 70% of the original price. This means that should you want to own the diamond for a short period, you can easily get your money back.
Their exceptional customer service with extensive experience also sets them apart from the rest of online retailers.
iii. Blue Nile
Blue Nile was one of the first companies to start trading diamonds online in 1999. Their great business model has led to their success especially in the UK and EU regions. They do not own their diamond inventory. They source their diamonds directly from the manufacturers reducing their costs of operations. By extension, this means that their diamonds are priced lower while still matching the quality.
Blue Nile offers exceptional delivery services especially in the UK and EU region with delivery to almost every EU country. This is perfect for EU buyers who do not want to pay extra VAT when buying from the U.S. Furthermore, shipping costs will be cheaper and the delivery time will be less.
They have introduced their video technology that allows the consumer to watch a video of the diamond’s features. This, however, reduces the interactivity unlike with James Allen’s hyper-clear images. All their diamonds are certified by the two major labs, GIA or AGS.
iv. Brian Gavin Diamonds
If you’re looking for the best cut grade diamonds scrutinized and approved by one of the best diamond experts of our time, Brian Gavin, then his online store is your best bet. Brian Gavin is a 5-generation business based in South Africa. All of their diamonds are AGS-certified and offer super ideal cut. Their cut proportions and cut symmetry have been said to be one of the best on the planet. They’re also known for their brilliant light performance, with their signature diamond known as Brian Gavin Blue.
Their diamonds are displayed with the Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool and the Idealscope which allows the consumer to interactively observe the diamond for light performance.
Their huge inventory of hearts and arrows round cut diamonds, 360-degrees videos, custom designs, 15-day inspection period, brilliant customer service, and personal checks by Brian Gavin himself make it a top go-to online diamond retailer.