Buying gemstone jewelry is not an easy task, especially considering the capital involved and the sentimental value that is very often attached to it. Over the past two decades, online jewelry retailers have grown in number and popularity. One of these rapidly growing retailers is James Allen, which has already grown to become the largest online diamond retailer in the world.
While a great many people have shifted to online stores for their jewelry related purchases, some people are still apprehensive and skeptical about choosing these over their trusted local jewelers.
If you are confused about which of these to trust when it comes to precious stones and jewels, here is a detailed comparison of both to help you in making this decision.
Quality Of Diamonds
James Allen
The quality of a diamond is its most crucial element, and should be your first consideration when you are looking for one. Every other feature of a jewelry piece dulls down if the diamond is of a poor standard.
James Allen offers diamonds of various qualities that vary in their prices. They fall on a spectrum between near perfect and relatively low quality. However, all of these products meet a certain standard set by the brand.
If you wish to get your hands on a diamond that is perfect with respect to its cut, clarity and color, James Allens’ premium collection of super ideal diamonds ‘True Hearts’ has you covered. Click here to veiw some of the stunning examples of True Hearts by James Allen.
The rest of their diamonds are categorized in a similar manner according to their quality, and you can easily pick one that suits your preference. The best part is that you can assure the quality of these diamonds by viewing them in high definition, real life 360 degrees pictures on James Allens’ website.
Local Jewelers
The diamond quality that local jewelers offer also stretches between extremes of high and low. However, these diamonds are usually not categorized, so determining their quality can be a challenge especially for a layperson.
While it is possible to get your hands on a premium quality diamond in a local store, the search can prove to be exhausting and time consuming. The plus, however, is that you can see the diamond in person for your peace of mind. Moreover, local jewelers allow you to get your stones customized according to your liking, which might not be possible for online retailers like James Allen.
Grading And Certification
James Allen
The grading and certification of a diamond is a documented proof of its quality and authentication, and is absolutely necessary when you are making a purchase of this magnitude. The more reputable the lab or institution giving the certificate, the better!
James Allen takes pride in the fact that all their diamonds come with a grading certificate from prestigious institutes like American Gem Society (AGS) and Gemological Institute of America (GIA). These institutes run extensive tests on these diamonds and then allot a grade which is displayed on the certificate. Thus, you can blindly trust these diamonds.
Local Jewelers
Most of the local stores also provide grading certificates with their diamonds, although they might not be from top institutes like AGS and GIA. Therefore, you need to be highly vigilant and make sure that the lab that they obtained the grading certificate from is reputable and reliable. Under no circumstances should you buy a diamond that does not come with a proof of authentication at all.
Size of Inventory
James Allen
One of the major reasons behind the popularity of James Allen has been the extensive inventory of diamonds that they offer. Their website has over 200,000 loose diamonds listed on it which is quite impressive for any jewelry store. What is even more fascinating is the fact that you have access to all these 200,000 diamonds at one place, at one click.
Local Jewelers
Local stores, on the flip side, rarely have more than two or three types of diamonds which significantly limits your options. Looking for a different option might take you from store to store for days, which can be highly inconvenient and tiring.
However, as mentioned before, local jewelers do have an upper hand when it comes to getting your stones or jewelry customized according to your personal taste.
Return Policy And Aftersales Services
James Allen
The customer services and return policy of James Allen is commendable and has been an important factor in allowing it to win the trust of millions of its clients. James Allen offers a 30 days money back guarantee with all of its diamonds, in addition to a lifetime warranty and long term aftersale services such as cleansing, polishing etc.
Moreover, it has a 24/7 customer support service that allows you to speak to their professionals for advice and any questions. This means that you can be confident while making a purchase, as the brand makes sure to stand behind its products.
Local Jewelers
Most local jewelers also offer generous return policies and aftersales services such as prong tightening, resizing and cleaning. However, they do not have a standard policy regarding these services and their time limit, and the rules differ from store to store. Therefore, you need to speak to your jeweler to know their precise policy.
Price and Value for Money
James Allen
Although there are great fluctuations in the prices of diamonds across local stores, on average the diamonds sold by James Allen are significantly cheaper.
In fact James Allen is so confident about their prices that they have a price match guarantee displayed on their website. It states that if the customer is able to find an identical diamond elsewhere at a lower price, James Allen would honor that price.
This particularly beautiful, excellent cut, 1.02 carat diamond that I was able to find on James Allen’s site costs just $7350. It is a color grade D (the highest) and VVS1 clarity, which would cost at least $9000 if it was offered by other big online retailers.
Local Jewelers
Local jewelers usually have less capital than the big players such as James Allen. In addition, they also have to pay for the staff and rentals, which means that there are greater overhead charges. This results in increased prices of their products.
All of these overhead charges are saved by the online retailers and hence, similar products with mirror quality and identical specifications can be bought at James Allen for a lower cost than a local jeweler.
Conclusion- Which One to Go For?
In light of the above discussion, it is clearly evident that making a purchase from either of James Allen and a local trusted jeweler has its pros and cons. However, the wisest move would be to buy loose diamonds from James Allen, and getting the setting done by your local jeweler.
You can click here to veiw and sort every single loose diamond James Allen has in its inventory according to your liking, preferences and budget.
I reached a similar conclusion in my article “Brilliant Earth Vs. Local Jeweler“.
This would not only allow you to get a customized setting of your choice and with your input, but also significantly reduce the overall cost of the jewelry.
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