Spotting a 'too good to be true' - what's wrong with this tennis bracelet?

[JB14]

Good morning,

Apologies if this is in the wrong sub-forum, I thought perhaps the diamond experts here would be well versed on this.

I have been looking at tennis bracelets for my wife, having no experience buying jewelry. I had resolved perhaps to 3tcw of lab diamonds, in white gold or maybe even just silver.

I have however recently spotted a business registered in Hatton Garden selling seemingly very low priced real diamond bracelets - both on ebay and online, who have thousands of positive reviews and almost 6000 sales on ebay (all of diamonds). In the spirit of general scepticism I'm trying to understand if they're too good to be true, or just sold at very low margin, or just horribly cheap and nasty and not worth buying even if they are authentic.

I'd buy via ebay so would get the 'GIA authentication' but perhaps there are loopholes? Anyway, the description and images are below. I'd be grateful for thoughts on authenticity/where corners have been cut/quality of the design and fabrication etc.

This is for sale at just over £800, or about $1100.

2.25 Ct H-I/SI 100% Natural Round Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet For Women | 9K White Gold | Certified | UK Hallmarked

Product Description:
Experience effortless elegance with this 2.25 Ct Natural Diamond Tennis Bracelet, crafted in solid 9K White Gold and UK hallmarked for assurance. Featuring brilliant H-I color, SI clarity round cut diamonds, this piece adds classic sparkle to any outfit—ideal for daily luxury or gifting.

Product Specifications:

• Metal: 9K White Gold (UK Hallmarked)
• Total Diamond Weight: 2.25 Carats
• Diamond Quality: H-I Color | SI Clarity
• Cut: Natural Round Brilliant
• Setting: Claw-Set for Maximum Brilliance
• Clasp: Secure Box Clasp with Double Safety Lock
• Certification: Included

Key Features:
✔ 2.25 Ct Natural Round Cut Diamonds – Exceptional sparkle and fire
✔ 9K Solid White Gold – Elegant, durable, and UK hallmarked
✔ Same Day Dispatch – Fast shipping for quick delivery
✔ Great for Special Moments – Ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, or weddings
✔ Certified & Authentic – Quality you can trust
Condition: Brand New – Comes with original packaging and certificate

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

9kt gold per gram would be about 3.3gbp per gram, and a tennis bracelet would need to be about 8-10 grams at the very least, I would say. So let's say about 30gbp worth of gold in the bracelet. This actually makes me feel like this might be not an outright scam lol but its not going to be the kind of quality they are claiming imo.

I think 800gbp is the kind of price you can expect from this bracelet if you were to buy it in India. I did the math and I think I could get that kind of ballpark here with reasonable but not amazing quality diamonds. It might even be a bit more expensive here tbh.

I refuse to believe this bracelet was made in the UK. The margins won't support it.

This is likely made in an Indian or Chinese factory somewhere and resold by this UK brand. I would expect the craftsmanship to be pretty poor and the diamonds to be relatively included (if they're just claiming SI, that's a pretty good indication it'll be like I1 which at a size of 4-5pts per diamond, will have a significant impact on sparkle).

However, if there's free shipping and returns, I think you don't lose anything by ordering it and seeing it with your own eyes. You'll be hard pressed to beat the price point and sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised.

If the budget supports going for a higher quality to start with, I would do that. This would very much be a bling on a budget deal imo, because of the market you are in.

 

[JB14]

9kt gold per gram would be about 3.3gbp per gram, and a tennis bracelet would need to be about 8-10 grams at the very least, I would say. So let's say about 30gbp worth of gold in the bracelet. This actually makes me feel like this might be not an outright scam lol but its not going to be the kind of quality they are claiming imo.

I think 800gbp is the kind of price you can expect from this bracelet if you were to buy it in India. I did the math and I think I could get that kind of ballpark here with reasonable but not amazing quality diamonds. It might even be a bit more expensive here tbh.

I refuse to believe this bracelet was made in the UK. The margins won't support it.

This is likely made in an Indian or Chinese factory somewhere and resold by this UK brand. I would expect the craftsmanship to be pretty poor and the diamonds to be relatively included (if they're just claiming SI, that's a pretty good indication it'll be like I1 which at a size of 4-5pts per diamond, will have a significant impact on sparkle).

However, if there's free shipping and returns, I think you don't lose anything by ordering it and seeing it with your own eyes. You'll be hard pressed to beat the price point and sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised.

If the budget supports going for a higher quality to start with, I would do that. This would very much be a bling on a budget deal imo, because of the market you are in.

That's a comprehensive and very useful reply, thank you.

So it's likely genuine insofar that it's in the ballpark of 9k white gold and 2.5ct worth of diamonds, with the caveat that the diamonds might not be of great quality and the craftsmanship might not be very refined.

If I purchased I likely would do so on ebay, as the value means it goes through the GIA assessment which would at least weed out and complete fabrications in the description, and perhaps get it independently assessed regarding the actual diamonds to check whether the description is accurate.

You mention that 'I did the math and I think I could get that kind of ballpark here with reasonable but not amazing quality diamonds' - are you a jeweller and sell such products? Where is 'here' for you? Finding the next step up in quality is difficult for me, as I struggle to assess it and I'm sure there are plenty of retailers selling exactly the same bracelet just for a higher price!

Given it would just be an occasional bracelet and not a daily wearer, do you see anything in the means of construction that would cause you concern?

Thanks again for your input.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

That's a comprehensive and very useful reply, thank you.

So it's likely genuine insofar that it's in the ballpark of 9k white gold and 2.5ct worth of diamonds, with the caveat that the diamonds might not be of great quality and the craftsmanship might not be very refined.

If I purchased I likely would do so on ebay, as the value means it goes through the GIA assessment which would at least weed out and complete fabrications in the description, and perhaps get it independently assessed regarding the actual diamonds to check whether the description is accurate.

You mention that 'I did the math and I think I could get that kind of ballpark here with reasonable but not amazing quality diamonds' - are you a jeweller and sell such products? Where is 'here' for you? Finding the next step up in quality is difficult for me, as I struggle to assess it and I'm sure there are plenty of retailers selling exactly the same bracelet just for a higher price!

Given it would just be an occasional bracelet and not a daily wearer, do you see anything in the means of construction that would cause you concern?

Thanks again for your input.

I'm not a jeweller, I just like jewellery I live in India and I get all my jewellery from here. I was trying to estimate what my jeweller would charge me for a tennis bracelet like this. That's how I sanity check prices. He doesn't carry SI stones so I don't know what he would price those at, and I don't think he would make something in 9kt gold - Indians are very particular about gold content and 14kt is probably the lowest you can find here. But I tried to price it out as best as I could knowing his prices and it would be in this ballpark or maybe even a bit more.

That is a bit suspicious to me as far as quality indicators go, because the UK is usually expensive for jewellery, not cheap like India is. That's why I'm confident it wasn't made in the UK.

The picture itself doesn't really look concerning but it's also a render, not a picture of the actual bracelet. If it actually has all the safety clasp etc. and if you give it a once over and make sure it doesn't have any loose prongs, broken links etc. it will hold up from a construction POV. How sparkly and pretty it is is impossible to say. Chances are that the stones won't be great, but they might fit the bill for you. I always say that price is king.

I think it depends on how particular you are. I would assume most people on PS would want jewellery of a higher standard. For me, I think of it as a cost-benefit analysis. I mean, maybe you can get double the sparkle but at 3x the price. Would that be worth it to you? No one can answer that question except for you.

 

[dk168]

I am in the UK and do not believe the bracelet is made here for that price, no way!

I have pieces made with 9K Rhodium WG and even Rhodium plated Sterling Silver in order to cut down on setting cost.

H/I SI quality stones should not be frozen spits, however, cutting could be poor resulting in a dull looking bracelet with not much sparkles.

It is definitely on the cheap side and I too would be concerned it could be too good to be true.

However, if the return policy is solidly good, then I might chance it and get one to see what it is like in real life, buying with a credit card for certain!

Perhaps do a bit more research by looking up the company via Company House to check their filings to see if they are financially sound.

Good luck!

DK

 

[oldminer]

The diamonds will not arrive with individual GIA reports on every stone. Possibly, some GIA Graduate has examined the stones, set or before setting, and made a general report on all the stones lumped into one range of quality. That is NOT GIA Certified, but is most often how the terminology is mis-used.

Still, the value may be very good and look okay to you. No one buys a diamond tennis bracelet as some kind of quasi-investment. They do not last forever if worn a lot. A 9kt one may not wear as well as 14kt or 18kt and will also likely tarnish once the rhodium plating wears away. It can be re-plated if you wish.

If you are local to Hatton Garden, then you ought to go and see one in person. If it looks great, buy the one they show you, not one they send out later. That way, you control the deal. They might send you something very different.

 

[JB14]

The picture itself doesn't really look concerning but it's also a render, not a picture of the actual bracelet. If it actually has all the safety clasp etc. and if you give it a once over and make sure it doesn't have any loose prongs, broken links etc. it will hold up from a construction POV. How sparkly and pretty it is is impossible to say. Chances are that the stones won't be great, but they might fit the bill for you. I always say that price is king.

I think it depends on how particular you are. I would assume most people on PS would want jewellery of a higher standard. For me, I think of it as a cost-benefit analysis. I mean, maybe you can get double the sparkle but at 3x the price. Would that be worth it to you? No one can answer that question except for you.

I hadn't even noticed that they were renders! Thanks for your input. Yes I appreciate many would look for better quality, and it may be the case that the finished product doesn't meet my modest expectations, but in my mind a tennis bracelet is more tolerant of a 'budget' element than a solitaire etc.

I am in the UK and do not believe the bracelet is made here for that price, no way!

I have pieces made with 9K Rhodium WG and even Rhodium plated Sterling Silver in order to cut down on setting cost.

H/I SI quality stones should not be frozen spits, however, cutting could be poor resulting in a dull looking bracelet with not much sparkles.

It is definitely on the cheap side and I too would be concerned it could be too good to be true.

However, if the return policy is solidly good, then I might chance it and get one to see what it is like in real life, buying with a credit card for certain!

Perhaps do a bit more research by looking up the company via Company House to check their filings to see if they are financially sound.

Good luck!

DK

Thanks for your input. They ado appear to be registered with companies house, but I wouldn't say the accounts are reflective of the amount of ebay trade they seem to be doing. They're a member of the National Association of Jewellers but I feel like that probably doesn't mean much.

They do have a direct website but ordering through ebay I expect I'd get better protections, so would likely do that.

To be frank if ebay wasn't an option I'm not sure I'd make the order - the ebay protections plus the GIA 'certification' (whatever that means) makes me feel a little more comfortable.

I would post a link but I only have a couple of posts and don't want to break any rules or be accused of advertising!

The diamonds will not arrive with individual GIA reports on every stone. Possibly, some GIA Graduate has examined the stones, set or before setting, and made a general report on all the stones lumped into one range of quality. That is NOT GIA Certified, but is most often how the terminology is mis-used.

Still, the value may be very good and look okay to you. No one buys a diamond tennis bracelet as some kind of quasi-investment. They do not last forever if worn a lot. A 9kt one may not wear as well as 14kt or 18kt and will also likely tarnish once the rhodium plating wears away. It can be re-plated if you wish.

If you are local to Hatton Garden, then you ought to go and see one in person. If it looks great, buy the one they show you, not one they send out later. That way, you control the deal. They might send you something very different.

It certainly won't be an investment - just to be worn on rare occasion and enjoyed. The GIA certification is an ebay thing. Once you make the purchase the seller sends it directly to ebay's GIA people, who assess it then forward it to you with the certificates as appropriate. If it doesn't meet the GIA standards (however high or low they might be) they return the item to the seller;

https://pages.ebay.co.uk/authenticity-guarantee-jewellery/

I think the limitation is that the GIA diamond verification is only for >0.15 carats for clarity, and >0.2 carats for colour - and all of the diamonds in the bracelet will be smaller than this - so they won't really assess the diamonds.

I think given the detailed specification in the listing, I'll arrange an independent inspection after delivery and if there are any discrepancies in the listing I'll send it back (or get a discount if I actually like it anyway).

Regrettably I can't go to Hatton Garden, so it'd be lucky dip as to what I'd get!

I think I might go ahead - I'll post photos if/when it arrives!

 

[dk168]

I have found the seller on eBay as well as their website.

I have also done some other research and am still not comfortable with the seller.

Perhaps I need to visit their shop in Hatton Garden when I am up in London later this year.

Good luck with your purchase and please provide an update if you can.

DK

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I hadn't even noticed that they were renders! Thanks for your input. Yes I appreciate many would look for better quality, and it may be the case that the finished product doesn't meet my modest expectations, but in my mind a tennis bracelet is more tolerant of a 'budget' element than a solitaire etc.



Thanks for your input. They ado appear to be registered with companies house, but I wouldn't say the accounts are reflective of the amount of ebay trade they seem to be doing. They're a member of the National Association of Jewellers but I feel like that probably doesn't mean much.

They do have a direct website but ordering through ebay I expect I'd get better protections, so would likely do that.

To be frank if ebay wasn't an option I'm not sure I'd make the order - the ebay protections plus the GIA 'certification' (whatever that means) makes me feel a little more comfortable.

I would post a link but I only have a couple of posts and don't want to break any rules or be accused of advertising!


It certainly won't be an investment - just to be worn on rare occasion and enjoyed. The GIA certification is an ebay thing. Once you make the purchase the seller sends it directly to ebay's GIA people, who assess it then forward it to you with the certificates as appropriate. If it doesn't meet the GIA standards (however high or low they might be) they return the item to the seller;

https://pages.ebay.co.uk/authenticity-guarantee-jewellery/

I think the limitation is that the GIA diamond verification is only for >0.15 carats for clarity, and >0.2 carats for colour - and all of the diamonds in the bracelet will be smaller than this - so they won't really assess the diamonds.

I think given the detailed specification in the listing, I'll arrange an independent inspection after delivery and if there are any discrepancies in the listing I'll send it back (or get a discount if I actually like it anyway).

Regrettably I can't go to Hatton Garden, so it'd be lucky dip as to what I'd get!

I think I might go ahead - I'll post photos if/when it arrives!

The way I see it, it’s priced pretty similarly to if you were to buy a LGD bracelet from Luvansh or something, so while it’s a risk, it’s not a massive risk. Luvansh is selling an LGD 2ct tennis (in 14kt gold, to be fair) for approx $1100 before taxes.

The independent inspection will also cost money btw, unless you have a nice jeweller who will do it for free. They usually won’t unless you have a longstanding relationship. I would definitely have the caratage of the gold checked and make sure it’s actually 8-10 grams of 9kt gold - a pawn shop would do that for you for free I think.

Also - I need to correct a bit of math I did earlier. I said it was 30gbp of gold but I was converting from INR and I did it wrong. It’s more like 300gbp!!! This is the kind of ratio of gold price to labour that I would see in India. I’m so sorry about that. I just was looking at my old message again and thinking there’s something wrong, because I know in India I’d get a similar price but how is that possible… and then I was like oh crap I think I forgot to multiply by 10 - it was 30ish gbp a gram!!

So it’s actually 300gbp of gold in the bracelet, not 30. That’s totally on me and I hope you see this before you order.

 

[LightBright]

Hi, I’m in USA. The prosumer experts are giving you good advice.

My two cents- For your budget, I’d highly recommend considering newly made with lab diamonds, there’s a discussion forum on this. Another way to reduce cost of retail is to buy a preowned, vintage or antique. I’m looking at 2 ctw 14k lab eternities on a well known USA preowned site for $1300 USD for example.

Do you know your wife’s tastes? If this bracelet you are interested in doesn’t work out there might be other options.

 

[dk168]

To be honest, if all their claims can be verified as true and the bracelet is well-made with sparkly natural earth-mined diamonds in the colour and clarity as stated, then they are under-cutting UK jewellers by a massive amount. HUGH!

Even undercuts the bench I use in China!

I suspect the settings are made elsewhere for the stones to be set in UK, however, I could be wrong. The price is suspiciously low for an all UK-made piece IMHO.

DK

 

[freddyboston]

Most likely 100% made overseas and it's only UK hallmarked as to being 9k Gold...

Hallmarking Steps

Hallmarking at the Goldsmiths Company Assay Office in London. Where Hallmarking began. Laser and Traditional Struck Marks. Registration for trade and students.

www.assayofficelondon.co.uk

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

im really enjoying this thread
best of luck @JB14

 

[JB14]

Thanks for all of your input.

After your guidance and a bit of research I share the cynicism expressed by everyone - but with a combination of ebay buyer protection, the returns policy that ebay enforces and various reviews saying returns were processed quickly and without issue, I thought what's the worst that can happen?

I have bought a bracelet just shy of 5ct, and was very careful to check the listing for the following explicit descriptors;

- Solid 9k white gold, nickel free
- Total diamond weight of 4.8ct, natural mined diamond.
- Diamond cut round brilliant
- Colour H-I, Clarity SI
- Cut grade 'very good'

Ultimately I'll hopefully get the item, and get it checked by an independent jeweller. If something turns out to be inferior to the description, then there'll be a judgement call as to whether I'll keep it. If the diamonds are inferior quality to the description but it still looks great for example, I'll keep it - it'd still be good value I think.

I'll provide an update when/if it arrives!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thanks for all of your input.

After your guidance and a bit of research I share the cynicism expressed by everyone - but with a combination of ebay buyer protection, the returns policy that ebay enforces and various reviews saying returns were processed quickly and without issue, I thought what's the worst that can happen?

I have bought a bracelet just shy of 5ct, and was very careful to check the listing for the following explicit descriptors;

- Solid 9k white gold, nickel free
- Total diamond weight of 4.8ct, natural mined diamond.
- Diamond cut round brilliant
- Colour H-I, Clarity SI
- Cut grade 'very good'

Ultimately I'll hopefully get the item, and get it checked by an independent jeweller. If something turns out to be inferior to the description, then there'll be a judgement call as to whether I'll keep it. If the diamonds are inferior quality to the description but it still looks great for example, I'll keep it - it'd still be good value I think.

I'll provide an update when/if it arrives!

and photos !!
please
good luck

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Thanks for all of your input.

After your guidance and a bit of research I share the cynicism expressed by everyone - but with a combination of ebay buyer protection, the returns policy that ebay enforces and various reviews saying returns were processed quickly and without issue, I thought what's the worst that can happen?

I have bought a bracelet just shy of 5ct, and was very careful to check the listing for the following explicit descriptors;

- Solid 9k white gold, nickel free
- Total diamond weight of 4.8ct, natural mined diamond.
- Diamond cut round brilliant
- Colour H-I, Clarity SI
- Cut grade 'very good'

Ultimately I'll hopefully get the item, and get it checked by an independent jeweller. If something turns out to be inferior to the description, then there'll be a judgement call as to whether I'll keep it. If the diamonds are inferior quality to the description but it still looks great for example, I'll keep it - it'd still be good value I think.

I'll provide an update when/if it arrives!

I think with a good return policy, you lose nothing by ordering it and seeing it with your own eyes!

IMO the only things to look out for will be the craftsmanship (I wouldn’t care at this price point if it was sloppy, but I would want to make sure it wasn’t going to break apart at a link) and if you like the look of the diamonds when you see them. If yes then it would be worth keeping.

Best of luck!