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BeauGeste

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
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7
A while back, some people on here suggested to buy the engagement ring at whiteflash.com
I have been searching the site and had a few questions:

1. In general, are they reliable and good? I''m a little wary of buying online
2. In general do you think I''m getting a better deal/value than going to a brick and mortar place?
3. So they have three levels - ACA (most expensive and 5 star rating), Expert (pretty darn expensive and 4 star rating), and other ( 1-5 star ratings): What is up with the star ratings? Is a 4-star rating of Other different than a 4-star rating in Expert?
4. In Expert category, they tell you the diamond specs like table, crown, pavillion, depth so I can put those into the Cut Advisor to see how they measure. For the Other category they do not give all the spec. Do I have to call to get these?

Thanks.
 

Noahsmom

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
228
To get the specific specs call them. If you call them now, I can assure they are there, since I just got off the phone with James about an hour or so ago.
I would have to say they are one of the most referred vendors on PS from my little time here. I am currently working with them and could not be happier with their awesome level of customer service.

ETA: You will not find a better price at a B&M store. Their mark-up is crazy and you are saving yourself a lot of hassle and hard pressed sales people. I have found in my searches the markup is an average of 30% more than what I have found at Whiteflash or Jamesallen.
 

sparkles

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 24, 2002
Messages
664
Ditto to Noahsmum,

I have purchased from WF in the past. Buying online with recommended vendors here is safe and fairly easy.
I bought online for the following reasons;
1. I have found very little integrity in the past at Singapore B&Ms with the exception of a few.
2. I didn''t find a local vendor that offered buy-back or lifetime upgrades
3. Branded Ideal diamonds here are generally more $$ in Singapore.

Diamonds that are generally witout specifications need to called on. I have dealt with Traci , who is very much on the ball.....

Goodolggold and Jame Allen are also recommended vendors here as well.

Sparkles
 

Deelight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
5,543
Date: 2/19/2009 1:50:21 AM
Author:BeauGeste
A while back, some people on here suggested to buy the engagement ring at whiteflash.com

I have been searching the site and had a few questions:


1. In general, are they reliable and good? I'm a little wary of buying online
Yes



2. In general do you think I'm getting a better deal/value than going to a brick and mortar place?
Yes in general when comparing like products


3. So they have three levels - ACA (most expensive and 5 star rating), Expert (pretty darn expensive and 4 star rating), and other ( 1-5 star ratings): What is up with the star ratings? Is a 4-star rating of Other different than a 4-star rating in Expert?
5 star ACA's are like the creme de la creme of the stock, while 4 star ES rated diamonds are instock diamonds that can have some really awesome diamonds in there but some good but not as great, they are generally picked for value if I recall correctly


4. In Expert category, they tell you the diamond specs like table, crown, pavillion, depth so I can put those into the Cut Advisor to see how they measure. For the Other category they do not give all the spec. Do I have to call to get these?
Yes, the Es catagory is stones that are in house the other ones you refer to are generally off a virtual list

Thanks.
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
9,758
Date: 2/19/2009 1:50:21 AM
Author:BeauGeste
A while back, some people on here suggested to buy the engagement ring at whiteflash.com
I have been searching the site and had a few questions:

Hi there

1. In general, are they reliable and good? I'm a little wary of buying online They are 100% reliable, honest and very good service in my experience.
2. In general do you think I'm getting a better deal/value than going to a brick and mortar place? It is hard to say as I have no idea what the B&M's are like near you - but in general ,Yes. They have lower prices, better products, usually better services, and much much better policies (ie. upgrade, inspection periods etc).
3. So they have three levels - ACA (most expensive and 5 star rating), Expert (pretty darn expensive and 4 star rating), and other ( 1-5 star ratings): What is up with the star ratings? Is a 4-star rating of Other different than a 4-star rating in Expert? I am not sure how to answer this, but generally the safest and easiest thing to do is choose either an ACA or and ES diamond - if you must choose from "other" these are not in house stones, so muct be called in to be inspected, and shipping back and forth may become costly. Honestly, an ACA is a no brainer way to get a fab stone, and if you do a lil learning and educate yourself, ES is also a good bet.
4. In Expert category, they tell you the diamond specs like table, crown, pavillion, depth so I can put those into the Cut Advisor to see how they measure. For the Other category they do not give all the spec. Do I have to call to get these? Yes, as above Other category are not in-house selection - they are simply diamonds that are on a virtual database that most vendors can access. If it were me, I don't really see the need to waste your time, unless you're looking for a different cut like an asscher or something. It might seem attractive as the cost is less, but it will take you time and money to find a great diamond from those lists.
The good thing about working for a vendor like WF is they have already done all the "hard yards" for you, hence you don't have to trawl through hundreds of listings to find a great diamond. I would simply email them with your desired specs and budget and see what they can come up with - I'm sure you will find their CS very friendly and helpful.

Good luck!


Thanks.

ETA: ha ha, Dee said it alot simpler!
 

Deelight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
5,543
Date: 2/19/2009 3:22:07 AM
Author: arjunajane
Date: 2/19/2009 1:50:21 AM

Author:BeauGeste

A while back, some people on here suggested to buy the engagement ring at whiteflash.com

I have been searching the site and had a few questions:


Hi there


1. In general, are they reliable and good? I''m a little wary of buying online They are 100% reliable, honest and very good service in my experience.

2. In general do you think I''m getting a better deal/value than going to a brick and mortar place? It is hard to say as I have no idea what the B&M''s are like near you - but in general ,Yes. They have lower prices, better products, usually better services, and much much better policies (ie. upgrade, inspection periods etc).

3. So they have three levels - ACA (most expensive and 5 star rating), Expert (pretty darn expensive and 4 star rating), and other ( 1-5 star ratings): What is up with the star ratings? Is a 4-star rating of Other different than a 4-star rating in Expert? I am not sure how to answer this, but generally the safest and easiest thing to do is choose either an ACA or and ES diamond - if you must choose from ''other'' these are not in house stones, so muct be called in to be inspected, and shipping back and forth may become costly. Honestly, an ACA is a no brainer way to get a fab stone, and if you do a lil learning and educate yourself, ES is also a good bet.

4. In Expert category, they tell you the diamond specs like table, crown, pavillion, depth so I can put those into the Cut Advisor to see how they measure. For the Other category they do not give all the spec. Do I have to call to get these? Yes, as above Other category are not in-house selection - they are simply diamonds that are on a virtual database that most vendors can access. If it were me, I don''t really see the need to waste your time, unless you''re looking for a different cut like an asscher or something. It might seem attractive as the cost is less, but it will take you time and money to find a great diamond from those lists.

The good thing about working for a vendor like WF is they have already done all the ''hard yards'' for you, hence you don''t have to trawl through hundreds of listings to find a great diamond. I would simply email them with your desired specs and budget and see what they can come up with - I''m sure you will find their CS very friendly and helpful.


Good luck!



Thanks.


ETA: ha ha, Dee said it alot simpler!

HAHAHA I was just reading your response (very impressed with the detail I might add
2.gif
) going woah my response sounded lame in comparission
25.gif
 

blastdoor

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
159
in addition to all the things already said...

- they have great customer service and support, prompt and professional.. emails are fast and comprehensive and they are willing to call you too (they called me a few times even though I am in Singapore).. that takes a lot of the anxiety from buying online away.. i especially like how they take pictures of the completed product and send it to you before actual shipping...

- they have nice packaging.. not just the presentation box (i asked for a plain one and they gave me the normal one AND a plain one at no extra charge, both look really nice), but the little folder containing your certs and document as well...

- great craftsmanship... one of the ring i bought from them is a double paved wedding band, measures 3mm wide, with 52 diamonds that totalled 0.22ct so you can just imagine how tiny these melees are.. and yet it is the tidiest, most neatly arranged double row of diamonds that I have ever seen, and i was looking through a 10x loupe...

(i can''t find the band on their website anymore but the matching Engaging Ring can be found at http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/-Double-Pave--Diamond-Engagement-Ring_1201.htm# you can still see a picture of the band if you "enlarge" the ring pic)

- last but not least, i really feel they treasure their customers (even potential customers) a lot... no exmples will be cited.. its just how i fee personally...

hope the above are of value for your reference...
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sparkles

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 24, 2002
Messages
664
I forgot about all those phone calls.....LOL

I think they have just updated the styling on their boxes and toolkits.......
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
9,758
Date: 2/19/2009 3:41:42 AM
Author: Deelight


Date: 2/19/2009 3:22:07 AM
Author: arjunajane




ETA: ha ha, Dee said it alot simpler!

HAHAHA I was just reading your response (very impressed with the detail I might add
2.gif
) going woah my response sounded lame in comparission
25.gif
Ha, yes I like to waffle sometimes - glad you liked
2.gif

Just re reading it now I see how many mistakes I wrote
40.gif
 

zoebartlett

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
12,461
My husband and I worked with Bob at WF when purchasing my engagement ring and wedding band. I also spoke with John Pollard (he''s on PS, now with a different vendor) about my center stone before we purchased it. It was great speaking with him in person, and knowing how he (and all WF employees) takes great care of their customers, I had no reservations about making our purchase. It was the first time we had bought a major purchase like that online. We looked at B&M stores and although there are a few jewelers in my area that I trust, I found that we got a much better deal by going with WF. I''d definitely work with WF again.
 

BeauGeste

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
7
Wow, you are all very helpful...and fast.

Unfortunately for cost reasons, I was thinking about the Other selection. So, if I bought one of those diamonds, are they sent to WF and examined by them? Is the price listed on the website therefore subject to change?
I think I will send them an e-mail as some of you suggested.

Thanks.
 

stone-cold11

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
14,083
What is your specs on the diamond you are look for? And what is your budget? Maybe we can find something for you?
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
Date: 2/19/2009 11:34:16 AM
Author: BeauGeste
Wow, you are all very helpful...and fast.

Unfortunately for cost reasons, I was thinking about the Other selection. So, if I bought one of those diamonds, are they sent to WF and examined by them? Is the price listed on the website therefore subject to change?
I think I will send them an e-mail as some of you suggested.

Thanks.
If you mean non inventory diamonds, then WF has to call them in and will evaluate the diamond for you, provide images such as Idealscope, ASET etc and let you know if they recommend that particular diamond. There can be shipping fees for this. Expert Selection diamonds are in house and as such have had a thorough evaluation already and the images etc will be readily available.
 

Allison D.

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
2,282
Date: 2/19/2009 11:34:16 AM
Author: BeauGeste
Wow, you are all very helpful...and fast.

Unfortunately for cost reasons, I was thinking about the Other selection. So, if I bought one of those diamonds, are they sent to WF and examined by them? Is the price listed on the website therefore subject to change?
I think I will send them an e-mail as some of you suggested.

Thanks.
Beau, if you wish to consider a diamond from the virtual inventory, we do bring it in and evaluate it for you.

If the stone fails to earn our recommendation, we return it and you are not charged for any shipping charges.
If the stone earns our recommendation and you purchase it, we absorb the shipping charge.
If the stone earns our recommendation and you decide not to purchase it, you are responsible for shipping charges to/from the supplier.

We don''t charge extra for the evaluation above the price you see on the website.
 

cinnamon013

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
1,701
Tell them you are with PS and you want to wire the money. You''ll receive discounts on the price!
 

mryan

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
91
may want to check out GoodOldGold too. I bought earrings from WF in the past and the ering from GOG last month. both were great but the way the ering blings I would lean towards them first on my next diamond purchase.
 

BeauGeste

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
7
Probaby a dumb question, but to get that discount, do I have to call to arrange it or can I still just buy it online?

Thanks for the find...I am seriously considering that one.

Also, will Whiteflash hold diamonds for you? For instance, if I wanted to wire money, I would have to transfer between a couple accounts and probably not have it go through till Monday.
 

JulieN

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
13,375
Date: 2/20/2009 2:28:46 AM
Author: BeauGeste
Probaby a dumb question, but to get that discount, do I have to call to arrange it or can I still just buy it online?


Thanks for the find...I am seriously considering that one.


Also, will Whiteflash hold diamonds for you? For instance, if I wanted to wire money, I would have to transfer between a couple accounts and probably not have it go through till Monday.

They will hold it for you. I''m not sure how long, but I think they will work with you on it...
 

blastdoor

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
159
i suggest calling or at least emailing them to finalize your deal (most case they''ll end up calling you back), especially if it is goiing to deviate from the usual process (wiring funds from multiple accounts or holding it for extended period of time etc)..

this way after finalizing your deal you can get them to send you an e-invoice via email with the basic diamond specs, setting item number, ring size etc so you will know exactly what you will be receiving...

if its of any help at all, the folks at white flash are really nice to work with... so far i''ve worked with Juliana, Vera, Alan, Tracy, Shandel... haven''t got a problem at all...
 

Lorelei

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
42,064
Date: 2/20/2009 2:28:46 AM
Author: BeauGeste
Probaby a dumb question, but to get that discount, do I have to call to arrange it or can I still just buy it online?

Thanks for the find...I am seriously considering that one.

Also, will Whiteflash hold diamonds for you? For instance, if I wanted to wire money, I would have to transfer between a couple accounts and probably not have it go through till Monday.
They should be able to hold it for you on request if you tell them your timeframe.
 

Lord Summerisle

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 14, 2004
Messages
866
Date: 2/20/2009 2:28:46 AM
Author: BeauGeste

Also, will Whiteflash hold diamonds for you? For instance, if I wanted to wire money, I would have to transfer between a couple accounts and probably not have it go through till Monday.

Yes, they will hold a stone. how long for, well your best giving them a call about it. As long as its a reasonable time frame then i''m sure they''ll bend over backwards to help.

when i say reasonable... a few days while funds transfer happens should be ok (especially if theres a weekend getting in the way) but it if was going to be weeks then no :) but chat the the nice people there and i''m sure there''ll be a happy customer soon enough
 

NeedASparkly

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
10
My Whiteflash experience:

I purchased a stone and setting from WF that I received over a week ago. Their prices are much better than buying locally and they are about the same as bluenile (which I thought was pretty decent). The plus for me is that I got to see the pictures of the diamonds in ways that no local shop would show me. Also, since I don''t live in TX, there was no tax. Their service is great and they were great at getting back to me in a timely manner, etc.

The downfall of my purchase is that when I opened the box in the car (I couldn''t wait, my excitement killed me), my naked eyes saw an inclusion face up on a stone that I was told would be eye clean from as far as I can focus. It is a SI1 and I did know that in this grade category, I would have a chance of seeing the inclusions with my naked eyes. The only thing is I depended on the vendor to tell me if it was eye clean in all lighting. I wore the ring for a few days hoping that the inclusion wouldn''t bother me. And it did not show in some lighting, but I noticed myself looking for it and staring at the stone to find the inclusion when it didn''t show. I had to return it and they said they would refund me the whole amount minus their shipping cost.

The only downfall to my experience is time wasted, and having to pay for $75 of shipping fees. It sucks I have to pay for the shipping fees, but it makes sense that they''d want to recover the fees on a sale that didn''t happen. Also, $75 is nothing compared to the markups at local jewelry stores.

Since then, I''ve looked around a little more and have taken my mind away from ACAs in search of an ideal cut stone. I realized that I can get an ideal cut stone without the ACA brand. I spoke to a couple more online vendors and placed another order with Excel Diamonds, and have raised my clarity level to VS2. My comfort level with Excel is actually better than it was with WF, just from the phone and email conversations I''ve had with Judah.

My suggestion to you would be to look around. It doesn''t necessarily have to be WF. There are other online vendors, and find one that you click with, one that you felt comfortable with. Know what you want and what your expectations are and be very clear in communicating them to the vendor. This is a large purchase and you need to love what you buy.
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BeauGeste

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
7
NeedASparkly,

Was that stone you purchased from wf a ACA or Expert?
 

NeedASparkly

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
10
Date: 2/20/2009 8:02:21 PM
Author: BeauGeste
NeedASparkly,


Was that stone you purchased from wf a ACA or Expert?[/QUOTE

It was an ACA. But the clarity had nothing to do with the cut. The cut was beautiful. Also I might just have eagle eyes. Because my husband couldn''t see anything. I guess it all depends on your expectations and how good your sight is.
 
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