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Why are these jewellers more recommended than others?

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steve-112233

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 29, 2012
Messages
19
Hi,

I have been doing some research lately and found that White Flash and James Allen are recommended by a lot of people.
However, I found that beside the top cut diamonds, most of the other diamonds are not stocked by them.
After doing some searches I found the diamonds by both of these jewellers are also offered by others.
So what set them apart from the other jewellers who offer the same diamond range?
Why are they considered more reputable when the diamond is the same?

Steve
 
It's true that many vendors have access to the same inventory. The reason tha some are recommended above others is usually based on the amount of information that they can offer about the stone, such as actual images,ideal scope, aset,sarin reports etc. They also typically have better than average return, trade up, and buy back policies than many other vendors and their customer service is second to none. As a consumer forum PSer base their recommendations based on prior personal experiences and the two companies you mentioned JA and WF, as well as many others have proven themselves time and time again, therefore we are comfortable suggesting them to others that preparing to make a very large purchase.
 
I think their are several other companies as well which provide all the great services like Return Policy, Upgrade Policy, Free return shipping etc and can also provide the ASET Image, Ideal Scope Image on request, the companies you have mentioned surely have
made their goodwill, however their are several other companies as well which are good like bluenile, b2cjewels, adiamore etc
 
BlueNile, B2Jewels and Adiamore do not provide ASET and IS pictures, so you'll have an element of risk buying sight unseen (going by only the number which isn't a guarantee and only works for rounds).
 
Thank you for the insights.
I am wondering if there are diamonds which pass all the excellent tests on paper, but actually don't as excellent in real life?
 
Sometimes the setting selection and ease of navigating the setting selection also comes into play, especially when the poster is looking to stay within a specific budget.
 
The thing that sets WhiteFlash apart from other vendors is that they have their own in-house diamonds cut to very strict standards. So when shopping at WF, look only at A Cut Above, Expert Selection, and Premium Select. The rest are virtual stones.

Good Old Gold is another great diamond vendor and they are a family owned jewelry store on Long Island and specialize in exceptionally well cut stones including some specialty cuts that cannot be obtained anywhere else, such as August Vintage Cushions and Rounds and the Octavia. They also have an extensive number of setting options.

I have bought several diamonds from both Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash and recommend them highly.

Brian Gavin also has his in-house stones cut to strict standards. They recut an old diamond for me and did a beautiful job! And James Allen is the only dealer with virtual stones that will at least supply you with up to 3 idealscope images.
 
I think it's also important to mention that some vendors such as BN, (I'm not sure about Adiamore and B2CJewels but I assume they are as well) are drop shippers. BN (other than their signature line I believe) never see the diamond you are purchasing. Therefore if you have questions about the stone they will be unable to assist you. Vendors such as WF, JA, BGD and GOG actually call in the virtual stone you are interested in and peform a gemological evaluation for you. This is helpful in determining light performance, eye cleanliness, color etc that is impossible to judge from a lab report alone. They will also supply you with actual images so you can see the stone you are considering before making the purchase.


Can a stone be graded as excellent and still perform poorly IRL? I think first of all it's important to only consider diamonds graded by GIA or AGS, they have tighter cut criteria than other labs. That said, many PSers feel that GIA has too broad a range for their EX cut grades, while AGS is much more narrow. Using a vendor that can offer you Ideal Scope images will greatly reduce your risk of purchasing a diamond with sub ideal performance. However there are other factors that can affect a diamonds performance other than cut, such as strong strain or graining which can make the stone appear cloudy as can strong or very strong fluorescense and some inclusions.
 
What vendor is right for your project really depends on what shape you are buying.

If you are looking at rounds: WF, BGD, GOG and JA (for budget friendly options) are the recommended vendors.

If you are looking at another shape, the recommendations will be different.
 
Also, unless you're buying very high clarity, it's basically impossible to tell if a stone will be eye clean just by the paper, which is where dealing with a vendor that has the stone in-stock or can call it in helps, they can look at it, give you images or video. For example, just based on the clarity plot for my stone, it looks a bit scary, but is completely eye clean to me, I have to really search with a loupe to find the inclusions. Also, lots of vendors are not buying the more complete GIA diamond reports for stones under 1 ct these days, so you may have no clarity plot at all.

Anyway, that's how a stone that might look good (or bad) on paper can turn out differently in person, clarity.
 
It also depends on how particular you are about cut.

For e.g places like GOG, WF and BGD have in house super ideal cut diamonds which carries a premium compared to a GIA excellent, which, while some can be duds, can be a stunner when picked out carefully by a vendor who is trustworthy (e.g the ones bandied around here such as JA, IDJ and the vendors listed above). A good vendor can be your "eyes", i.e screening and separating the wheat from the chaff.
 
Steve, I know what you are worried about--I was in the same chair as you. If it were not for the testimonials by countless numbers here who took the time to post their purchases & comments etc, I never would've had the nerve to make on online diamond ring purchase.

I am a novice with diamonds, & know just enough to know that I don't know very much!

I just received my WF Eternity ring this weekend. It is posted on SMTB. I just sat back & ordered as so many have, made sure I checked all my boxes. & when I opened the box, I could not believe it. It is by far the prettiest piece of jewelry I now own.

Good luck, go into it with confidence.

You will be fine.
 
Hi Sarahb,

I have decided to buy the ring online, but this is my first big online order so naturally I am a bit nervous.
Also, since I am from AU, they require me to pay the amount in full using bank wire transfer, which scares me even more.
With credit card, at least if something goes wrong, we have more protection.

Steve
 
Also, since I am from AU, they require me to pay the amount in full using bank wire transfer, which scares me even more.
Click to expand...

I'm from Aus too. We've sent 5 or 6 bank wire transfers over to the United States for various jewelery purchases, had no trouble any of the times. The only thing we found is that it was difficult to send the money through on our home computer. However when my husband went to the bank and sent the money through from there he encountered no problems. Personally I like the discount these on-line stores give you when you send funds via bank wire.
 
I'm from Aus too. We've sent 5 or 6 bank wire transfers over to the United States for various jewelery purchases, had no trouble any of the times. The only thing we found is that it was difficult to send the money through on our home computer. However when my husband went to the bank and sent the money through from there he encountered no problems. Personally I like the discount these on-line stores give you when you send funds via bank wire.
Click to expand...

Hi Polished,

Yeah, I realise there shouldn't be any problems with reputable online jewellers.
Just want to make sure I get it right the first time so I don't need to deal with returning it, etc.
Just want to thank everyone for their input. :halo:

Steve
 
Steve,

After my perfect WF experience, I would imagine if you went with any of the PS preferred vendors, you'd not have a problem. They have a reputation to maintain, & an unsatisfied PSer could do great damage to years worth of good will etc.

Concise, clear communication is key.

I too wired the while chunk out, sight unseen (gulp).

Oh my. It is worth every penny.

Good luck, would love to see your purchase!
 
sarahb|1351563083|3295338 said:
Good luck, would love to see your purchase!
Click to expand...

I will definitely post it here once we receive it.
Still going through the process atm.
I am sure we will love it. I tried to find one here in AU first, but just couldn't find a nice diamond with matching quality and price.
Studying here at PS first make me realise how much ppl get ripped in AU shopping centres.
 
Well, I'll say this: my pre PS non mall jewelry pales in comparison to the new WF piece--want to now upgrade a few items--guess I better start stashing my coins away or figure how to swing this--good things take time I guess :))

It'll be exciting as soon as that package hits your door step!!
 
Hi Steve,

Another Aussie here. I was nervous about such a large online purchase as well but went with GOG and BGD as they had excellent reputations here on PS and could provide ASETs, videos etc. I could not have been happier with the diamond and ring I received from them.
Bank wire is easy enough - a lot of us use Ozforex. Rates tend to be better than the bank and it is an easy process.

Good luck - as you said, you realise how ripped off we are. The range of diamonds and settings and prices are so much better.

Also - don't forget, if you get a ring made, it may be duty exempt under the AUSFTA.
 
Hi Supers,

Thanks for the link.
Didn't realise such service exists.
Yeah, we are going to get a ring made and read about AUSFTA which I think makes it even better.
I was calculating the cost by adding 15% on top of the price before I knew about AUSFTA, now it is just 10%. :)

Regards,
Steve
 
Update:

I have decided on this diamond:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813932.htm

Traci at WF gave me a good offer which I couldn't refuse.

For all the Aussies:

Does having an AGS certificate cause any problems when you get your diamond appraised?
Do Aussie jewellers look at AGS the same as GIA?
I am asking before I have never heard of AGS until I found this forum.
Also, I am in Sydney, can anyone suggest a good appraiser?

Thank you for all the help so far from everyone on this forum, it has been a really good experience.
 
Well done on the diamond :appl:

AGS certificate should not be an issue. I emailed a copy of my AGS cert to my jeweller / appraiser in Melbourne and he was happy enough with it.
Or at least, I didn't hear if there were issues!
 
steve-112233|1351628045|3295799 said:
Also, I am in Sydney, can anyone suggest a good appraiser?

Thank you for all the help so far from everyone on this forum, it has been a really good experience.
Click to expand...

Hi

Gary Holloway has recommended the following appraiser in past postings:
http://www.gsl.net.au/staff.htm
Bill Sechos

HTH
 
hoynnij|1351683758|3296145 said:
steve-112233|1351628045|3295799 said:
Also, I am in Sydney, can anyone suggest a good appraiser?

Thank you for all the help so far from everyone on this forum, it has been a really good experience.
Click to expand...

Hi

Gary Holloway has recommended the following appraiser in past postings:
http://www.gsl.net.au/staff.htm
Bill Sechos

HTH
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will check them out.
 
People recommend who they themselves have had good experiences with. Unfortunately, not all of us can experience them ALL, and buy multiple pieces from multiples sources. :wink2:

I always feel more safe buying from ANY of these PS recommended vendors, though, since there is a huge following of people who have had positive experiences with them.. and I definitely give more weight to the recommendations coming from long-time PS'ers who I know aren't just bots or hired people, aiming to advertise.. (the way I'm often suspicious of those Zagat/Yahoo/Yelp reviews. 8))
 
Representatives from WF, GOG, Crafted by Infinity and JA post here.
On the rare occasion one of their customers is not happy he/she may post his/her complaint here and the world watches how the vendor resolves it.
(Once in a while an unethical customer will abuse this power, which I think is shameful.)

Still, I think this gives a customer tremendous peace of mind compared to going it alone in private to resolve a conflict with a vendor.
IMHO this a huge incentive to buy from these vendors.
 
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