Where To Buy Diamonds?

Online vs. Brick & Mortar

Diamond buying
Buying a diamond can be quite a challenge, especially for first-time buyers. Diamonds are a rather complex subject as you always have to consider many parameters which affect beauty, quality, and price.

And because they're not cheap, it's certainly in your best interest to educate yourself as much as you can before making a purchasing decision. If you're not prepared, be prepared to overpay.

Where To Get The Most Bang For Your Buck?

If you're looking for the best value for money, then the answer is simple - buy online. Online stores will always beat brick & mortar jewelries when it comes to price, simply because of the overhead.

Online retailers don't keep a vast in-house stock, since most of them sell diamonds for many different companies. Their overall cost of running a business is much lower than in the case of b&m stores, which have to maintain large inventories, pay significantly more for staff, rent, utilities, etc. This means that online shops can afford substantially lower margins, bringing you lower prices.

Of course, one big problem with online stores is that you usually can't see what you're buying, which is quite inefficient. Since all you can rely on are numbers and certificates, you can't really compare stones, you're basically buying blindly. Luckily, this is changing.

A few online retailers are now providing high resolution photos (and videos) of the diamonds they're selling, which is essential for determining eye-cleanliness and the overall shape appearance (the latter is particularly important for fancy shapes). A certificate simply can't tell you everything, therefore seeing a diamond before buying it is crucial in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.

The bottom line: For best value, shop online. However, never buy a diamond online blindly, without first seeing a high resolution photo of it.


There are many online diamond stores out there, but a lot of them don't provide quality actual diamond images (or videos) for you to inspect. Here is a list of the most reputable, trustworthy online retailers with long history of superb customer service (see iVouch reviews for proof):


James Allen (www.jamesallen.com)
The most recommended place to buy diamonds online is James Allen. They offer vast selection of stones at competitive prices and most importantly – they provide detailed high resolution videos that allow you to see magnified diamonds in 360-degree view, so you can really take a good look at what you're buying. They also offer price match guarantee for GIA certified diamonds (more details here). Add to that a top-notch customer service and you get a winning combination.



Whiteflash (www.whiteflash.com)
Whiteflash is one of the foremost authorities on hearts and arrows diamonds and has a large in-house inventory of ideal diamonds, all of which come with actual photos and video, plus a full set of gemological evaluations and light performance imagery. For the finest round and princess cut diamonds check out their A CUT ABOVE line.



Brian Gavin Diamonds (www.briangavindiamonds.com)
When it comes to super ideal diamonds, Brian Gavin is certainly one of the most esteemed authorities. With very strict quality standards only truly superior stones have a chance to be included into his signature lines. If you're looking for a top of the line super ideal diamond, or something special like a blue diamond, definitely check what Brian Gavin has to offer.



Conclusion

Many are still wary of buying diamonds online, but purchasing from reputable, trustworthy online vendors that provide actual diamond photos and videos is safe, convenient, and considerably more affordable than the alternative. If you don't believe me, do a little test. Visit a couple of local jewelries and compare their prices with the prices of the online stores mentioned on this page. You will be surprised at how much money you can save by just buying online.