Where To Buy Diamonds?
Online vs. Brick & Mortar
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 and 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 can't inspect what you're buying in person. Luckily, this is not a dealbreaker anymore, since pretty much all reputable online retailers now provide high resolution photos and videos of the diamonds they're selling. This 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.
Online retailers don't keep a vast in-house stock and 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 can't inspect what you're buying in person. Luckily, this is not a dealbreaker anymore, since pretty much all reputable online retailers now provide high resolution photos and videos of the diamonds they're selling. This 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 and/or video of it.
Recommended Online Retailers:
UPDATE May 2026: Previously highly recommended James Allen has merged with Blue Nile, making the latter now the top recommendation for buying diamonds online. The James Allen brand will remain available at Blue Nile.
Blue Nile
(www.bluenile.com)
Whiteflash (www.whiteflash.com)
Brian Gavin Diamonds (www.briangavindiamonds.com)
Established in 1999, Blue Nile revolutionized the industry by becoming the first big scale online diamond seller. They have a huge selection of diamonds, natural and lab created, as well as jewelry and gemstones. Very competitive pricing and a great overall user experience. Being one of the leaders in the business for a couple of decades now, they know what they're doing. You can find some great deals there. International orders are no problem.
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 something truly special, a top of the line super ideal 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 can be 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.