26 Nov San Diego Tips for Buying Jewelry Online
As a long-time member of the San Diego jewelers community, we encourage jewelry shoppers to visit the many fabulous jewelry stores in San Diego, which offer a dazzling array of fine jewelry. For example, here at C. Blackburn Jewelers of La Jolla we specialize in custom jewelry design and vintage and antique jewelry, while at a San Diego jeweler like Stuart Benjamin, you can shop for jewelry from popular designer collections, such as Gabriel & Co., Sylvie, and Michael Jensen. When it comes to bridal jewelry design, the choices among San Diego jewelry stores is nearly endless.
However, we are aware that some shoppers like to do their jewelry shopping online, at least in the beginning, so that they can get a feel for prices and available options. So, we’ve put together the following tips for buying jewelry online, while recommending you always contact your local San Diego jeweler to see if they can arrange for you a better deal than what the online jeweler is offering. Plus you’ll get a chance to see how a ring, earrings, necklace, or bracelet actually looks on you!
Make Sure You Trust the Jeweler
When buying jewelry online, it is probably more important than with any other transaction to “buy” the seller before you buy the jewelry item. Take your time and do some research into the online jeweler before you hit the “confirm purchase” button. Trusting the seller is absolutely key to a satisfactory shopping experience.
As a shopper, you have a huge advantage when looking into a particular seller. A simple Google search will reveal all sorts of information, including how long they’ve been in the business. Ideally, they should have a relatively long and proven track record. New online jewelers may not have years worth of reviews, but you should be able to glean what sort of merchant they are by the opinions of previous buyers.
Also, you should be able to contact the seller directly. Any retailer you choose to deal with should be professional, knowledgeable, and fully capable of answering any questions you might have. Even small interactions with the jeweler can reveal a great deal of information about how knowledgeable they are. Consider asking questions about a piece you are already familiar with in order to gauge the quality of the response. If they don’t know as much about emeralds as you do, you should probably shop elsewhere.
Another way to confirm the reputation of the seller is to check their ratings with consumer advocate organizations like the Better Business Bureau.
Check the Jeweler’s Return Policy
You should always expect a reputable online jewelry store to offer a full refund if the jewelry item is not what you expected. Any jeweler who doesn’t offer a refund simply doesn’t believe in the product. Even if the item simply doesn’t look as good in person as it did online, the merchant should offer a reasonable amount of time for you to examine the piece and make sure it’s exactly what you wanted.
If possible, confirm this policy verbally with the retailer. A short conversation with the seller can go a long way toward building the trust that is so important when making a decision to buy jewelry online.
Learn About Fine Jewelry & Gemstones
When considering buying fine jewelry online, one of the most important tools a buyer has is the ability to do research. Learn everything you can about the jewelry you’re interested in buying. If it’s a diamond ring, study the 4Cs so that you know which factors affect the stone’s value.
For colored gemstones and other fine jewelry, learn about other factors that can affect value, like any sort of gemstone treatments the stone might have been subjected to. Another factor that can affect a stone’s value is its country of origin. You might be surprised to learn how much more valuable an emerald is when it is from Columbia.
In addition to carefully reading the jeweler’s online listing, checking lab reports, and looking at the seller’s Terms of Sale, buyers can also research the market. What is a fair price? Rather than trying to negotiate a fair price, find out what is setting the price in the market by looking at similar pieces from multiple retailers.
Once you know what you’re paying for and what the fair market value is, you can rely on a trusted seller’s price.
Expect Plenty of Photographs
Since you’re not able to handle the piece of jewelry you’re considering buying, it’s important to have as good a look as possible at the piece. Photographs should be high quality, and there should be plenty of them.
Any jewelry item you’re considering should be photographed from many angles, and depict any imperfections, or scratches and other damage if you’re buying a vintage piece. Notable details should be highlighted, like maker’s or fineness marks, unique design aspects, or artist’s signatures.
If possible, ask the merchant to have a model wear the item you’re interested in. Often, a piece that looks great on against a velvet background might not look quite as nice when worn.
Look for Detailed Jewelry Descriptions
A picture might be worth a thousand words, but you should expect detailed written descriptions of any jewelry item you consider buying online. A good description can provide details that not even the best photographs can reveal. Gemstones should be identified and described, and their measurements should be provided.
Also, any descriptions of the piece’s quality should be backed up by lab reports or professional appraisals. Any grading reports should be explained, and for vintage and antique pieces, any special history or provenance should be detailed.
The 5th “C” — Diamond Certification
When considering diamonds, understanding the 4Cs — clarity, color, cut, and carat weight– is vitally important, but don’t forget the 5th C: Certification. Grading reports by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gemological Society (AGS) are really the only way to be sure about the quality of the diamond or other gemstone you are buying.
These independent laboratory certifications contain unbiased, scientific analyses of diamonds and colored gemstones, and function as an indispensable ‘guarantee’ of the stone’s ultimate quality.
Now that we’ve covered a bit of what to consider when shopping for fine jewelry online, let’s look at two of the biggest online jewelers to see how they compare.
Online Jewelers
Blue Nile
As the largest retailer of certified diamonds in the world, Blue Nile is well-known for its large selection of loose diamonds and engagement rings, but the Seattle based online retailer is also a resource of educational materials and guidance on how to buy fine jewelry online. Blue Nile was established in 1999, and has built a solid reputation both with its customers, and within the industry.
Blue Nile is now larger than the next three online jewelers combined. While most online jewelry stores offer some educational articles like how-to guides or buying guides, Blue Nile provides shoppers with more in-depth articles on how to select diamonds and other gemstones, as well as information on various precious metals and their care and cleaning.
All of the diamonds sold by Blue Nile are certified by the Gemological Society of America (GIA), or the American Gemological Society (AGS). These grading reports are included with each diamond purchased, assuring customers of the stones’ quality and allowing for easy comparison.
Shipping is done via FedEx, and provided free of charge, though they only require a signature with jewelry items worth more than $1,00. All diamonds are also certified as conflict free.
The return policy at Blue Nile is generous, allowing customers to return any jewelry item for up to thirty days for any reason, excepting of course engraved pieces or special order items.
James Allen
James Allen was founded in 2006 by a group with over 60 years combined experience, and has grown into the world’s largest privately held online diamond retailer. With a mission to simplify the buying process and educate the shopper about fine jewelry, James Allen specifically caters to a group who knows they can use the internet to educate themselves about how to find the best in selection, quality, and price. The business model is simple: provide quality merchandise, customer support, and seamless functionality on their website.
What distinguishes James Allen as an online retailer is their proprietary Diamond Display Technology: a 360 degree view that magnifies the images 20x to 40x — more than the normal 10x jeweler’s loupe. Customers can see in more detail exactly what they’re buying.
The staff at James Allen is carefully trained to educate their clients, and they work in a commission-free environment, ensuring that customers get valuable information that is not influenced by the transaction.
All the diamonds sold by James Allen are certified, although some carry the IGI certification, typically more lenient than those provided by the GIA or the AGS. Any jewelry item can be returned for any reason within 30 days as long as it is in new condition. Return shipping is offered at no charge through FedEx.
Is Shopping for Jewelry Online Cheaper?
There is a common misconception that buying jewelry online is always cheaper than in-person, and that the only benefits of shopping with a brick-and-mortar fine jeweler is the ability to try the item on or have a piece custom designed.
While it is true that it is sometimes less expensive to shop for jewelry online, there are a number of San Diego jewelry stores, such as C. Blackburn Jewelers, that actually beat the prices online retailers charge for large carat diamond rings and other items. We are able to do this because our boutique jewelry store is run entirely by owner Carl Blackburn, who keeps the business overhead low, so as to offer the best possible prices for the finest jewelry.
Drop by our estate jewelry store in La Jolla-By-The-Sea, or give us a call at 858-251-3006 and let us know the kind of jewelry you are looking for. You also can contact owner Carl Blackburn directly by sending an email via the contact form below.
