Quick answer: VRAI essentially grades their own diamonds, and this is concerning to me personally, because there seems to be a possible built-in conflict of interest there. Once you receive tracking information, and the package is in transit, you can log into your account and re-route your package to an alternate delivery location. But with reputable third-party labs such as the GIA, the diamond graders have no idea which company is selling the diamond. This service is only offered to diamonds .25ct and above and is only available to the original diamond purchaser. But at least you could buy the diamond, and look at it yourself, and know that youre happy with it. Gemist offered an Oval Solitaire Pav for $14,912.50. Lab-created diamonds are created in a controlled environment, while natural diamonds are formed over millions of years deep within the Earths crust. A GIA certificate is essentially a document that details the color, cut, clarity, and carat weight of each individual diamond. Does all this mean you shouldnt buy from VRAI? But, with Diamond Foundrys certification, we can be confident that their diamonds are of high quality. Logistically its much easier. My understanding is that Diamond Foundry (who owns Vrai) is moving away from IGI and will be issuing their own certificates exclusively soon. A $200 USD recycling fee will be deducted from each engagement ring refund. You can feel confident even though youre not an expert, that youre getting what they describe. If an independent institute grades it differently, customers can get their money back. They are doing all they can to slow the inevitable transition to a superior technology that does not create such an ecological disruption to the planet; they've invested tens of billions of dollars in mines and mining equipment and need decades to amortize that cost. However, its important to note that all custom jewelry design sales are final. (Not the best strategy, as Ill explain. True love is a dream, but finding the right engagement ring can be a nightmare. No. If that were a diamond with a GIA-issued certificate, that would be an excellent price. (Saving $2,572.). Four-prong settings such as the one at James Allen are perfectly secure, as long as theyre maintained and inspected from time to time. So, the lack of an independent grading report should be added to the true cost of VRAIs diamonds and diamond jewelry. The prices of the settings at VRAI are high, in my opinion, compared to other diamond merchants such as James Allen and Blue Nile. Im not saying that VRAI is lying. When it comes to design, VRAI and James Allen rings have very different aesthetics. In my opinion, this is the way it should be, and I think VRAIs designs are some of the best examples of this philosophy in action., I am thoroughly impressed with a wedding diamond ring I just received. Customers can choose platinum, yellow gold, white gold, or rose gold to accompany their quality diamond. Helzbergs Radiant Star Diamond Review: Is it worth it? The diamond bracelet with a weight of 2.80 total carats costs $4,950. And maybe their gemologists really are as strict on their own employers as the GIA would be. If your jewelry gets lost, damaged, or stolen, Jewelers Mutual can get you all set. Hint: Yes, there is a catch, in my opinion. So we cant know for sure what each grade means. Can You Trust Medium.coms Ultimate Guide to the Best Buy on a Diamond Engagement Ring? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In fact, most lab-created diamonds have much better color than J. Your sub for all things diamond. Blogger found a better alternative for $8,995 (and another better one for $3,195). Heres how to get an objectively (certified) MUCH better 3-carat diamond ring for $13,000. Heres how to get the same quality or better ring for FAR less. When youre shopping for an engagement ring at VRAI, you have the option to buy a loose diamond. Thoughts? Heres why: That may be one reason it is more expensive. The gemologist doing the grading is accountable to the GIA, not to any diamond merchant. Youll find mostly unique pieces at VRAI that you wont find anywhere else. Even the minimalist James Allen rings dont have the attention to detail that the VRAI ones have. All in all, I paid $7100, and it was a great value compared to other places I looked at. I found a GIA-certified, better alternative for $7,620 (saving $4,130). You can get a certified better diamond ring for as low as $1,040. And if they could do THAT (even accidentally) in what they tell customers, my belief is that well I personally would hesitate to trust the grades on the certificate. VRAI Jewelry is owned and operated by Vanessa Stofenmacher. And mostly succeed. All they know is the diamond is in front of them. No. We generally face off against JamesAllen or Brilliant Earth. The GIA is a third-party referee. GIA is complicit with the mining interests who understand the existential threat of LGD to their overpriced and anachronistic ways. Compared to offerings at James Allen (my go-to place for engagement ring recommendations, for good reason), the off-the-shelf designs at VRAI might be more interesting to many people. Its not bad and heres why. I dont know. You can buy VRAIs jewelry online at their official website and their physical showrooms. GIA offers a report for synthetic diamonds. VRAI settings cost close to twice as much, when compared to the prices of settings at James Allen. Is this 1-carat diamond solitaire engagement ring from Jared a smart buy at $7,000? VRAI provides quality band metals to ensure that your ring will last as long as possible. The diamonds never have to be shipped off then shipped back. But will the price savings on diamonds at VRAI even out the costs? Its around $7,000, versus the VRAI offering of $2,838. You might think thats the same thing, pretty much. The main difference between lab-created diamonds and those mined from the earth is their origin. If you are having an issue with the delivery of your package, you can reach out to hello@VRAI.com for assistance. Additionally, as mentioned before VRAI diamonds are not GIA certified, which means that they may not meet the same standards as other diamonds. No. Yes, VRAI offers ring engravings. It is graded (but not by the GIA, as you might think, looking at the page) as Excellent cut, and J-Color and VS2 Clarity. While you wont find anything too flashy or gaudy at VRAI, you will find discrete and subtle pieces that let the diamonds themselves do the work. What if being on a budget is the whole reason youre opting for VRAI in the first place? But its exciting, thats for sure. **This website contains affiliate links, meaning we earn small commission if items are purchased,it helps us to support the maintenance of the website. Is this 1-1/2-tcw Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring from Jared for $2,800 a good buy? No. Is this 2-TOTAL-carat weight Pear shaped diamond engagement ring from Kay a smart buy at $3,300? Let me show you why I think so. But its NOT. This sorting feature allows shoppers to see what rings are the most popular or desirable, giving them ideas of what rings they might like. Lab-created diamonds from James Allen (and other reputable diamond sellers) have diamond grading reports / certificates issues by third-party diamond grading labs such as the GIA, the IGI, and the AGS. I show you how. Before you buy, read this article first. And theyre telling me that literally in their entire life as a business theyve never seen this., The diamond is stunning and the ring itself is very comfortable to wear. The company has a clear understanding of what makes for an elegant and timeless piece of jewelry, and their designs reflect that knowledge. That said, lab-created diamonds are usually much less expensive than earth-mined diamonds. No wars were fought over lab-created diamond territory. Below, see a very similar basic 4-prong platinum setting at Blue Nile for $740. Helzberg offers a 1/2-carat diamond necklace on sale for $1,000. Since VRAI designs, creates, and grows their own diamonds, they have an incredibly high standard of quality for their creations. And more than likely, youll love your diamond.) Then do that. So, personally I would hesitate buy from VRAI for that reason. Thats real. Seemed like if you go lab you have to deal with the downside of IGI certificates. Get a GIA-certified, better one at James Allen for about $14K (or less, at about $9K). But its not a diamond with a GIA-issued certificate. ). Their diamonds are grown in state-of-the-art facilities using cutting-edge technology, and their experienced team of diamond experts ensures that each diamond we produce meets the strictest standards of quality and perfection. White Gold Diamond Engagement Rings I Love (And how to get better diamonds for up to 65% off.). certified Also, in regards to your question on sending a diamond to GIA, VRAI can certainly send your loose diamond to GIA for a report. Why? On the other hand, James Allen (and many another diamond merchant) pays the GIA and other third-party diamond labs to grade their diamonds. You can choose the specific diamond, rather than selecting a pre-set diamond. I don't see that happening in the bigger ( 1.5+ ) better color (G+) anytime soon. But then youll, Or, if you dont really have the cash on hand to pay $375 up front for VRAI to get the GIA to grade the diamond, just trust VRAI. The simple yet exquisite designs showcase them perfectly. But they're not GIA certificates. It could go either way. Since VRAIs diamonds are created in a lab, they have the technical advantage of designing diamonds of exceptional quality. So I'm wondering what that is (can you have any diamond certified by GIA?). After that, a diamond expert and the VRAI team will help you find the perfect diamond to complete your vision. This is not the place to prove to you that lab-created diamonds are 100% authentic, 100% the same chemically, 100% the same physically, 100% the same with respect to light dynamics. To schedule a VRAI virtual appointment, you should visit the VRAI website and select the Book an Appointment button. The process of buying a loose diamond from VRAI is simple. Once youve found a diamond you love, add it to your cart and checkout. Yes, VRAI offers custom jewelry designs. No. Should you buy a VRAI Diamond? And Ill spell it out, below. Youd BARELY make it under the deadline if you made it all. VRAI is an online marketplace that sells classic, simple, timeless jewelry, with diamonds being their most popular pieces. They were fooling inexperienced customers en masse, in the bad old days. Lab-created diamonds are much less expensive than earth-mined diamonds because they are produced in a controlled environment, using advanced technological processes. The stone is a little sparkly and compared to the almost identical necklace I have from another store it just pales in comparison.. In that case, trust VRAIs grading report on their own diamond. Your email address will not be published. There is a $375 USD non-refundable fee associated with this process. No matter how you look at it, shopping for that perfect piece is a daunting task. Thats just my personal opinion. Different things entirely. The round brilliant cut of diamond is understandably the most popular cut for diamond engagement rings. Have a look at VRAIs basic round brilliant diamond engagement ring designs. From there, you will be able to choose a date and time that works for you. But I can make an argument here, and I think Im right.). You can get a certified, objectively better diamond ring for $5,305. Even if VRAI is competitive with Blue Nile and James Allen on the total prices of engagement rings (settings + diamonds), is there a catch? VRAI doesnt offer the ability to create your jewelry with diamonds less than 1-carat. YOU CAN TRUST IT. Of course there are other shapes. 2022 comboreviews.com | All rights reserved. A LOT. You can always find good things to say about any jeweler. VRAI sells hundreds of different quality diamond engagement rings. Looking at the VRAI site, it would be easy to make the mistake of thinking the diamonds are GIA graded. Instead get this BETTER one for $12,427. No. VRAI is one of those services. Heres a basic 4-prong platinum engagement ring setting at VRAI for $1,200. No need to prove anything. Required fields are marked *. As the founder and head creative director of VRAI, Vanessa essentially defines her vision for VRAI and develops the best team possible to achieve that vision. Then examine it yourself when you get it. Not by the GIA. Blogger reveals a brilliant way to get a certified, MUCH better one for $310 less. Is this 1-carat oval diamond at Zales worth the on sale price of $3,000? They dont know, for example, that James Allen will sell it. The certificate will document where any imperfections are, and this will give you hints as to what part of the images and video you should pay closer attention to. Its the most classic. That seems to me to be a much more trustworthy system. diamond trillion ring wanelo She has led VRAI to its current success and continues to define the brand. I know, its questionable, compared to the GIA. Dont buy this 3-carat diamond engagement ring at Jared for $24K. Get a certified, much better one for $11,127 ($3,772 less! Sure, it costs $375. Personally, I would go the safer route: I would have VRAI send a diamond to the GIA for an official GIA grading report before it was ever shipped to me. But its important. Certain elements of the diamond industry have caused undeniable environmental and human rights strife. Theyre essentially the same company. Press J to jump to the feed. The website navigation was simple, and the structure made sense. It has a diamond grading report which was issues by The Diamond Foundry, which is basically the same company as VRAI. And you dont really have the money for that anyway. VRAI jewelry ships in a generic box, which does include VRAI in the return address.Your package is fully insured while in transit. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Did you notice it has no center diamond?