Best Jewelry Stores NYC Diamond District

If you are looking for diamond engagement rings, NYC offers more selection than any other city on the planet… and the Diamond District on 47^th Street is epicenter of all the action. Before we name names in our “Top 10 Rated NYC Diamond District Stores Review,” it’s important that you walk onto Jewelers Row with your eyes wide open…

NYC Diamond District Stores

The NYC Diamond District operates within a set of rules that have not changed much since its 18^th Century barter economy beginnings. Walk down 47^th Street Jewelers Row and you will routinely see men dressed in traditional black Hasidic clothing with briefcases handcuffed to their wrists – moving from shop to shop and building to building. Look in these shops and you will see these Diamantaires (diamond merchants) with their jeweler’s loupes raised, examining inventory and speaking loudly in Yiddish, Russian, Hindi, Hebrew, Marathi, Rajasthani and other Slavic languages, occasionally locked in a heated negotiation trying to source a diamond for “their” special client. 

It is precisely this barter economy that draws buyers to these NYC Diamond District Stores. There is something visceral about being in and around people haggling in an old-world way: hands flailing, voices raised and players walking away only to return a minute later to start again. In the heat of battle there will be a winner and there will be a loser (and of course that loser is not going to be you, right?!?).

Rules Between Merchants – NYC Jewelry Stores on 47^th Street

Commercial law does not really exist among the merchants on Jewelers Row– at least as we know it. Intra-merchant transactions usually do not require credit lines or signed contracts, and a Diamantaire’s business and future is not based on standardized agreements, but on honoring their word. Keep your word and your network is secure and your financial future looks bright. Break your word to another Diamantaire and you are shunned, exiled, and pushed out of business by other industry participants. A lawyer is never called, it is just over…

JUMP TO TOP 10 STORE LIST

Outsiders Don’t Get the Same Treatment in the NYC Diamond District

Those same ‘honor rules’ don’t apply to customers like you. The trading bazaar rules that protect the Diamantaires from each other work because they are all quite knowledgeable, speak in ‘diamond shorthand’ and have decades of mutually beneficial financial interactions together. We are neophytes and, in comparison, know very little about diamonds. Unfortunately we are each a single transaction, they need several a day to make a decent living…

“Buyer beware” is screaming at you from every direction. If you are not careful you will pay full price, and bit more, and end up with less than you bargained for, ahem, so to speak.

Survival Rules on Jewelers Row

First, understand that many diamond merchants in the District are hardworking professionals that are licensed, bonded and generational – they work on referrals and an excellent product offering is how they get those referrals. However, there are also some that are very unscrupulous.

Here is how an unscrupulous diamond merchant can tell if he is dealing with an easy mark or a tough negotiator.

The first two questions they ask you are: “what size diamond are you interested in and what shape are you looking for?”

Everyone has an answer to these. 95% of the time the answer is 1, 1 ½ or 2 carats and 75% of the time it is a round brilliant cut. These are completely harmless questions to answer.

The third and far more dangerous question is: “how much do you want to spend?!?”

What about the three “quality” questions of color, cut and clarity that come before THAT question??

If you get asked the money question before the quality question your antenna should go way up… If it happens simply say “well that depends on the color, cut, clarity and grading lab. Perhaps you should show me a [1 carat, d color, excellent cut, VS1 clarity, round diamond] and we can go from there. Note that the 4 c’s contained in the [brackets] are metrics you should know about the diamond you want to buy before you go – of course yours will be different than the bracketed example.

Q: What if all I know is the size and shape of the diamond and what I can afford?

Well you are not alone – that is what makes a novice in the NYC Diamond District such an easy target. There are over 1200 combinations of color, cut and clarity for any sized “jewelry grade” diamond. Most people hope that their jeweler will recommend the best value for the price, size and shape. Unfortunately that is not always the case on 47th Street. 

WhiteFlash Diamonds Pricing is Very Useful Here…

Whether you know your exact 4C’s or not, we highly recommend going to our #1 recommended 2020/21 online diamond store, WhiteFlash and input your size, shape and price. WhiteFlash is not the cheapest online diamond store (you don’t want cheap – you’ll discover strange things later with those diamonds) but WhiteFlash is very competitive and they will give you a good price benchmark to take with you to 47^th Street.

Start with WhiteFlash’s A CUT ABOVE® Super Ideal Cut Diamonds (links two paragraphs below). These are the best of the best cut and have the “Triple Ideal” cut from the American Gemological Society Laboratory, a well respected grading lab in the diamond business. 

WhiteFlash has a fantastic system to examine the cut of each diamond. Instead of just showing you a magnified 3D image, they show you the diamond using technology: the first is an Ideal Scope, which shows light leakage. The second uses an ASET scope, which “paints” the dozens of facets different colors depending on their angle to show you the precision of the cut. And the third uses a Hearts and Arrows Scope to show you the hearts and arrow pattern on round brilliant diamonds.

To find the price and 4C’s for WhiteFlash A CUT ABOVE® diamonds click a either the round or princess cut shape. Then anonymously enter your size and price range => ROUND | PRINCESS.

Note there are no ‘A CUT ABOVE®’ diamonds available for shapes other than round and princess cut, so you will need to fine tune the 4Cs yourself for other shapes – not the end of the world, just a little more work.

Ready??

Now that you know where the 4C’s of a high quality diamond in your price range should land, try this exercise again by adjusting the variables of color and clarity down (and up) one grade, but keeping the other variables constant.  This will give you a good sense of price movement if your diamond dealer shows you a lesser diamond to accommodate your price. By the way, “cut” is the only man-made variable and because of this it has the least price movement. You should always get the best cut possible because cut determines the sparkle, scintillation, and light performance of a diamond and its movement up the quality curve is a bargain for what you get.

How We Decided on the Rating for the Top 10 Stores in This Review

Because of the reputation of some of the diamond dealers on Jewelers Row, we optimized for trust and client satisfaction. If you do your homework online* ahead of time, you will know what an excellent price for a high quality diamond should look like.  

*online stores do not have significant overhead or personnel costs, and therefore tend to be between 20% and 40% less than traditional retail prices for the same diamond.

First Screen: Better Business Bureau, A+ rated and Accredited

There are over 1300 stores in the Diamond District in New York City. Some are at ground level and others are in the offices high above. Less than 50 of them carry a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A+, and only about half of those are Accredited by the BBB.

Why is Accreditation Important?

A BBB Accreditation permits the Better Business Bureau to offer the store’s customers (i.e. you) dispute resolution services. BBB Accreditation also allows the store to display the Better Business Bureau A+ rating in and around their store, on their website and on their brochures. Financially, this means a lot to a jeweler in a ‘buyer beware’ market like the diamond market. Less than 3% of the stores in the NYC Diamond District have this accreditation and there is a dramatic increase in sales because of the trust factor of the BBB A+ logo.  What is positive for you is that a BBB accredited store will defend the A+ rating even if it means dealing with the BBB if a customer is unhappy. A claim is almost always resolved and agreed by both parties, or the store will wear the scarlet letter of an unresolved claim. A few of these and the store loses its A+ rating. That is extremely bad for business.  

Second Screen: Number of Complaints at the Better Business Bureau

A business can maintain its A+ rating and accreditation if the store is willing to resolve all customer complaints. But the fact is, customers who complain to the BBB are usually angry about a transaction and the store didn’t resolve the complaint before it was escalated. When doing the research for this report, we found stores in the “A category” (A+, A, and A-) had anywhere from zero to 55 complaints over the last 3 years. 55 complaints is a lot of resolution for an A category store! So, we added another layer, number of complaints.

Excellent – 0 or 1 complaint in the last three years

Good – 2 or 3 complaints in the last three years

Fair – 4 or 5 complaints in the last three years

If a NYC Diamond District store had zero or one complaint filed with the BBB in the last three years, we rated it excellent. Two or three and we rated it good, and four or five and we rated it fair. Over five and the store did not make our pool of candidates, even if all were eventually resolved.

Third Screen: Years in Business

A store that has been in business for decades has a stable referral base and a good reputation. It is exceedingly difficult to stay in business for generations if you are not doing the right thing by your customers. We show you how long each store has been in business on Jeweler’s Row.

Fourth Screen: A Critical Mass of 4.5 to 5 Star YELP Ratings

YELP is less important than the BBB criteria because YELP ratings can be gamed through advertising and giveaways. For example, if a diamond dealer has 100 YELP ratings: five one-star ratings, 10 three-star ratings and 85 five-star ratings, they will have an overall five-star rating on YELP. You will have to dig deep to understand that this store has 5 unhappy customers out of 100, because the volume of ratings overall is positive. Still, a store that actively cultivates its YELP ratings tends to do the right thing to get the almighty five-star review. A favorable YELP rating combined with the Better Business Bureau data gives a belts and suspenders check on trustworthiness.

Fifth and Final Screen: Allowed Us to Interview Them

Many of the Top 10 NYC Diamond District stores in our review have been interviewed by us. Those that were non-responsive when we contacted them, no matter how good their data, were moved down. We identify if we’ve talked with them in their store write up below. 

GET YOU DIAMOND AT 20-30% OFF DIAMOND DISTRICT NYC PRICES

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

Okaaaay…. Now that we have just given you a lot of information, let’s get to the reason you are really here. To find out the best of the best in the New York City Diamond District, in our humble (but considered) opinion!

New York Diamond District 10 Best Stores for 2020/2021

#1 ID Jewelry

15 W 47th St #305, New York, NY 10036

888-921-9372

idjewelry.com/

When we went to the ID Jewelry store to meet management for our first review back in 2017 we were impressed. ID Jewelry had made our Top 10 list and the business’ family atmosphere was unique for Jewelers’ and the raving fans on YELP pointed to the fact that this was ones of the [best jewelry stores in the NYC Diamond District], but were they number one? At the time they were ranked #3 on our list and Yekutiel Davidov questioned why they were not number 1 (which I loved by the way). At the time it was because their return policy was not obvious to us. A few days later their policy was put front and center on their website. Their business is has an A+ rating and is actually has a 5 star customer rating (from 5 reviewers) on the Better Business Bureau website. Getting an A+ rating is hard, but getting 5 customers to go onto BBB and rate the store? None of the others had this.

It’s obvious to us that the team at ID Jewelry love what they do and do in fact put customers first. As far as their offering? Excellent. Stores that offer diamond engagement rings in NYC usually fall into two classes. Simple but elegant standardized settings or custom settings that boggle the mind. ID Jewelry has both. Make sure you checkout their store review here.

#2 Leigh Jay & Co.

115 W 45th St #504, New York, NY 10036

212-719-2888

antiqueengagementrings.com/

Leigh Jay Nacht is know for his vintage and vintage design diamond engagement rings. Many of his rings have Old European Cut round diamonds or Old Mine Cut cushion diamonds. His offering is quite unique on Jewelers Row where diamantaires compete to provide the most brilliant flash at the lowest possible price. Leigh’s offering is simple, elegant, and takes us back to a time long ago every time we look at the purity of the LJN ring on the finger. Designs include Edwardian, Belle Epoque, 1930’s, Art Nouveau and Art Deco engagement rings.

Leigh’s offering may be the only one of its kind in the [Diamond District] and he was our #1 rated jeweler in our 2017 [Diamond District] Top 10 Review. He was close again in this review because his metrics have improved markedly. But the data pushed ID Jewelry way up.  Still, if you are looking for a really special vintage old-world diamond engagement ring, you must speak to Leigh because he is clearly #1 in this category in the New York Diamond District and probably #1 in the United States.

Make sure you read his interview, store review and images of some of his wonderful offerings here.

#3 Ianelli Diamonds

45 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

212-575-1700

iannellidiamonds.com/

Iannelli Diamonds was founded in 1956 in Brooklyn, NY they have been a well-known and respected family business in the NYC Jewelry Industry ever since. The family moved to the NYC Diamond District in 1977 and they have been a strong influence in the diamond trade on 47th Street ever since.

Iannelli Diamonds specializes in Engagement Rings and is known for being straight-up, honest and easy to work with. When we met with the family this was quite obvious to us. Make sure you check out our interview with Joe Shovak here.

#4 Dreamstone

15 W 47th St #803, New York, NY 10036

800-818-8386

dreamstone.com/

Joseph David started the family business over 100 years ago. At some point Eli and Guy made the decision to leave the United States to join the family business in Johannesburg, South Africa. They worked there for several years with their father who ran a diamond factory in town. They learned the diamond trade from the ground up and opened DreamStone in 1998. It has been at the same location in Jewelers Row for over a decade.

Every Dreamstone piece is 100% custom made. This jumped out at us as we toured the showroom. Dreamstone also carriers its own inventory, sourced from the family business in South Africa. It’s not uncommon in the NYC Diamond District for jewelers to source diamonds from each another. Like virtually all diamonds on jewelers row, their diamonds are conflict free and GIA graded.

Read their interview with us here

#5 Jangmi Jewelry

44 West 47th Street, #GF16, New York, NY 10036

212-302-5000

jangmidiamonds.com/

Jangmi is a new addition to our Top 10 list, and made it to the top half because of their overwhelming metrics. The Kim family owns Jangmi Jewelry and we could see them moving up further if we had the chance to meet them personally. They specialize in GIA graded diamonds, diamond wedding bands and engagement rings.

Jangmi is a member of New York Diamond Dealers Club. Membership in the NYDDC is rare among the diamond dealers on Jewelers Row and give the business access to a large pool of diamonds.

Please note their return policy was not obvious to us on their site. 

#6 Ultimate Diamond Co

19 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

646-366-8018

ultimatediamond.com/

Ultimate Diamond is a 3rd generation family-run and operated business dating back to 1959. Ultimate is known for customer service and value. They count professional athletes and famous celebrities as well as college sweethearts among their customers base. They provide clients with exceptional guidance and design assistance in making any beautiful piece of jewelry.

Ultimate Diamond was first started by the late Mr. Kung Sr. when he brought his family and burgeoning pearl business over to America from Taiwan in 1959. He grew the business steadily over the decades until his son took over the business in the 1980’s. They offer exclusively GIA graded diamonds.

#7 Bianca Jewelers

647 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022

212-308-6150

biancajewelers.com/

Bianca Jewelers was founded by Manuel and Irma Benzer, Bianca Jewelers still resides in the same location from over 50 years ago which we find amazing.

Bianca Jewelers specializes in custom engagement rings and fine jewelry, and offering services such as custom designs, insurance appraisals, jewelry restoration and repair as well as watch repairs. 

One point to highlight is that their return policy is shorter than most of the others, so make note of this when you are deciding your options.

#8 Roman Malakov Diamonds

1 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

212-944-8500

romanmalakov.com/

The Malakov’s started as watch makers just after World War II. After mastering the watch trade, the Malakov brothers embarked into rare gems. Over time, the Malakov brothers had then established themselves as experts of the “Russian cut” standard of diamond cutting.

The family has been in the jewelry business for over 100 years and have mastered all the aspects of the trade, including diamond cutting, jewelry-making, retail, and wholesale operations. They strive to provide the highest standards of quality and service using principles of integrity, loyalty and client satisfaction.

Please note return policy. They say 7 to 10 business days on their website, but it’s not clear in which circumstance each applies.

#9 MDC Diamonds

580 5th Ave #349, New York, NY 10036

866-239-4315

mdcdiamonds.com/

MDC Diamonds is the most “searched” jeweler on our site. This statistic alone means they are doing a lot of business. We like their selection, price and GIA diamonds, of course like the others-MDC has an A+ Better Business Bureau Rating, and a strong YELP Rating. Their respondent number is low, but good – which means they don’t manage YELP.

#10 With Clarity

38 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036

844-234-6463

www.withclarity.com/

This is the first time we have included a diamond dealer in our Top 10 review that is more online than offline, so we necessarily put them near the bottom oN a more traditional list. Still we understand the world has changed and think their metrics warrant being one of the top 10 jewelers in the NYC Diamond District.

Their story is especially inspiring The moment Anubh Shah decided to ask Slisha to marry him, he knew not just any ring would do. He wanted something that spoke to their past together and the future they would share. Anubh Shah set out to create the perfect ring himself, piece by piece, finding the diamonds and band she would wear forever. He realized the impersonal and overwhelming struggle shoppers face with traditional jewelers.

Through their own journey, Anubh Shah and Slisha found a better process. Technology enabled 3D printing and bridging the best of online and offline shopping was the solution. Now they share that experience with the world, helping everyone find their perfect match with confidence and with clarity.

This year we turned over more stones than ever before and spent roughly 100 hours on this review. We hope you enjoy the contents and make sure you tell them that Jewelers.NYC sent you! We do not receive any fees from these 10 jewelers whatsoever, but they will know that you have read the review and done your homework.

One final point worth noting… The difference between the top 10 players on this list is small and a few more years in business, a personal interview with us or even a few more YELP five star reviews could have moved their position. These are the best of the best so being, say #10 on this list means being #10 out of over 1300 NYC Diamond District Stores. In other words take time to get to know each of these dealers offerings from the safety of your own home because they are all special. Also, really important – don’t forget to get a competitive benchmark price at WhiteFlash.com. Most importantly enjoy the process – this is a very special gift and deserves the attention that you have given it. 

** Very Important – Return Policies

Please note that most return policies state that if a piece has been worn or altered in anyway the piece is usually not returnable. Most also say that “custom pieces” are not returnable. So, check if your custom work voids the return policy. It is also worth noting that return policies change over time, so what’s show as of the writing of this report may not be current when you go to the store. Finally, each store has different “exceptions” to its policy so make sure you review and understand your store’s current policy and limitations (and get it in writing) before you buy.

Thank you for reading our Top 10 Rated NYC Diamond District Stores for 2020 Review.

Locating the “Diamond District NYC Best Stores” for 2019 was not for the faint of heart. According to Jewelers.NYC lists and records, there are 1348 jewelry companies/stores (employing over 2500 jewelry staff – many of which are independent contractors themselves) in the Diamond District in NYC. While this number many not be exact – due to the opaque nature of the New York diamond industry itself, we believe our data is pretty close – it comes from several different sources.

GET YOU DIAMOND AT 20-30% OFF DIAMOND DISTRICT NYC PRICES

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

Over $24 billion dollars worth of diamonds flow through the Diamond District in NYC every year – this is 90% of the US’s diamond supply. To put this in perspective, this revenue number is about the same revenue as the McDonalds Corporation; however, unlike McDonalds the NY diamond trade is about as secretive as any industry can get. Our job at Jewelers.NYC is to provide clarity to this unique and unknown group of operators so that you, the end buyer, can benefit. Better pricing, better quality and/or alternative options are provided to you on this site. With that as a backdrop, locating the “Diamond District NYC Best Stores,” takes a lot of work, particularly if we are paring 1348 stores down to the 10; however, we believe we’ve cracked the code for you. First let’s talk openly about the truth – what people fear when buying a diamond from an unknown jeweler, on a street that looks a little run down, with diamond hawkers outside beckoning you in, and a reputation for “buyer beware” embedded in the lore of conversations about Jewelers Row – you’re worried about getting swindled! We get it. While there are many jewelers in the Diamond District that are hard working, fair and honest, there are also some that are not. So the reputation above is not entirely unfounded. As you move through the district, from the 5^th Avenue side to the 6^th Avenue, the “presentation” changes. On the 5^th Avenue side, less is more. It’s sunny, bright and big sandstone buildings with mega stores abound. But as you continue toward 6^th, it gets darker (the buildings block the sun), the shops get smaller, and the people in the window looking back at you start to become part of the show. Women, sitting unusually close to the window start to become more attractive and jewelers start to look older and wiser. To add to this, diamond solicitors are outside signaling you to come in and “see their special diamonds.” Long story short – it feels a little like you’re being played…

Our Methodology – Reputation was Our Top Measure – As Easy as 1,2,3

1. Jewelers.NYC Site User Feedback and Proprietary Information

Job number one was to deal with any obvious reputational issues. If there were any immediate horror stories, opaqueness, or other negative (or non-existent) information in our possession, the store was immediately taken off the list. This cut the number of stores in half!

2. Better Business Bureau – A+ Ratings Only

From there we bifurcated the list again – starting with the Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) Ratings. If the store was not rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau at the time of this review, it was removed. Technically, the BBB does not allow their rating to be used for marketing, (which somehow runs counter to their willingness to provide a searchable rating in the first place). We respect this and did not use this as the final screen – rather just one of many. “A+ only” BBB ratings cut the list again, by an astounding 95%. This left 34 out of the original 1348 (i.e. only 2.5%!!!). Within the A+ category, we scanned again for customer complaints at the company’s individual BBB page. At the Better Business Bureau, in order to be rated A+ a store has to have very few, if any, customer complaints. And “unresolved complaints” have a significant impact on the rating. As a consequence, the A+ rating is given to only the best operators. To be fair to those unrated jewelers, a jeweler has to subject themselves to the BBB scrutiny to get the A+ rating; therefore, the absence of one does not mean the jeweler is untrustworthy; however, the existence of one says something very special about the jeweler.

3. YELP, Facebook, Etc.

Next we searched “non-industry” online reviews and social media. We checked YELP, Facebook, etcetera. These are less impactful than the BBB, because with advertising dollars it’s easy to rank well on Facebook and with focus it’s easy to rank well on YELP (i.e. only ask happy customers to provide a YELP rating – then give them a $100 14k gold necklace as a “thank you gift” once the review is posted). Still, YELP does give the opportunity for negative reviews and if we saw these, we weighed it much more heavily.

The Four Key Measures that YOU Care About

With “reputation” dealt with, we moved on to four other categories that most people care about: inventory, return policy, GIA certified diamonds, and of course the reason almost everyone goes to the Diamond District in NYC, price:

1.  Inventory. You don’t want a small boutique that has only a few stones, you want a large one that has access to hundreds. The best stores in the district not only have access to their own inventory, but the inventory of other reputable diamond dealers as well – providing you with a veritable virtual inventory to select from.

2. Return Policy. Stuff happens and sometimes you need to return the piece under consideration even if it’s perfect. When this occurs you don’t want a store credit, you want your money back. If it was easy to find on their website, we put their return policy in here. If it wasn’t, we highlighted that as well. Definitely confirm in either case (return policies change), because you never know if you’ll need to return something, particularly if the recipient does not know it’s coming!

4. GIA Certified Diamonds. Some jewelers “poo-poo” diamond lab certificates, citing that they can spot better value than the diamond labs. They say that diamond certificates actually stop them from getting you the best deal because once the diamond is certified then their ability to “work the edges” disappears. While we’re sure this may be true, the opposite is also possible. Without a diamond certification, their ability to convince you the diamond is worth more than it’s value is also diminished. Net, net – we recommend that you go for the GIA certified diamond every time.
5. Price. You want a deal in the Diamond District, this is why you are going there. Diamond District NYC’s best stores work on high volume and lower price points, so you should expect to get a number that won’t break the bank. On this point, it’s important to know what a good price actually is before you walk in. For that reason, we recommend that you go to James Allen’s Online Diamond Store Pricing Page. Believe me, you want that number before you go. James Allen is A+ rated by the BBB, offers prices about 40% less than retail (they have no stores or salespeople to pay for) and have a 30-date “no questions asked” return policy – so you will know what your fallback is! It’s one click to the best diamond price information on the web. We’ve even pre-sorted it for you by the most popular c’s for: 1 carat, 1½ carat, 2 carat, 2½ and 3 carat round diamonds (the links to these diamonds are both at the top and bottom of this article)… Write these prices and gradings down – then you’re ready to head out.

GET YOU DIAMOND AT 20-30% OFF DIAMOND DISTRICT NYC PRICES

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

Phew, now that we got that out of the way, we’d like to introduce you to (in our considered opinion):

Top 10 – Diamond District NYC Best Stores – 2019

#1 Leigh Jay Nacht Inc.

49 W 45th St #902,

New York, NY 10036

212-719-2888

http://antiqueengagementrings.com/shopping/

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 56

Facebook Likes: 11,249

Google + Followers: 6

Return Policy: 30 days for in stock engagement rings. Custom orders not returnable.

Although we can’t say their name 10 times fast, Leigh Jay Nacht is our #1 Diamond District jeweler. We love their 11,000+ likes on Facebook, 56 5 star YELP ratings and… the A+ BBB rating. Most importantly, their return policy is fair. If they have custom built the piece for you, then you own it. If it comes from their inventory, they will refund your money for 30 days. Pricing is good and we’re told their team is very helpful and friendly.

#2 David S Diamonds

546 5th Ave Ste 700,

New York, NY 10036

212-921-8029

http://davidsdiamonds.com

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ 

YELP Rating: ★★★★1/2

YELP Respondents: 86

Google + Followers: 7

Return Policy: 30-day money back return policy on GIA diamonds

David S Diamonds has been in business for over 15 years. The store offers a 30-day money back guarantee on GIA certified diamonds, and has the best hours of the 10 Best Diamond District Stores (including Saturday hours – 11:30 to 5:30). Selection is good and they put their inventory on their website. They didn’t get straight 5 star ratings on YELP like the others, but the two customer’s reasons seemed a little petty to us. It is this reason we rate them #2 instead of #1.

#3 I.D. Jewelry

15 West 47th Street

Suite #305 New York, NY 10036

http://idjewelry.com

212-921-9372

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ 

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 245

Facebook Likes: 12,298

Google + Followers: 173

Return Policy: Not found

If the return policy was obvious to us, ID Jewelry would have taken the #1 spot. ID Jewelry has been in business since 1986. This family owned business proudly displays their A+ Better Business Bureau Rating right on their website. Like all of the top 10, they offer GIA graded diamonds and even have their inventory (and prices) right online. We like that a lot – none of the others do this. Talk about price transparency! We can’t ascertain what their return policy is. It probably varies depending on the type of work done – so make sure you get it in writing.

#4 Iannelli Diamonds

45 West 47^th Street

New York, NY 10036

http://iannellidiamonds.com

212-575-1700

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ 

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 29

Facebook Likes: 704

Google + Followers: 1

Return Policy: 30-day money back

PROFILED ON JEWELERS.NYC!

We like Iannelli Diamonds a lot. They offer a great selection of diamonds, have a 30 day money back guarantee, are rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and have been in business since 1956. Their motto is “treat people right and they will return the favor.” Their reputation suggests that this is true, although candidly their motto did not affect our rating.  Still, we love their reputation and very importantly, their 30-day return policy. Their YELP rating is five star, but the volume is light, which suggests that they don’t manage it at checkout like many of the others – this is probably a good thing.

#5 Diamond Envy

590 5th Ave Fl 15,

New York, NY 10036

http://www.diamondenvy.com

(888) 983-9588

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: N/A

YELP Respondents: N/A

Facebook Likes: 46,417

Google + Followers: 369

Return Policy: 60 Day Money Back

PROFILED ON JEWELERS.NYC!

If fancy colored diamonds are what you seek, Diamond Envy may have the answer. This jeweler specializes in colored diamonds, pink, yellow, blue, etc. – a total of 12 different colors across all different cuts, clarity and carat weights. They specialize in GIA rated diamonds and they make sure you know this just about everywhere you turn. Located at the opening of Jewelers Row, Diamond Envy is the youngest of our Top 10 – launched in 2013. Their motto is “bringing colored diamonds to retail buyers at wholesale prices.” We love their specialization, A+ BBB rating, and 60 day money back guarantee. The Facebook Likes look impressive, but that could be a function of paying for likes as much as anything. We were a little surprised at no YELP ratings, which probably means this is not a focus, either good or bad, for Diamond Envy.

#6 Albert’s Fine Jewelry

15 W 47th St – Window #1

New York, NY 10036

http://www.albertjewelry.com

Phone: 212-302-9630

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 21

Facebook Likes: 641

Return Policy: see below

Albert’s Fine Jewelry is one of the most well respected diamond dealers on Jewelers Row. This Diamond District NYC jeweler has been in business since 1986, and during that time has built a solid reputation with access to amazing product. We think we can infer a money-back return policy (less a 5% restocking fee) on non-custom orders and a no return policy on customer orders, but we could not find the words “money back” on the website, so we can’t be sure – you should ask about this. Still Albert’s Fine Jewelry has a great reputation and a loyal fan base in the industry.

#7 MDC Diamonds NYC

580 Fifth AvenueSuite 349

New York, NY 10036

mdcdiamonds.com

212-840-1417

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 14

Facebook Likes: 23,438

Return Policy: 30-Day Money Back – minus restocking fee

MDC Diamonds is the most “searched” jeweler on our site. This statistic alone means they are doing a lot of business. We like their selection, price and GIA diamonds, of course like the others-MDC has an A+ Better Business Bureau Rating, and five stars on YELP. Their respondent number is low, but good – which  means they don’t manage YELP. They have 23,438 Facebook likes, which means they probably do manage Facebook. This is fine – the more likes a jeweler has the more viewers when they post articles.

#8 Liori Diamonds

581 5th Ave – Penthouse: Fl 6

New York, NY 10017

http://www.lioridiamonds.com/

888-888-3321

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 6

Facebook Likes: 13,443

Google+ Followers: 1

Return Policy: 14 days money back for non-custom work. Custom work not returnable. 5% restocking fee for rings resized. Amex charged returns 5% restocking no matter what.

Located at the opening of the Diamond District, Liori Diamonds has a lot to offer. They specialize in “vintage inspired” diamond rings and jewelry, at what they describe as “exceptionally competitive prices.” Like the others, they offer GIA diamonds as well as AGI and EGL graded. While the other labs are part of what we call “the group of  5” we recommend sticking with the GIA diamonds unless you have a compelling reason not to. Liori offers a wonderful collection of black diamond engagement rings if that is of interest to you.

#9 DreamStone

15 West 47th St. 10th FL. Suite 1000,

New York, NY 10036

http://www.dreamstone.com/

800-818-8386

Better Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 10

Facebook Likes: 10,300

Return Policy: 100% refund within 30 days – no restocking fee.

PROFILED ON JEWELERS.NYC!

DreamStone specializes in engagement rings and has been in the same store in the diamond district for over 10 years. The business has an interesting history – it evolved from three generations of diamond jewelers to become what it is today. We love their return policy, their pricing looks competitive and they have something quite unique, a positive experience reported to the BBB (normally when people go to the BBB, it’s because they are mad, not happy). While Dreamstone is ranked #9, we could have been convinced to put them in the top five if our ranking model was calibrated slightly differently (if we included free priority shipping, gift boxes and wrapping they would have shot up to #3 or #4). They offer GIA graded diamonds, and a lifetime warranty.

#10 Solitaire Creations

15 W 47th St – Unit 2

New York, NY 10036

http://www.solitairecreations.com/

(212) 840-2209 

Business Bureau Rating: A+

YELP Rating: ★★★★★

YELP Respondents: 10

Facebook Likes: 161

Return Policy: Not Listed

Solitaire Creations is a little more subdued in their advertising than many of the others – we presume they do business the old fashioned way – through referrals. They have been in business since 1983, and are a member of the 47th St. Business Improvement District – established in 1997 to unite reputable diamond merchants who will abide by a code of conduct. They are rated A+ by the BBB, and have a good reputation in the diamond trade. Like the others they offer GIA diamonds. —– So there they are – the best-of-the-best (in our humble opinion). Please note that with 1348 stores, competition among the top 10 is bound to be tight – it’s a lot like the Olympics – hundredths of a second determine the victors, and another day could have yielded a slightly different result. This means if you see one you like, and they are not #1 you should go see them anyway. Good luck on your journey – it’s an exciting one. We hope this will give you a massive head start. Make sure you do your own due diligence 1) ask for referrals, 2) compare/check prices, 3) confirm return policies, etc. before you buy.

CHECK PRICES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT IN NYC

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

Thank you for reading our Diamond District NYC Best Stores 2019 Review. Please make sure you tell them that Jewelers.NYC sent you!

Related Articles: Where to Find Wholesale Jewelry in NYC [Store Price Comparison]

JW

Attention Diamond District NYC Jewelers:

If you would like to be considered for our “Diamond District NYC Best Stores – 2020”, please email us your information. Please provide: your store’s history, specialization and overall story, and as much of the following as possible:

• 3 references,
• BBB rating (if you have one), If not, please explain why you chose not to get a BBB rating.
• YELP link and other customer ranking links (if you have them),
• Google+ and other customer ranking links (if you have one),
• Your store’s return policy, and
• Any other information that demonstrates you stand out from the other stores in the New York Diamond District in terms of quality, reliability, customer service and customer service.

Send the information to: Directory@Jewelers.NYC. We will reply with additional questions after we’ve had the opportunity to review your submission.

Welcome to the New York Diamond District my friends…

Jewelers Row in NYC operates quite possibly the most opaque business segment in the Big Apple. And many of the players want to keep it that way. The power elite on 47^th Street have so many divergent motivations, one could write a Harvard Business School case study and still miss some of the key issues.

At Jewelers.NYC, we’ll do our best to reveal them here, and then at the end of this article, we’ll give you the “nuclear option” that will give you a high degree of certainty on price and quality for your upcoming purchase.

Let’s Begin with the Hierarchy on Jewelers Row…

First, understand that not every one of those 2500 businesses is a retail store. In fact, we estimate that over half are not retail at all. Many are business-to-business. Wholesale operations selling to retailers such as Zales, Tiffany, etc. This little factoid is where the confusion about “getting a wholesale price” comes into play. Most of the street level jewelers can’t get you true wholesale prices because they can’t get those themselves. Yes, they will do better than big jewelry store chains, but that is because their overhead is tiny compared to a 1500 square foot diamond store located in a high-end mall. But they can’t acquire the diamond at 39% of retail (see out price input infrograph above) because they are not the diamond manufacturer. In other words, they are not General Motors, they are the GM Dealer down the street from your house…

Now, imagine an unsuspecting buyer who has heard of the New York diamond district wholesale lore who travels to 47^th Street… The most popular diamond, (round brilliant cut, one carat stone) can have almost three hundred different combinations of color, cut and clarity. This means a buyer can pick up a lower grade “jewelry quality” diamond for about $2,000 or a nearly flawless one for $20,000 (or more!). Can you see how this might create an “opportunity” for an unscrupulous jeweler who knows the buyer has traveled to diamond row for a discount, to sell a “wholesale,” diamond that is really just cheap in quality, not cheap in price??

Next are the diamond stores that have diamond cutters in their employ. Buyers mistakenly think the NYC diamond district jeweler is somehow digging up the diamond in the rough themselves and then polishing and cutting it. That my friends is just not true. Unless their last name is DeBeers, they don’t dig the diamonds out of the ground, they buy the diamond in the rough from someone who buys it from the likes of DeBeers. The store may employ master diamond cutters, but they are not end-to-end.

Next Problem: No Standard Price…

How much is a beautiful painting of a rose worth? Well the artist will think it’s priceless, but ultimately the art market decides. There are variations in the prices of nearly identical quality diamonds because the artists (cutters) and their partners (diamond dealers) set their own prices. If you went onto JamesAllen.com right now and searched for a 1.01 carat, round, G colored, VS1 clarity, excellent cut diamond, you’d find no less than 50 different pricing points with a price variance of up to 30%. Give it a try, we have that exact search here.

It’s important to note that James Allen does not own those diamonds, they sell them on consignment. This means the variation in price is being determined by the starting point – the diamond seller on the other end. It’s entirely likely that a lower priced diamond will possess the same quality and sparkle as a higher priced diamond, but “the artist” of the higher priced stone is demanding more. Enough said…

Then: Secrecy Inside the Diamond Trade

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all got along? If diamond sellers gave each other price and inventory transparency so that everyone could compete fairly and more evenly…

Try telling that to the 20% of the NYC diamond sellers who have captured 80% of the market. Also try telling that to the other 80% who have dreams of one day being in the elite 20%. They do not want to disclose their “X factor” to each other because if they did, the possibility of outsized profits would disappear. Gone would be the possibility of the house in the Hamptons, the seaside villa in the Mediterranian, etc. In other words, they do not want to become commoditized. Remember that cartel-like behavior has existed in this industry for a long time, with the players at the top controlling inventory to keep prices high. If the message from the top has been one of profit optimization, what does this mean down the chain??

Finally: The Nuclear (Only) Option to Getting the Best Price

20 years ago, a buyer would have needed to be an insider to get a great price. Yes, they could have shopped around a bit and got small discounts, but they would not have seen much in the way of price fluctuation. Today things are different. Today buyers have several good online reference points for true discount prices. When I say true discount prices, I’m referring to no haggle prices where you don’t get talked into buying something you shouldn’t. In a nutshell I am talking about James Allen, Blue Nile, Zoara and Brian Gavin. Our top recommendation among the group is A+ rated James Allen.   

Why James Allen

James Allen won our 2017 Battle of the Online Discount Diamond Titans contest (two years in a row), based on quality and price. They offer an excellent selection of “GIA graded” diamonds. GIA grading is the is the missing piece in this article.

Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Graded Diamonds

Up until this point, we have talked about price, price, and price. Now let’s talk about quality. More importantly let’s discuss how a highly skilled, consumer focused, independent expert will tell you the quality of the diamond you are considering so you do not have to “eyeball” whether it’s worth $2000 or $20,000. That independent expert is your guardian angel and its name is the Gemological Institute of America, or “GIA.” GIA is the most respected diamond grading service in the world (in our and many other’s opinion), and they will tell you what the 4C’s of color, cut, clarity and carat weight are for your diamond. They are viewed by most as the most consistent (and accurate) diamond grading lab in the world. In other words, they will test and grade your diamond, verify its quality and then all YOU need to do is negotiate the best price. The best part is that all reputable jewelers will offer GIA graded diamonds as a large part of their inventory. If they don’t, then walk away…

GIA is important because the hardest part of buying a diamond is getting a bearing on the diamond quality that you want. Once you have that, then the rest is about price discovery. To help we recommend that you read our articles on color, cut, clarity and carat weight. Once you know what you want, THEN it’s time to get the right price. Never go in reverse…

How to discover what you should pay. We have made this SO simple for you. Once click – start with carat weight – below. Choose the carat weight you are considering and then play with the variables on James Allen’s webpage. BTW, we estimate James Allen to be about 40% off retail This is approaching “best deal” territory.

Know The Wholesale Diamond Price Before You Go. Visit:

JAMES ALLEN – Jewelers.NYC’s Online Discount Diamond Store of the Year – 2017 (~40% off)

Most Popular: Round>GIA>Ideal Cut>VS2 Clarity> G Color> One Click – 3D

1/2 Carat | 3/4 Carat | 1 Carat | 1-1/2 Carat | 2 Carat | 2-1/2 Carat | 3 Carat

JW

Radiant Cut Diamond buyers are a unique bunch. Less than 5% of diamond sold are radiant cut , yet the buyers of these beautiful stones know exactly what they want. Still diamond jewelry buyers in NYC should be able to acquire these rare and precious offering at a competitive price in NYC because supply and demand meet at the same place for radiants as they do for the most popular, round brilliants – otherwise diamond cutters would make more of them to fulfill demand right? Yes and no…

If you know what you’re doing, finding the perfect radiant cut diamond should be easy. After all in the diamond capital of the world, NYC sees 24 billion dollars’ worth of inventory enter and exit Jewelers Row NYC every year. The reality is that finding the perfect radiant cut diamond is far from easy.

About Radiant Cut Diamonds and The Risks of Getting it Wrong

It is said that women who wear Radiant Cut Diamonds are trendy and flirty. These magnificent stones display incredible flash and look awesome sitting atop a diamond engagement ring, cocktail ring or other fashionable jewelry. They are a rare cut designed for a very specific (and special) discriminating buyer. Here in lies the problem. Unlike round brilliant stones that are easy to price and quality benchmark, radiant cut diamonds are rare enough so that not a lot is out there about them. In fact this [xxx] word article might be one of the most complete discussion out there on the stone.

Moreover, unlike round brilliant and princess cut diamonds, radiant cut diamonds are not measured on the 4^th C – Cut. This is because both round and princess cut diamonds have a proven geometric relationship between their proportions and the fire, brilliance and scintillation they give off, but radiant cut diamonds do not. You need to “eyeball it.” This creates some risk.

Quick Discussion about the “3C’s”

However you cut it, knowing the “three” C’s of your radiant cut diamond is very, very important. Not only because of the 3C’s themselves, which is shorthand information about the diamond you seek, but because of their price relativity. You may or may not know the difference between a D and G colored diamond, or a SI1 or VS1 clarity stone, but knowing the value difference is important to pay the best price.

The fact is, a 1 carat Radiant Cut Diamond can have 80 different combinations of color and clarity. When this happens the price swing can be 5X depending where you are on the quality scale. $2000 or $11,000 (or a point in between). In other words, knowing the “3 C’s” is that significant.

Play with the 3 C’s with A+ rated online discount diamond seller James Allen’s diamond pricer here.

So, the 3Cs’ now serve two functions: 1) to describe the quality of your purchase, but also 2) to help you find the best price.

First, determine which diamond quality you want. If you need help in this area, read our 3 articles on color, clarity and carat weight:

Once you know what you want, then determining the best price is a matter of benchmarking. Start with GIA graded diamonds (always), and finding the best price. What is the best price? Use James Allen’s online diamond pricing page to determine what they would change you. James Allen is one of the (if not the) best price online discount diamond dealers in the world. If you can’t price outperform James Allen, strongly consider acquiring your diamond there.

Once you know that price, you now know what your ceiling is.

The big lie – there are “special diamonds” that exceed their graded value..

Never let a jeweler tell you that a diamond’s graded value is different than its’ true value… While there might be a little give and take around the edges, the GIA diamond grading system is quite rigorous and exact.

Jeweler Selection

Once you know what a good price is, the next phase is to select a great jeweler. This is easy with our Jeweler Directory, because jewelers are rated on three separate criteria: Price, Quality and Trust. Each of these, together, is how you find the best jeweler for your Radiant Cut Diamonds.

To access our directory please click here. And please don’t forget to come back and rate your jeweler. We value your feedback and it helps others coming after you.

If you know what you’re doing, finding the best inventory at a great price is a snap. Much like the sommelier who knows the best wine at a reasonable price, getting it right is a matter of knowledge and access. That’s where Jewelers.NYC comes in…

About Round Brilliant Diamonds and The Risk of Getting it Wrong

Round Brilliant Diamonds are the mainstay of the diamond trade. With 75% of all diamond sales coming from round brilliants, the shape is very popular indeed. Here in lies the problem. With so much inventory in the system, there are a lot of “bad eggs” out there. Walk into any NYC Pawn Shop and you will find a “nice selection” of them. Walk into Tiffany and you will find a “nice selection” of them. You see the problem.

Quick Discussion about 4C’s

However you cut it (no pun intended), knowing the Four C’s of your diamond is of paramount importance. Not only because of the 4C’s themselves, which is shorthand information about the quality of the diamond, but because of “price relativity.” You may or may not know the difference between a D and G colored diamond, or an excellent or a very good cut stone, but knowing the value difference is how you pay the best price.

The fact is, a 1 carat Round Brilliant Diamond can have almost 300 different combinations of color, cut and clarity. When this happens the price swing can be 10X depending where you are on the quality scale. $2000 or $20,000 or somewhere in between. It is that significant.

Play with the 4 C’s with A+ rated online discount diamond seller James Allen’s diamond pricer here.

So, the 4 Cs’ now serve two functions:

1) to capture the quality of your purchase, but also

2) to help you find the best price.

First, determine which diamond quality you want. If you need help in this area, read our 4 articles on color, cut, clarity and carat weight. 

Once you know what you want, then determining the best price is a matter of benchmarking. Start with GIA graded diamonds (always), and finding the best price. What is the best price? It is a price that is better than James Allen (mentioned above) who sells their GIA graded diamonds at about 25-40% off retail store prices.

Once you know that price, you then know what your ceiling is.

The great lie – there are “special diamonds” that exceed their graded value..

Never let a jeweler tell you that a diamond’s graded value is different than its’ true value… While there might be a little give and take around the edges, the GIA diamond grading system is quite rigorous and exact.

Jeweler Selection

Once you know what a good price is, the next phase is to select a great jeweler. This is easy with our Jeweler Directory, because jewelers are rated on three separate criteria: Price, Quality and Trust. Each of these, together, is how you find the best jeweler for your Round Brilliant Diamonds.

To access our directory please click here. Please don’t forget to come back and rate your jeweler – we value your feedback and it helps others coming after you.

The challenge is that even though these rings are so very special, most of today’s buyers are far more interested in modern designs and cuts. They want bigger diamonds, brilliant cuts and laddered side-stones. All quite beautiful of course. Who would blame them? It does come down to preference.

This means that a jeweler who specializes in Old European Cut Diamonds vs Round Brilliant stones, better have either very little competition or a very loyal following if they want to thrive.  The problem is exacerbated in the New York diamond district. Because Jewelers on 47^th Street’s Jewelers Row are also very competitive. A couple walking onto 47^th Street at Fifth Avenue looking for an Art Deco, Rose Gold Setting Engagement Ring could well very walk out on 6^th Ave with a modern Platinum and Pave diamond setting with a round brilliant diamond center-stone.

CHECK PRICES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT IN NYC

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

If you walk into any diamond store across the world and asked about round diamonds, 99% of the time, the conversation would be about round brilliant cuts. In fact, many salespeople in the diamond trade don’t even know that other round cuts exist. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the primary one is that jewelry salespeople are trained to position their offering well in the minds of buyers, not know the history of rare designs that are not available in mass production. Indeed, if you went to our #1 recommend online jeweler (jwhiteflash.com) and clicked on the diamond selection tool, the only round diamond available is the round brilliant. Old European Cut Diamonds (circa 1900) and Old Mine Cut Diamonds (circa 1800) are just not available to the masses. You need a specialist who has access, because nearly all diamond cutters are not trained to cut the Old European diamond anymore…

This means that you’ll need to buy a pre-owned diamond, and very few of them exist. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that until about 25 years ago, Old European Cut Diamonds were considered inferior. Cut entirely by hand, they lacked the facet and shape precision of a round brilliant diamond. More importantly, their design was not to maximize scintillation, fire and brilliance, but to maximize color and clarity. As a consequence, over the years many were re-cut into round brilliant stones, destroying any possibility that if they came back in vogue the owner would have a true gem (pun intended!).

Old European Cut Diamond vs. Round Brilliant

One of the most common questions that comes up from vintage engagement ring buyers is: what’s the difference between an Old European Cut Diamond and a Round Brilliant Cut. To the lay-person they are very similar: they are both round, both have 57 facets (or 58 if we include a cutlet), from a distance they both have about the same proportions, and they both demonstrate a fascinating cut that causes the heart to skip a beat or two… That is where the similarity ends.

Any discussion between an Old European Cut diamond vs. Round Brilliant has to start with the diamond cutting technology available at the time. During the 1900’s, diamonds were cut entirely by hand. This meant that tables were much smaller, facets were less precisely placed (and shaped) and the end result was that the diamond cutter could not craft a diamond that has today’s bling. Instead the diamond possessed a warm, candle-like softer sparkle, but with incredible grace and beauty.

Old European Cut Diamonds were Designed to be Gazed into…

Unlike a modern-day Round Brilliant stone, which reflects light back at you, Old European Cut Diamonds have a smaller table on top and a steeper crown on the side. The smaller table reduces the light reflection back out and the steeper crown reduces the internal light “bounce” effect. As a consequence, the design optimizes color, and clarity not brilliance. People buy a European Cut because they want to study it intently and deeply, not marvel at the light show.

Art Deco Old European Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

Old European Cut diamonds date back to the early 1900’s and were (are) the center stone for many Art Deco, Edwardian and even some Victorian era rings. Today vintage and antique rings alike sport these diamonds.

Are Old European Cuts as Valuable as Today’s Round Brilliant Cut?

Sometimes, but not for the reasons that you think. A diamond’s value is directly related to rarity. Rarity is (normally) related to mother nature. A colorless, VVS1 diamond is worth more than a pale yellow, IS1 stone. The first is about one in a million, the second is one in 50. The rarity value of the Old European Cut diamond comes from the fact that cutters stopped making them that way almost 100 years ago, AND, those that were outstanding were often converted to round brilliant cut stones.

Where to get an Old European Cut Diamond

Old European Cut Diamonds are not SO rare that you will have to mortgage the house to get one; however one needs to know who the quality players are in order to get the best diamond at a price that does not break the bank.

We recommend speaking with Leigh Jay Nacht, our #1 rated Diamond District Jeweler for 2017/18. Leigh specializes in antique engagement rings and has access to some of the most wonderful products that Jewelers Row, NYC has to offer. Read Leigh’s profile here.

Thanks for taking the time to read our article on Old European Cut Diamonds vs Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds.

ID Jewelry was one of the very first to make it on our “Top 10” list, hitting every measure almost dead center. Before we get into the interview with Yekutiel Davidov, Store Manager, let us give you their results from our Top 10 article…

It’s fair to say that I.D. Jewelry has a “raving fan” base of loyal customers. One just needs to look at their 288 reviews on YELP, 283 of which are five stars. Then there are the over 12,000 followers on Facebook. Finally (and frankly most importantly to us) we felt their A+ Better Business Bureau Rating was quite special (and quite rare) among the 1365 businesses in the NYC Diamond District. Of the 1365, only 35 possessed an A+ rating at the time of this article.

Phew. Now that we got the stats out of the way, let’s talk about the store…

I.D. Jewelry is a family owned business that was started over 30 years ago by Israel Davidov. To an outsider, they might think that I.D. Jewelry has something to do with, well, identification jewelry. But they’d quickly learn that “ID” stands for the founder Israel Davidov. If the owner’s name hadn’t tipped us off, then the business’s exquisite offering certainly would have done the trick.

One of the biggest reasons that the store has as many fans as it does is the time the staff spends educating its customers. Yekutiel Davidov, the store manager and son of Israel explains just how important education is to building trust and repeat business on 47th Street’s Jewelers Row.

Yekutiel Davidov: “There are a lot of jewelry stores on 47^th Street, but they can’t all give you the same thing. Any store can provide you with an overall box standard product that looks like the others, but at I.D. Jewelry we take the initiative to educate our customers so they are very happy and comfortable with their purchase.”

The interview continued…

Jonathan Winter: “Tell us about your staff.”

Yekutiel: “Our staff is our family and we make sure they treat our customers like family too. Our only goal is to satisfy the customer.  When that happens, repeat sales happen naturally.”

Jonathan: “How about special training?”

Yekutiel: “Most of our staff has been trained on how to grade diamonds and manufacture fine jewelry, including rings, bands, etc.”

Jonathan: “What type of pieces is I.D. Jewelry known for?”

Yekutiel: We sell a lot of diamond engagement rings of course, but we also sell diamond eternity bands, diamonds studs and diamond tennis bracelets. 

Jonathan: “What else do you offer?”

Yekutiel: “We also carry color stones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. These stones make incredible jewelry.”

Jonathan: “Last (and perhaps the most important) question. I.D. Jewelry is known for both its quality and competitive pricing.  How does your store stay so competitive in the market?”

Yekutiel: “Three important reasons … First, we moved our business from a store to an office and saved a lot on overhead costs. Next, and very importantly, we buy our diamonds directly from manufactures, not from wholesalers. We also provide our customers with pictures and videos of diamonds including Ideal Scope and ASET images which are very important in determining the cut and quality of the diamond.  Finally, we make and manufacture our own jewelry.  Because of all of this we end up passing on a savings of 20 to 30% to our customers.”

What Yekutiel didn’t say, but we at Jewelers.NYC have heard repeatedly from many of their customers, is that the staff focuses on understanding the customer’s needs, not pushing product. IDJ staff is very effective at gently querying the customer and then finding just the right offering.

One of the most important jobs of a great jeweler is taking the words the customer is trying to say to describe their dream diamond jewelry and transforming those words into the exact piece they are looking for. We believe this is I.D. Jewelry’s top strength. This ability, through a combination of client interview skills and product knowledge, leads to a lifetime customer and numerous referrals. Their prices are very competitive too!

As far as the diamonds themselves?

I.D. Jewelry has access to thousands of GIA graded diamonds. This allows them to offer special rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings with the safety of a GIA lab rating on their products.

The biggest benefit to using I.D. Jewelry is the staff’s obvious desire to serve their customers. If you are planning a trip to Jewelers Row we suggest stopping in at I.D. Jewelry. Ask for Yekutiel and let him know that Jewelers.NYC sent you!

Contact Information:

I.D. Jewelry

15 West 47th Street Suite #305

New York, NY 10036

212-921-9372

info@idjewelry.com

CHECK PRICES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT IN NYC

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

To be fair it wasn’t hard for us to choose Dreamstone. They have all the characteristics of a world class diamond business. First their reputation with Jewelers.NYC was pristine. This was the first and most important screen. No matter what came next if we heard anything negative – they were off the list. Next, they have a rock solid 5-star rating on YELP. Importantly their number of respondents suggests that the rating isn’t “managed.” This was very important to us because anyone can get a ton of great YELP reviews if they are willing to give away a $100 gold chain after every favorable YELP review – some stores actually do this. They also have over 10,000 Facebook likes. Their Facebook page has some amazing diamond images as well so this does not surprise us either (Guy if you have any we can use on our site let us know 🙂 ). Most importantly for us was Dreamstone’s A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Dreamstone’s BBB rating has something quite rare – no negative reviews, not one.

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Phew. Now that we got the analytics out of the way let’s talk about Dreamstone. Let’s go to the discussion with Guy.

Jonathan Winter: Tell us what makes Dreamstone special here on Jewelers Row’s 47^th Street.

Guy David: First let me say that there are many stores here on 47^th Street and each has their positives and negatives. What makes Dreamstone special is that every order is 100 percent custom made. While just about any jeweler can put a diamond on a premade setting, we strive to design a piece that speaks to the wearer. We are very good at asking the right questions, so that the end piece is amazing.

Jonathan: Tell us about your diamonds

Guy: We carry our own inventory. It’s not uncommon in the NYC Diamond District for jewelers to source diamonds from one another. This is fine, however we want to make sure we know the pedigree of the stone. We are lucky to be one of the few jewelers that is able to purchase diamonds directly from its origins. Our diamonds are all conflict free. All are GIA graded and each is handpicked by us for our customers. We are known for having some of the best cut diamonds with the most desired qualities.

Jonathan: How long has the David family been in the diamond business?

Guy: Three generations. Eli and I are running the business today, but my grandfather Joseph David started our family business over 100 years ago. At some point Eli and I made the decision to leave corporate America and join the family business. We both went to live in Johannesburg, South Africa for several years with our father who ran the diamond factory out there. We learned the diamond trade from the ground up. When we felt ready, we opened DreamStone in 1998 and it has been at the same location in Jewelers Row for over a decade.

Jonathan: How does customer education factor in with your clients?

Guy: Like many successful jewelers in the NYC Diamond District, we have thousands of satisfied clients. And as you pointed out we don’t really see complaints, because we spend the time necessary to understand and educate our customers. This is our obsession. We could operate a mass production, mass sales business but jewelers who operate like that don’t get a lot of repeat business. We’d rather spend our time understanding our client’s specific needs and design a piece that is uniquely special for what they need. When any jeweler does that he has a client for life.

Jonathan: Tell us about your team.

Guy: At our factory in Long Island City most are gemologists and expert jewelry makers. At our showroom in New York City we have a group of certified and trained staff including Ethan, Stephanie and Kayla who learned to do business the way the David family does business – putting the customer first.

Jonathan: And your return policy?

Guy: We will be happy to refund, exchange or replace any unworn item within 30 days from the date of purchase. We credit the customer’s account within 2 business days.

Jonathan: Do customers return their jewelry?

Guy: It’s rare but it happens. Most of the time it’s unrelated to the jewelry…

After I finished up with Guy, I went to the Dreamstone website. On their site we were able to view their diamond inventory, read the related diamond certificates and even build a diamond engagement ring. Extreme price transparency – we love it!

Jewelers.NYC suggests that you stop by Dreamstone on your next shopping trip to the New York Diamond District. Ask for Guy or Eli and tell them that Jewelers.NYC sent you.

Dreamstone

15 West 47th Street, Suite 1000

New York, NY 10036

800-818-8386

http://www.dreamstone.com/

Disclosure: Jewelers.NYC received no compensation from Dreamstone.

We asked Joe about the history of the store because we knew, after 60 years in the diamond business, Iannelli Diamonds must have a great story. We were right.

Jonathan Winter: “Your store metrics are terrific. Between a rock solid five-star rating from your customers on YELP, an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and a strong fan base on Facebook, we know that you deliver great customer satisfaction. What we want to know about is the Iannelli story. Tell us about the store’s history.”

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Joe Shovak: “Sure. Iannelli Diamonds started in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. My grandfather Michael Iannelli and his brother Carmine Iannelli opened the business in 1956. We celebrated our 60^th Anniversary last year. Uncle Carmine served in World War II and then received funding from the GI Bill to train on how to set diamonds – that is how he got started.”

Jonathan: “When did your family business move from Brooklyn to Jewelers Row?”

Joe: “In the mid 1970s. The Diamond District was expanding on 47^th Street and the Iannelli family wanted to become part of it. We started small, with Carmine opening a little diamond booth in the Diamond Exchange. Pretty soon my grandfather joined Carmine in Manhattan and shut down our Brooklyn store completely.”

CHECK PRICES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT IN NYC

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

Jonathan: “What about Anthony and Mario?”

Joe: “Anthony and Mario Iannelli are Michael’s sons. Anthony was the driving force behind the business’ energy in the 1970s and he moved the business to our current location here at 45 West 47^th in 1990. Also, by that time Michael and Carmine had retired to Texas and Anthony had fully taken the reins. Mario joined in the late 1990s completing the Iannelli Brothers return.”

Jonathan: “And you are the third generation Iannelli?”

Joe: “Yes.”

Jonathan: “What makes Iannelli different than the other stores here on 47^th Street?”

Joe: “First, understand that there are both good and bad operators on Jewelers Row, so that is a tough question. We focus on quality of product, not slickness of presentation. We’re pretty laid back so when a customer walks into our store they don’t feel like they are being pressured. We’d love to sell them a diamond of course, but we are in this for the long game. By providing great service and very importantly understanding the customer’s needs today we will keep them for a lifetime…”

After we finished with Joe we spent time online with Iannelli Diamond’s inventory. We were looking for three very specific inventory attributes on their website. The first was the focus on GIA graded diamonds. The second was the size of inventory itself and the third is the ability to sort that inventory right down to polish and symmetry.  Iannelli Diamonds had nailed all three. We were happy…

Then we inquired about their non-diamond inventory. Settings, wedding bands, etc. It was massive. When I asked Joe if they ever run into customers that have needs they can’t satisfy he said: “that’s usually not a problem, but if we don’t have it we can get it, and if it’s really unusual or unique we can make it custom for the customer.”

Bottom Line

We highly recommend stopping by Iannelli Diamonds on your next trip to the Diamond District. Spend time with Anthony, Mario and Joe and tell them what you are looking for. Even if you can’t put it in words, their reputation suggests they will be able to find just the right piece for you anyway.

You can reach Iannelli Diamonds at 212-575-1700

Their address is: 45 West 47^th Street

Iannellidiamonds.com

Tell them Jewelers.NYC sent you!

Disclosure: Jewelers.NYC receives no compensation from Iannelli Diamonds.

Most jewelers on NYC’s 47th Street, Jewelers Row like to lay low, work off referrals and blend in. They are often generational, with a business that is passed down from parent to child over 30+ years – not Avianne and Co (Aviannes, Inc). Founded in 1999, Avianne Jewelers is the diamantaire to some of the biggest celebrities in the entertainment business. Elliott Avianne’s star filled client list includes Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Ciara, and Cam’Ron to name just a few.

Elliot Avianne is probably most famous for Ciara’s $500,000 15 carat emerald cut diamond engagement ring (which was unfortunately returned when the wedding with her fiancé, Future, was called off). One of Aviane’s biggest clients is Nicki Minaj who bought a Roman style diamond watch from the jeweler.

CHECK PRICES BEFORE YOU GO TO THE DIAMOND DISTRICT IN NYC

Check Price and Quality at Our 2020 Top Rated Online Diamond Store: WHITEFLASH.COM

30 Day Returns | One Year Buyback | BBB Pinnacle Award Winner | Featured in the New York Times

Round | Princess | Marquise | Cushion | Emerald | Oval | Pear | Radiant

That’s all well and good, but what does that have to do with everyday buyers not affiliated with the entertainment industry? Those that might have a one or two carat diamond purchase and a budget to match? We decided to find out.  We pulled up the metrics from the 2017 Top 10 Diamond District Store Review and ran them on Aviannes.

Better Business Bureau Rating – Not Accredited

Facebook Likes – 298k

YELP Likes – 3/5 based on 20 reviews

Return Policy – 14 days, full refund

Prices – mega. But that does not mean much when they are selling $500,000 diamond rings and $250,000 watches. Avianne and Co also sells one carat diamond rings that are quite reasonably priced on their website.

Facebook – There is no doubt that Aviannes has a raging fan base. With 298K+ Facebook likes, we’ve never seen a jeweler with such celebrity status. Even DeBeers sports only 127k. In other words, this one little store in the NYC Diamond District has more that double the Facebook likes as the global titan of the diamond industry.

YELP – Three out of five average on YELP is respectable but it also suggests that they won’t defend their YELP rating if a customer is less than satisfied. Reading through the customer reviews, comments seem to vary from ridiculously happy to hyper critical of customer service. Click here to see their YELP page.

Know The Wholesale Diamond Price Before You Go. Visit:

JAMES ALLEN – Jewelers.NYC’s Online Discount Diamond Store of the Year – 2017 (~40% off)

Most Popular: Round>GIA>Ideal Cut>VS2 Clarity> G Color> One Click

1/2 Carat | 3/4 Carat | 1 Carat | 1-1/2 Carat | 2 Carat | 2-1/2 Carat | 3 Carat

Better Business Bureau – Aviannes, Inc. is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. This in and of itself is not bad or good, because over 95% of the jewelers in the NYC Diamond District are not accredited; however, even if the company is not accredited with the BBB we ALWAYS recommend that our readers go the Better Business Bureau website and look for unsolicited ratings. Unsolicited ratings are given to businesses that don’t submit themselves to the BBB ratings process. If a business has a large-number of negative reviews, the BBB will give the business a negative letter rating. Conversely, if it has a large-number of unsolicited positive reviews, the BBB will generally leave a letter rating off, but will provide the stats on the positive comments.  You can search for the most up to date Avianne & Co Better Business Bureau unsolicited rating here. Use the official corporate name Aviannes, Inc. because that is how the BBB classifies the companies.

In Conclusion

There is nothing about Avianne & Co that suggests that the jeweler will (or even should!) ever blend in. This strategy works well for Avianne Jewelers, and given their demographic, “The leading custom diamond jewelers in Hip Hop and Pop Culture,” we think they should double down on the niche.