If you are looking for fine jewelry, would you go to a Mom and Pop jewelry store? Unless it is a  Gary K. Jewelers type, you most certainly would not. You would burn the Net to find the best online fine jewelry stores, browse through their catalogs for the item you have in mind.

But wait a minute, must you buy it online? Remember that last year, only 5% to 10% of jewelry sales were done online. On the flip-side, however, in 2016, roughly 96% of Americans were online shoppers. And this figure is expected to increase by 10% in 2021.

10 Best Online Fine Jewelry Stores

For sure, not all online purchases were jewelry items—fine or otherwise. But it’s kind of encouraging to know that a majority of Americans buy online. And if they are doing it, so can you.

In fact, it is really not that bad or scary to buy from online fine jewelry stores instead of over-the-counter. So, if you’re in the market for fine jewelry but are too busy to drop by your favorite jewelry shop, read on to learn about the best online fine jewelry stores as compiled by our experts.

Why Buy Fine Jewelry Online

But before you proceed, here’s a bit of caution worth knowing.

The NCC Group, a United Kingdom-based information assurance firm, conducted a worldwide study that shows that the majority of customers do not feel safe shopping online. This stems from misconceptions about buying jewelry online.

Several reasons were listed for this apparent phobia of shopping online, but the major ones are:

Legitimacy

Those who keep away from online shopping do so because of concerns about the legitimacy of the online stores they may be shopping in, especially fine jewelry.

This concern is not without basis. There are roughly 20,000 jewelry stores of all sizes and shapes selling a wide variety of jewelry items. You may well know a few, but not all.

A good example is Ross-Simons. Those who are not familiar with the name may wonder, “is Ross and Simon legit?.” Another is Shein Jewelry. The unfamiliarity will tempt you to ask, “is Shein Jewelry Good?”

Both these companies are legit and you will know more about them by visiting their websites and reading the best online jewelry store reviews. But to know how reliable and credible an online store is, first visit its website. ‘Reviews’ offer priceless information about a particular company. Better yet, check out our fine jewelry reviews as compiled by our experts.

Safety

This, too, is a serious and valid concern. In the 2019 annual report of the Free Trade Commission, of the 3.2 million registered consumer complaints, online fraud constituted 53% of the total.

For online shopping, the most common is identity theft and credit card reward point fraud.

Misrepresentation

This is a case of what you get is not the same as what you saw online. This can happen.

With the ease of enhancing images these days, it is easy to make a crappy product look good in pictures. If this happens to you, just return the product or ask for a replacement. Refutable companies always carry these customer satisfaction conditions.

There is no argument against the validity of these ‘fears.’ However, these have not deterred millions of people worldwide from are shopping online. For example, in 2016, roughly 67% of Americans either shopped or browsed for merchandise online. And this figure is estimated to grow by 10% in 2021.

Of course, they may not have shopped for jewelry items alone, but if you are contemplating doing so, here are good reasons for buying online fine jewelry items.

Why Buy From Online Fine Jewelry Stores

Cheaper

Online stores get their inventory directly from suppliers. This eliminates expensive inventory-carrying costs, insurance costs, cost of obsolescence, etc.

Some don’t even have a physical store to sell their jewelry items, getting away from expensive.  rentals, upkeep, and utility (power, water, telephone) costs.

Depending on who is doing the math, some estimate that online buying is 30%-40% cheaper than retails. A good example is Angara.

Angara is an online jewelry store specializing in gemstones and diamonds. The word is Sanskrit and means ‘fire from within.’ Its headquarters are in Los Angeles, California, but it has branches in India and Thailand.

Is Angara trustworthy? Well, Newsweek recognized the company as the best online jeweler in its Best Online Shop 2020 rankings and it has a partnership with major fashion brand Natori. 

No hard-selling

Have you ever experienced going into a retail store and immediately getting smothered, overwhelmed by an extra-eager salesperson?

She would gently, but shortly hold you by the elbows and steer you around the shop as she chatters how nice of you to drop by, and of being in the right place for quality and price. And that there is no other place in town like theirs.

You can’t blame her. She is just doing his job. She may also be just trying to catch up on her lagging commission earnings.

Some are funny, while others are pure pests. Either way, you’d want to make a fine jewelry purchase that resonates with your deepest emotions, not to be power-sold by a salesperson.

With online shopping, this travail of buying is eliminated. You can surf all you want until you find the things that best suit your tastes, your style.

More selections

Online buying offers an endless number of choices that are selected, organized, and categorized in a professional way. It gives you all the time in the world to browse through them.

No need to drive from one retail store to the next, zipping through countless catalogs while the kids wait in an idling car outside.

Online shopping is hassle-free shopping and you can do it at home.

Top-quality, certified, and conflict-free merchandise

Buying from online fine jewelry stores is tantamount to an assurance of getting top-quality merchandise. Their diamonds conform to the strict 4Cs standards of color, clarity, cut, and carat, and that they are ethically sourced.

Flexible paying options

This may not be true for all online fine jewelry stores, but some do offer flexible payment options.

For example, a well-known jewelry store would allow you to spread your payment over four equal installments—interest-free. It’s like getting the best of both worlds: fine jewelry of your choice with an easy payment scheme.

Personalization and great customer service

The best online stores have one great advantage over retailers—they don’t have a huge stack of inventory for a customer, like you, to choose from.

Through email or a phone call, you can discuss with them some options to have your merchandise personalized in some ways. And their customer service is always there to help you.

Worry-free guarantee

The top online fine jewelry stores have a simple and secure checkout process, and they offer a 100% money-back guarantee.

They realize that their business growth is dependent on customer satisfaction and they don’t leave this to chance. Not only do they offer this money-back guarantee, but they stretch things a bit further by offering a lifetime warranty on items purchased.

With online shopping, you can take all the time you want, and still be assured of superb support for your patronage.

The Best Online Fine Jewelry Stores

Now comes the crucial question—which is the best online jewelry store worth looking into?

A definitive answer to the question can be elusive since there are so many jewelry stores out there and you may have a hazy idea of what constitutes “fine jewelry.”

So before you set yourself on a journey of searching for the best online fine jewelry store, be sure you know what you are looking for first—know what fine jewelry is

Fine jewelry is the term used to describe any jewelry made from precious metals like gold, silver or sterling silver, like the one in this Khols review, or platinum. It typically uses genuine gemstones like diamonds, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, or any of those semi-precious in the market. They are durable; made to last even if worn daily.

It should not be mistaken for “fashion jewelry,” also called “costume jewelry,” which is made from base metals like brass, copper, or aluminum. If one has gemstones, in most likelihood, they are simulated gemstones. Or worse, plastic.

That being said, here are a few fine jewelry stores to start with. These are curated from the latest best online fine jewelry store reviews available.

Note: Though the term “fine jewelry” is a bit intimidating as it spells high prices, the stores in this list have one thing in common—real fine jewelry at affordable prices. They all need to be browsed on.

Kay Jewelers

This is a US-based company with a catchy slogan—Every  Kiss Begins with Kay.

And that is no idle boast. From a fledgling store in 1916 that was more of a curio shop than a jewelry store, it has grown to become the highest-selling jewelry brand in the US.

But Kay Jewelers is not a stand-alone entity. It is owned by Signet Jewelers Limited, the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry. Currently, it operates 3,500 stores in the US, United Kingdom and Canada under well-known brands, such as Zales, Jared, James Allen, etc.

Kay Jewelers is a veritable grocery store of fine jewelry with a long collection for any occasion.

Blue Nile

This online fine jewelry store is Forbes magazine’s “Favorite Online Jeweler” which is not surprising as it always comes first place as the best fine jewelry store on the Internet. It practically covers all a shopper’s needs when looking for diamonds or engagement rings.

Among Blue Nile‘s top attractions are:

• Loose diamonds with GIA grading done by an independent grading lab known for its consistency, and strict grading standards. This is but one of the things that one should know when choosing a high-quality diamond.
• Diamond jewelry with colors that ranges from colorless to near-colorless.
• Pearl jewelry – while there may not be an industry standard for grading pearls, Blue Nile assures that each one is of excellent quality.
• Platinum jewelry that is 95% pure.

Zales Jewelers

If you are stuck in buying bridal diamond jewelry, go to Zales Jewelers for the answer.

One of the various brands of Signet Jewelers Inc., Zales has its emphasis on diamonds, earning the moniker, “The Diamond Store.”

Its bridal jewelry assortment covers everything—from simple gold bands to extravagant diamond ensembles by internationally known designers, Vera Wang and Neil Lane.

Mejuri

For people who are fond of fine jewelry but don’t want to pay a fortune, then Mejuri is the answer to their dilemma.

This new kid on the block is based in Toronto but is run by a family of jewelers. Mejuri is founded by a former art director, an engineer, and a third-generation jeweler. Its mission is to come up with new pieces every week of the year to cater to its largely female clientele. And its mission is “to have women embrace a daily dose of luxury.”

By ‘luxury,’ Mejuri means beauty and styles that are very affordable. For example, Mejuri accessories may start at $25 for a single 14K gold stud earring, to $2,150 for a diamond cluster engagement ring. Chunky statement rings can cost from $50 to $70.

The company’s products are handcrafted like the olden days but designed for the golden days ahead.

Like Kay and Zales, James Allen is also owned by Signet Jewelers Inc. That being the case, it also sells a range of diamonds—all at a fair price.  And they are all certified and can be viewed 360 deg through video.

And here’s the real deal-clincher—it offers one-on-one consultation with an expert jeweler so you personalize your purchase.

Compared to others, James Allen diamonds are relatively inexpensive because their business is completely online and they don’t really ‘own’ the diamonds they are selling. This skips the expensive storage cost.

Italic

This is a membership-based online store where you can buy clothing, handbags, and many more home items—all made in the same factories that make designer brands like Miu Miu and Prada.

Of late, it added fine jewelry into its products lines. From Italic, you can purchase solid gold hoops and diamond necklaces for as low as $ 150 and $ 225, respectively.

The store is famous for its gold huggie earrings, diamond eternity bands, diamond solitaire necklaces, and many more.

Catbird

Is another Brooklyn-based designer that offers ease of online shopping—aside from its affordable fine jewelry product lines. At Catbird, you can buy cool and attractive rings as well as sparkly engagement rings that can go as high a $ 12,500.

All its jewelry items are crafted in-house and it is very transparent about its source of materials and donates 1% of its sales to non-profits like the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and Planned Parenthood.

Catbird’s famous items are its Sleeping Beauty Opal Ring and Ballerina Bracelet.

AUrate

A brainchild of two alpha females, Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Exxahraoui, AUrate‘s business model is a “direct-to-consumer,” thereby eliminating the countless middlemen in between. The result is a line of fine jewelry that is affordable for all.

AUrate’s uses only ethically sourced diamonds, which are in accordance with high standards of social, environmental, and human rights practices.

Its jewelry items are beautiful, classic, and wearable. Made from real 14-karat and 18-karat gold, AUrate’s rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are all crafted with both beauty, elegance, and quality in mind.

Ross-Simons

This online fine jewelry store offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on hand-selected jewelry from its huge collection around the world.

Ross-Simons is an old brand. Established in 1952 in Rhode Island, US, it can now lay claim to having served more than four million customers.

Specializing in 18-karat gold and sterling silver, its products are eye-catching, big, bold, and unapologetic. Perfect for people who want to make a statement.

Its top-of-the-line items are thick gold chains, sparkly diamond fashion rings, and colorful gemstone pendants.

Helzberg Diamonds

This company prides itself on selling ethically-sourced, conflict-free diamonds for brides and grooms, and more.

Helzberg Diamonds was founded by Morris Helzberg in 1915 and is based in the US. It operates 210 stores in 36 states.

While its mainline is engagement rings and wedding rings, it also has earrings and pendants for all occasions. You can check out this Helzberg Diamonds review to see how top-notch its products are.

Tread with caution, though. Helzberg Diamonds are a bit pricey and the company is concerned about this. But they are, at the moment, are at a loss on making their products affordable to budget-conscious buyers.

The list above is but a glimpse of the entire genre of online stores that sell fine jewelry. And what is the best online jewelry store? Well, in their own right, they are the ‘best.’ They are the best in their niche, their product lines, their price structure, customer service, and all the other best business practices to make them viable and profitable.

But at the end of the day, it is still for you, the customer, to decide who among them is the best—based on your purchasing criteria.