I compare diamond jewelry based on hard data. In this comparison, I look at this set of Costco 14K White Gold diamond stud earrings for $699.99. And I ask: Can you get the same (or better) diamond earrings for less elsewhere, from a highly reputable retailer? Or are these Costco diamonds worth it, as the best deal?
The hard numbers, the hard data, will tell the tale.
I compare the Costco offering to an offering at James Allen — a similar but better offer, as it turns out, in terms of diamond quality.
So in this Costco vs James Allen diamond stud earring comparison, which store comes out ahead? Better price? Better service? Better value?
Let’s jump in.
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Costco Offer: Round Brilliant Cut 14K White Gold Stud Earrings. 0.50 Total Carat Weight. VS2 Clarity, I Color. $700.
You can them as item number 1227760 live at Costco. (Unless it is sold out / discontinued by the time you read it.)
The “ctw” in the product listing means, of course, that the Total Carat Weight of the earring set is 1/2 CARAT. So, each diamond is 1/4 carat.
The CLARITY of the Costco diamond is VS2.
The COLOR of the Costco diamonds is “I”.
The CUT QUALITY is not graded. This isn’t uncommon for diamonds mounted in earrings. So, it’s not a deal breaker.
There is no diamond grading report for these diamonds. That’s not unusual for diamonds mounted in earrings. So, it’s not a deal breaker.
The price is $699.99, obviously.
So the price compare for this diamond earring set is quite easy. We’ll simply look at (yet again) James Allen for the same or similar diamonds in a 4-prong diamond stud 14K setting.
James Allen Savings: Round Brilliant Cut 14K White Gold Stud Earrings. 0.50 Total Carat Weight. VS2 to SI1 Clarity, F-G Color. $399
What you see in this offer is a diamond stud earrings set for $399. That’s $301 less than the Costco offer.
You can see the offer live at James Allen (unless it is sold out or discontinued).
The only differences?
- The range of CLARITY runs from VS2 to SI1. That means you may get slightly less good clarity in these diamonds. But the difference is minimal.
- The range of COLOR is much better at F to G. That’s 2 to 3 letter grades of color better than the Costco offer of I. (Even one letter grade of color is significantly better. So these diamonds really blow away the Costco diamonds in color quality.)
- The diamonds in the James Allen pair are lab-created. These are 100% identical to earth-created diamonds. Identical chemically. Identical structurally. Identical physically. The only difference between lab-created and earth-created diamonds are their origins.
- Notice also! Even if you chose the earth-created diamonds at James Allen (look under the product title), you’ll see that they would cost you only $590. That’s $110 less than the Costco offer.
Conclusion: These Costco diamond earrings aren’t worth it. They cost $301 more for virtually the same quality.
If you buy the Costco diamond earrings, you’ll pay $301 more than if you bought the James Allen diamond earrings I link you to, above.
Spend your $301 of savings on a really REALLY nice dinner for her, or a weekend vacation with her
It’s true that the James Allen earrings in my comparison on this page are Lab-Created diamonds. But it’s also true that lab-created diamonds are 100% identical in every way to earth-created diamonds. They’re the same physically, chemically, and optically. Exactly the same substance. They were just created in a lab.
I can understand wanting a diamond engagement ring to be from an earth-created diamond. I think the lab-created is the better buy, but I can understand preferring earth-created diamond for an engagement ring. After all, there’s some emotional heft in a substance that is about 3 billion years old. (On the other hand, most matter on earth is around 3 billion years old, if you think of it in terms of elements, not of combinations of those elements.)
But earrings? Earrings are for sparkle and beauty, and there’s no deep emotional heft to them, in the same way there is with an engagement ring.
So I truly see no reason at all to insist on earth-mined diamonds for an engagement ring, and then paying more than twice as much for them. ($700 vs $399.) You could spend the savings on dinner or a weekend vacation. That would make much more of an impression than emphasizing “Hey, babe, just so you know, these diamonds came mined up out of the earth.”
Plus, at James Allen, you get 24/7 customer service (see the image above).
To get the James Allen deal:
- Go to the product page.
- Add it to your cart and check out.
- Know that you saved $301 and got a great deal.
It’s easy to get great deals on better diamond jewelry — for less money! Here’s how:
- Scroll up to the section on “How to Get the James Allen Deals.”
- Follow the easy directions there.
- Feel 100% confident that you bought the best diamond for the money
How to search this site to save up to tens of thousands of dollars at trusted diamond retailers, vs most any Costco, Kay, Jared, or Zales ring you’re considering
Search and save. You could save enough for a new compact car. Or a honeymoon. Or several expensive dinner dates. Or that guitar you’ve been wanting.
Read this very short note on how easy it is.
