This pear-shaped pavé ring designed by Henri Daussi and sold by J.R. Dunn is exquisitely beautiful. It’s graded by the GIA at SI2-Clarity and K-Color.
So, is it any different from a similar ring (also GIA graded at the same SI2-Clarity and K-Color specs) I found at James Allen for $16,580?
It’s simply not worth paying almost twice as much, in my opinion. I think the Henri Daussi from J.R. Dunn is overpriced.
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The J.R. Dunn offer: $29,500.
See the ring live at J.R. Dunn, unless it’s discontinued.
This price comparison is part of a larger tree of price comparisons of stunning white gold engagement rings that I like.
The James Allen MUCH better price of $16,580 (Also GIA graded. Very similar specs.)
In this matchup, both diamonds have the same specs:
Each diamond has identical specs. And the diamond rings have very similar specs:
Identical center diamond specs
- 3.02-carat center diamonds
- GIA grade of K for Color
- GIA grade of SI2 for Clarity
Accent diamonds specs are similar
- The J.R. Dunn ring has 0.37 carats of total diamond accent weight.
- The James Allen ring has 0.26 carats of total diamond accent weight.
The diamond certifications are from the same lab, the GIA
The GIA is the premiere grading lab in the world, the most trusted. (Also trusted are the IGI and the AGS. In general I recommend not buying any diamond which doesn’t have certification from one of these three labs.)
Each offer in this head to head matchup of engagement rings has a GIA-graded diamond. So you know what you’re getting, exactly. And you also know that these two diamonds are dead even on that factor.
Prices differ by a lot, and here’s why:
The prices of these two diamond rings differ by a lot. The J.R. Dunn offer is $29,500. The James Allen offer is $16,580.
That’s a difference of about $12,920!
Why?
It’s because James Allen is a more efficient business, in my opinion. The specs of the diamonds and the rings are nearly identical. True, the J.R. Dunn offer has a minuscule tenth of a carat more of accent diamonds. But that’s insignificant.
One company seems to me to position itself as a premium luxury place to buy a diamond.
The other, James Allen, seems to me to position itself as a place where you can truly shop for a diamond. They’re transparent. They’re an industry disruptor in the best sense. You can see exactly what you’re getting. And you’re not overcharged.
At James Allen, you can inspect your individual diamond in real time, on the Internet.
But at J.R. Dunn, you just take what they offer there. You don’t get to inspect your diamond right here right now on the Internet. If J.R. Dunn’s offer is a one-off, unique offer including only that diamond, then good luck: it will sell out fast. And if it’s a general offer, in which they have several 3.02-carat diamonds mounted on several such rings, then you just take what they give you. You can’t choose the diamond specifically, like you can at James Allen.
How to get the James Allen deal
At James Allen, you don’t just add a ring to cart and check out. It’s slightly more complex. And much better in price and selection. It’s much more interesting (and gives you more control and choice).
Here’s how to do it:
- You choose a setting (the metal ring, which in some cases comes with accent diamonds).
- Then you choose a loose diamond to add to it.
But it’s not as hard as it may seem. In fact it’s easy.
At least, it’s easy if you have someone walking you through it for the first time.
Here’s exactly how to get these deals (or very similar deals) at James Allen:
1. Select this 18K white gold setting. (It’s available on the same page in 14K as well, also in yellow gold and rose gold, or even in Platinum. Just choose them from the drop down on the setting product page.)
2. For the diamond, go to these pre-set James Allen diamond search results and select a diamond from the first 2 or 3 diamonds in the list.
(James Allen diamonds are unique, so I can’t send you straight to a specific diamond. It would sell out quickly. But there are many many others in the inventory. The price will be close to what you see here.
Also, of course the inventory is always changing, so you may see slightly different prices when you search.)
3. Add the setting and the diamond to your cart and check out.
Conclusion: Both rings are stunning. Both are graded with some identical specs by the GIA. One is $12,000 less than the other.
Based on all we can see, and based on all the other dozens of price compares here at the blog, the price difference is shocking but unsurprising.
I see it all the time. James Allen beats prices in a huge way. It simply has a different, better business model, in my view.
Which diamond ring would you buy?
What would you do with the extra $12K or so that you save?
