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Buying diamonds is no small purchase, and of course, you want the perfect stone to profess your love to your sweetie. Many buyers are looking for that perfect diamond engagement ring online rather than at traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Online diamond shopping is convenient and helps with the surprise element, but it is also challenging. Anyone buying a diamond wants to be sure they are getting top quality without breaking the bank, and that can be hard to do without seeing the jewelry in person. Whether it’s a diamond engagement ring for that special someone or an anniversary piece to celebrate a life together, when you invest in a diamond, you want to be sure you are getting the best value for your money.
That may be easier said than done in the world of online jewelers. There are countless brands to choose from, and new ones are entering the game daily. Whiteflash, an online fine jeweler, has been around since 2000, offering incredibly high-quality diamonds at prices that are much less expensive than many traditional brick-and-mortar options. As an admirer of fine jewelry, I wanted to know more about Whiteflash Ideal Diamonds & Fine Jewelry and what they have to offer. Let’s find out if they have what you’re looking for to give to that special someone.
Summary
Whiteflash offers high-quality diamonds with an emphasis on precision cuts. Both natural and lab diamonds are used to create timeless fine jewelry.
Overall Score
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Site Usability
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Certification
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Reputation
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Selection & Images
Pros
- Natural and lab-grown diamonds
- Real pictures and videos of stones
- Comprehensive diamond information
- Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) to ensure no conflict diamonds
- ISO 9000 Certified Review
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- One-year buy back guarantee
- Large selection of “Ideal” diamonds
- Exclusive provider of A CUT ABOVE® Super Ideal Diamonds
- Service plan
Cons
- Higher prices on some stones
- Not as wide a selection of styles as some competitors
7 Key Features
- Members of the American Gem Society, which is the most prestigious organization in the jewelry industry.
- The Staff has GIA and AGS credentials.
- A Dedicated photo department for in-house images of each gem.
- A large selection of designer rings includes Tacori, Verragio, Simon G, and more.
- Free, insured shipping anywhere in the world.
- Extensive quality checks
- Natural and lab-grown diamonds
Company History
Whiteflash was launched in 2000 by Deb Wexler, an award-winning entrepreneur who wanted to sell fine jewelry-quality diamonds directly to consumers online. Today, the company is going strong, connecting customers with high-end diamonds. The brand offers loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings, and diamond jewelry. They have a long-standing reputation for high-quality gems, designer brands, and precision cuts, color, and clarity. You can also request a custom design to create a unique and one-of-a-kind piece.
Whiteflash strives for high quality and offers a large selection of natural and lab-grown diamonds. Learn more about the difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds in our guide here. Below, I review the different collections and options available from this online fine jewelry powerhouse.
Determining Diamond Quality
There are quite a few methods used to determine a diamond’s quality. Two very important tools are the four Cs of diamonds and light performance. I will briefly explain these below.
The 4 Cs of Diamonds
- Cut – Cut refers to both the shape of a stone and its grade. Popular diamond shapes include princess, round, emerald, pear, oval, cushion, baguette, and marquise. Grade, proportion, alignment, and finish are all considered when evaluating a diamond’s cut.
- Clarity – This refers to the number of blemishes or inclusions a diamond has. The fewer impurities, the better, and the higher the clarity of a gem. There is a clarity scale that grades diamonds in six categories: Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF), Very Very Slightly included (VVS1 and VVS2) Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2), Slightly Included (SI1 and S2), or Included (I1, I2, or I3).
- Carat – Carat refers to the weight of the diamond, as it is different from the karat used to measure gold. For diamonds, one carat equals 200 milligrams. Carat can affect the light performance, as a thicker cut impacts light proportions.
- Color – Diamonds come in several shades. The clearer the store, the higher the grade. Gemstone color is scaled from D (totally colorless) to Z. Gems that fall outside the range are labeled as “fancy colored.”
Light Performance
The light performance of a diamond refers to the measure of the gem’s interaction with light. Light performance determines a jewel’s physical appeal and shows its unique qualities. The three criteria used to measure a stone’s light performance are:
- Fire -Fire refers to the range of colors seen in the diamond with light dispersion.
- Brilliance – The white light reflection of a diamond emphasized by dark and contrasting areas.
- Scintillation – the resulting physical effect of the combination of fire and brilliance. Scintillation is also called sparkle, which causes that perfect twinkle of light and radiant flashes when a diamond is under different lights.
Whiteflash offers diamonds with superior light performance compared to many less expensive alternatives. They employ a variety of tools, including light performance imaging, Ideal Scope, H& A viewer, and ASET (Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool), as well as ray tracing software programs such as AGS Light Performance and DiamCalc.
Whiteflash Quality Control Measures
- Intense inspection of all gemstones for clarity and imperfections
- Light performance imaging and analysis, including telescope and ASET imaging
- AGSL triple ideal and platinum dual light map reports
- Clarity and color grading
- Negligible fluorescence – no fluorescence means a more valuable jewel
- Hearts and Arrows patterning
- Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) to ensure no conflict diamonds
- ISO 9000 Certified Review
- Proprietary AGS Certificate
- Negligible Fluorescence
- AGSL Triple Ideal
- Laser Inscription
Whiteflash Reviews
I meticulously vetted the company to learn more and find out if Whiteflash is legit, if their diamonds are of good quality, and if their hard-earned money is going toward a truly valuable, well-crafted purchase. Let’s get into the details.
Does Whiteflash Have A Good Selection?
Whiteflash has an exceptionally large selection of diamonds, both natural and lab-grown. Their selection comes in assorted colors, cuts, clarity, and carats. All in-house gemstones are certified by the AGS (American Gem Society). The brand has incredibly high standards for the gemstones it sells. The company provides extensive information on its diamonds and quality analysis.
A CUT ABOVE®
A CUT ABOVE® are in-house, natural diamonds considered to be super ideal. They meet or exceed the AGS specifications for an ideal cut diamond. In particular, the A CUT ABOVE® line is known for super ideal Hearts and Arrows diamonds.
Hearts and Arrows (H&A) are round-cut natural diamonds. They are precision cut with extremely precise and exact angles and proportions to create perfect symmetry. When looking at the stone under a special tool, one can see a perfect pattern of either eight arrows or eight perfect hearts, depending on the view and tool used. H&A are special because they are crafted to create three-dimensional alignment to create optical symmetry, more often referred to as “optical precision.” These gems come with a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Triple Excellent rating and are complemented with supplemental AGS Ideal Reports.
You can clearly see the hearts in the special contrast imaging of this H&A A CUT ABOVE® diamond.
A CUT ABOVE® diamonds are some of the highest-quality gemstones available today. They also come with a Sarin report, which provides incredibly detailed measurements of the stone’s precise and unique proportions. You can double-check this report with the GIA/AGS grading report.
A CUT ABOVE® Quality Checks
- All gems in the A CUT ABOVE® collection are held to an exceedingly high standard. Diamonds are put through an intense three-stage quality control process. They must meet or exceed these standards:
- A diamond must be colorless and fall between D and F on the color grading scale.
- Diamonds must have a grade between IV and VVS on the clarity scale. This grade means that the jewel appears clean and flawless to the eye, even under up to 40x magnification.
- The gems are then cut with perfect precision to be symmetrical and have superior light performance.
- Round-cut Hearts and Arrows have 57 facets, eight hearts, and eight arrows.
- Princess-cut gems are held to the AGS qualifications for triple zero diamonds, meaning they get zero grades across the AGS scale, are colorless, flawless, and have the ideal cut.
- GIA Triple Excellent diamonds are accompanied by supplemental AGS Ideal Reports. A CUT ABOVE® branded stones, recognized for their unmatched brilliance and precision, now have this double assurance of quality and excellence.
Whiteflash Precision Cut Lab Grown Diamonds
Whiteflash also creates its own lab-grown diamonds, which are available at lower prices than natural cuts, but they do not sacrifice quality, clarity, cut, color, or carats. These lab-grown gems are cut to the same exacting standards for optimal light performance. There is no compromise to cut quality, something the company takes great pride in.
Each precision lab diamond is accompanied by a high-quality grading report from a leading gemological laboratory with details of all four Cs. Each precision lab-grown diamond is also laser inscribed with the lab report number and an indicator that the diamond is lab-grown. This identification is only visible with a jeweler’s loupe at ten times magnification.
Precision lab diamonds are crafted for optimal performance using the finest quality rough material. Whiteflash’s lab-grown gems are no less brilliant or high quality than their natural ones but are lower in price.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few more questions you may have. I’ve addressed a few of the most often asked below.
What Is Premium Select?
The Premium Select gemstone line at Whiteflash is perfect for customers who are looking for value and are not concerned with the crisp H&A patterning. These stones are of high quality but do not meet the ACA standards set by the company. For consumers who are not concerned with that, these are a fantastic value and can give you that beautiful, large diamond at a lower price.
What Metals & Settings Are Available?
Whiteflash uses either 14k or 18k gold. Gold choices include white, yellow, and gold. Platinum is also an option. Their platinum products are made with 95% pure platinum. Whiteflash offers a variety of settings, including basic two, four, and six prongs, French-set, solitaire, halo, pave diamond, three-stone, bezel, channel, tension, and melee.
Does Whiteflash Offer Designer Engagement Rings?
Whiteflash offers several gorgeous designer engagement rings by top names in the bridal jewelry business. These come in a range of prices from under $1,000 to over $5,000. These partnerships include:
- Simon G
- Verraagio
- Vatche
- A. Jaffe
- Tacori
- Valoria
- Danhov
- Benchmark
Creating custom engagement rings with the company designers is also an option. They will evaluate your request and decide if they can accommodate it. Learn more about how to design an engagement ring online in our guide.
Website Usability & My Personal Whiteflash Shopping Experience
I’ve shopped for fine jewelry several times before and found the shopping experience with Whiteflash very thorough. Their website is highly informative and straightforward. It is full of valuable gemstone information and education. The navigation was simple, and I could easily find what I was looking for. Each jewelry piece and individual stone has several pictures and a diamond video, so I can get a remarkably close and precise look at what I am purchasing. One quick note: the designer rings and jewelry do not all have videos.
Although the site is not as user-friendly or interactive as some competitors, it is quite thorough. You truly understand what you are buying and, in the process, learn a great deal about jewels, cut, and quality.
Whiteflash provides an extensive education section covering many different topics, including gemstone education, jewelry education, gems and gemology, infographics, and a blog. They also go into great detail to discuss and clarify the diamond 4Cs and diamond certification and its process.
The website also provides a user-friendly “find my ring size” tool to help you determine the correct size to order. The tool is quite easy to use. You start by tuning your computer display using your driver’s license or credit card. After that, you can use the displayed ring size chart to find the exact size you need. There’s even an option to hold up a current ring next to the screen to match the perfect size.
Customer service is available through chat, e-mail, and telephone. Whiteflash also offers insured shipping, a 30-day full money-back guarantee, a “no questions asked” return policy, a lifetime trade-up guarantee, a conflict-free diamond guarantee, and a one-year service plan. The company also has a one-year buyback guarantee on all-natural, branded diamonds and complimentary ring sizing.
Whiteflash Pricing
Whiteflash pricing is comparable to other online and brick-and-mortar fine jewelry retailers. Setting and gemstone prices range from about $350 to over $30,000. Settings do not come with center stones. Those are sold separately, as is the case with many online retailers. Pricing depends on your specific selections. However, you can expect a very high-quality jewel and setting with the paperwork to prove it. As with any purchase, you get what you pay for. If you chose a lower-end gem and setting, it would not match the quality of a higher-quality stone, cut, and setting.
Social Responsibility
Whiteflash is committed to social responsibility and demonstrates that in various ways. They commit with an “unequivocal pledge to actively avoid any diamond not coming through legitimate sources” and only work with legitimately sourced conflict-free gemstones. They adhere to the Kimberly Process, an international process and stakeholder regime that sets up laws to increase transparency and oversight in the diamond trade. This helps prevent conflict diamonds from being part of the legal and mainstream gemstone market.
Whiteflash only uses suppliers who comply with the Kimberley Process and supports the United Nations Resolutions prohibiting the trade in gems that fuel conflict.
Whiteflash is dedicated to helping children through involvement with the Jewelers For Children organization and dedicates the profits from all sales of the Dreams of Africa collection to this cause. The organization supports programs like Make A Wish and other children’s charities to help terminally ill children as well as child victims of abuse, neglect, and violence. They also belong to the Diamonds Development Initiative, which works to develop a fair-trade environment in the industry for smaller and artisanal diamond miners.
They are also members of the United Nations Global Compact, a group of over 8,000 companies and 150 countries dedicated to solving issues like human rights, fair labor practices, sustainable environmental practices, and other global challenges. The company also supports Gravity Light, an organization that provides gravity-powered lighting to people in areas without electricity or who must depend on kerosene for lighting.
What Do Customers Think?
Overall, customers are very happy with their experience and the quality of gems purchased from Whiteflash. The upgrade, buy back, and return policy are all top features customers like. Some customers feel that the company caters to those customers purchasing higher-end and more expensive items.
Others felt that some of the stones were overpriced. However, when it comes to quality and cut, the customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Along with the superior cut and quality, customers appreciate the company’s transparency and the documentation that assures the quality and grade of the diamonds. Many customers report that the gemstones exceed expectations and look even better in person than online. Customer service is another high point, with a team that buyers find genuinely committed to customer satisfaction, not driving up the price tag.
How To Clean Your Jewelry
Whiteflash has some tips on how to keep your engagement ring looking shiny and sparkly.
Is Whiteflash Worth My Investment?
If you are in the market for a high-quality diamond and are ready to spend a few thousand dollars, you can find many options with Whiteflash and will appreciate the cut and clarity of the stones. Whiteflash is a well-respected company known for exquisite sparkle and precision cuts. They are a top choice but may not be right for you if you do not want to spend a few thousand dollars.
One more thing to mention is to consider getting jewelry insurance on your diamonds, as well as a home safe to store them in. We cover a few of the best home safes and what to look for to keep your valuables secure and protected when you aren’t wearing them.
More To Know About Engagement & Wedding Rings
The tradition of engagement and wedding rings has a long history. If you want to learn more about where these traditions come from, check out our guide on engagement vs wedding rings and our top choices of inclusive engagement ring options for gay men and lesbian engagement rings. We also cover the best time to buy an engagement ring. If diamonds aren’t quite your style, we discuss alternatives, including titanium rings.
Have you had a good or bad experience buying a diamond online? Do you have a favorite brand we should know about? Please share your experiences with us in the comments.
Why Trust Safe Smart Living?
Danielle is an experienced researcher, writer, and gemstone fan. She loves to learn more about these precious stones and how to determine their quality. She spent over 8 hours researching for this review. Danielle has researched over 50 online jewelry companies and continues looking for companies committed to conflict-free gemstones and social impact. Danielle uses her unquenching quest for knowledge to seek out, scrutinize, and explore what’s around her. Her job is to share information with others, something she has years of experience with from her former career as an educator. Danielle spends countless hours reviewing and researching valuable information to share with our readers.
