Diamonds Direct Charlotte

I'm surprised at the negative reviews here because my experience in the store and with my purchase has been so positive. My husband and I went in looking for an engagement/wedding ring because after twelve years, it was time I got one! Our salesperson was Kristina and she was a pleasure to work with. I had done a lot of searching online and in other retail jewelry stores and found that DD had a greater selection than any other place I went to. The only other place I found where price and quality compared was Costco. However, I needed a small sized ring and the Costco rings only came in size 7. Re-sizing a diamond ring more than one size is generally not recommended. more

I have never written a review of a business online, but I was so disapppointed in my experience at Diamonds Direct I felt compelled to share it online. I also wanted to share a review online because Charlotte has many transplants like me. While I'm very comfortable with the reputations of the jewelers in my homeotwn, I do not have that same benefit in Charlotte. Diamonds Direct seems to operate on the principle that they'll sell you a diamond in your price range, even though you could buy the same diamond elsewhere for much less. We compared their prices to other local jelewers and online retailers - Diamonds Direct prices were not at all competitive (in one case, a diamond with the exact same GIA certification was $3000 more at Diamonds Direct). Besides the lack of value we found in their prices, we were also disappointed in their sales associates. Their attitude and tone was condescending. Additionally, they were very pushy about a deposit being placed on a ring. I've dealt with many jewelry stores and have never experienced this type of pressure to put a deposit on a ring or a piece of jewelry. My experience at other stores has been the opposite. They work with you to ensure that you are comfortable with your decision. The other reason I found the deposit thing problematic: rings and jewelry are metal and rocks. All jewelry stores can easily create or replicate settings. While most jewelers are very willing to suggest this option, Diamonds Direct seemed more interested in selling a ring they had in their case or inventory rather than tailoring a ring to meet the buyer's preferences. Lastly, their ""guarantees"" that they say separate themselves from other jewelers are very similar to the same guarantees most jewelry stores offer (service, cleaning, trade-ins, etc.). This may not be common knowledge to potential customers who are making their first significant investment in jewelry. Buying an engagement ring is supposed to be a special and exciting experience for people. I hope that others don't have that taken away from them by having to deal with Diamonds Direct, their disappointing prices, lack of value and unsophisticated staff. I know buying an engagement ring can be an emotional process, but please don't let the Diamonds Direct employees prey on that emotion. I highly recommend shopping other jewelers whether online or local. I have found Karat Patch on Providence Road to be much more helpful, a better value and to offer a very pleasant experience. more

For years, I heard Diamonds Direct advertised on the radio as the premier diamond seller in Charlotte and the Southeast, so when I was in the market for a diamond for my engagement ring, I made a special trip to Charlotte to visit their store. The entire experience was a disappointment and is not recommended. Diamonds Direct is ideal for saps who do not know a great deal about diamonds, and compare prices and stones from retailer jewelry stores in the mall and around town. They cater to people who think they are learning something about diamonds with such ""insider advice"" that ""color is more important than carat."" However, when I and my fiancee entered the store with specification ranges in carat, color, clarity, table and girdle of what we wanted, we were promptly shown only two loose diamonds that did not meet our specifications at a price that was not competitive with other wholesalers or direct exchanges. Furthermore, when I asked David Fox, one of Diamonds Direct Graduate Gemologists if we could see other stones in our requested range he was dismissive as said that was all they had in a F-H range VS2 or better. This seemed highly unlikely given that store is billed as a wholesaler. It is also very puzzling why they only deal with Israeli diamond cutters and when I asked about this further, he said, why would I want to go anywhere else? The short answer: 85% of the worlds diamonds come from other regions that offer better quality at a more affordable price. For my money and value, I got a better experience, a better quality diamond at a retail wholesaler who will take ASET pictures of your diamond, provide you a 10 day free return policy and can custom tailor to your demands in ways Diamonds Direct cannot or is at least unwilling to do so. Bottom line: If you are in the market in the Charlotte area and looking for value you are better off going through a retailer out of your region or via the internet where you can exchange diamonds with minimal loss of effort, higher quality and better long-term value. If you can't leave the area, I suggest the Costco on Tyvola Road which had a better selection of VS1 and colorless than Diamonds Direct at thousands less. more

Finally! I can write a review now that I've actually given the ring to my now fianc?, haha. Pros: Selection, staff, prices, location Cons: My wallet is much lighter, haha more

When I was getting engaged a couple of years ago, I definitely shopped around to find the very best diamond and value that I could. I lived in Raleigh at the time, but a good friend of mine told me that the best jeweler in the Southeast was in Charlotte. I made an appointment at Diamonds Direct and was blown away with their professionalism, quality and value that I found. My wife's ring is one of the most beautiful rings I have ever seen, but more importantly that she has ever seen. more

I have an engagement ring that I needed to be resized and appraised, and since it was not purchased in Charlotte, I was looking for somewhere trustworthy (I was very paranoid about the stone being switched, or something fishy happening, you know all those urban legends) to take it... I asked around, and several people told me to take it to Diamonds Direct, that I would not regret it, etc. etc. So, ok, I give them a call to see about resizing it and how to go about doing that. They said I could make an appointment, so I did - my appointment was for a Wednesday, and they said they'd get it back to me the same day. They said I could drop off the ring early if I was unable to come in Wednesday morning. WELL, since I dont live in the area, I dropped it off on Monday night. The store was very nice, and I was warmly welcomed and spoken to by ALL of the employees, from the lady at the front door to the customer service rep. You don't get that snooty feel at ALL when you go in. Anyway, the very next day (TUESDAY, the day BEFORE my appointment) I get a phone call saying my ring was ready! I went down to pick it up, and 1) the ring was resized PERFECTLY and had been buffed and cleaned so it looked BEAUTIFUL!!! 2) they didn't even charge me for the appraisal, 3) the customer service rep said, ""well, they told you over the phone the range would be $40 - $60, so we'll just charge you $40. 4) When I asked if they sold cleaning kits for jewelry, they said they'd just give me one!!!! I was so overwhelmed (because, nowadays, you NEVER get treated like this!) that I said, ""You know, I've never been here before but let me tell you, my experience has been AWESOME!"" I am in the marketing field and take customer service VERY seriously in my own line of work and in my personal life, so when I find a place like this, I intend to spread the good word! Diamonds Direct has just earned themselves my jewelry business for life, or for as long as I'm in Charlotte. :) more

I highly recommend Diamonds Direct to anyone shopping for a diamond! I was nervous and had a small budget, but as soon as i walked in everyone was so nice. A sales associate sat me down and told me how diamonds were priced- i was suprised that they shared this info with me! I told them my budget and they found me a great diamond for a great price. I even had some money left over to buy a special setting for it! it was a great experience- even after i gave the ring to my girlfirend, my sales associate called me to make sure everything was good. shop there- you'll save money and make her happy! Pros: all good Cons: my girlfriend wants me to shop there for every holiday and occasion now! more