Looking for guidance on whether Whiteflash or Ritani is the better option?
You are in the right spot! In this comprehensive Twirl weddings guide, you’ll discover:
- Which jewelry store provides a more seamless shopping experience?
- Which brand offers superior warranties?
- Where can you find the greatest bang for your buck?
- What do customers have to say about their experiences with both Ritani and Whiteflash?
As two highly regarded online diamond retailers, Ritani and Whiteflash both specialize in providing top-quality diamonds. Ritani offers a selection of top tier designer ring settings to complement the loose diamonds, while Whiteflash focuses on precision-cut ideal diamonds.
Ritani and Whiteflash are both known for their ethical and conflict-free practices, so you can feel confident shopping with either. But when it comes to choosing the best option for you, the decision is ultimately up to you!
Shopping Experience
Ritani and Whiteflash both offer high-end ring settings and loose diamonds, there are other notable differences in their overall shopping experiences. While they may share some similarities, each retailer has its own unique features that set it apart from the other.
Ritani
While Ritani has long been associated with designer engagement rings, they are relatively new to the world of loose diamond sales. In fact, Ritani has traditionally been known for its partnerships with other different brands, such as Tiffany.
On the other hand, Whiteflash boasts an impressive selection of more than 80,000 loose diamonds in varying shapes and grades, including lab-created and fancy yellow diamonds. However, I would not recommend the diamond jewelry and gemstone selection, as it can be rather uninspired. Still, if you want to buy lab created diamonds, this store is the real deal.
One downside of Ritani is that their 360˚ diamond viewing feature is only available on select diamonds, and the quality of the viewing experience can be inconsistent. Some diamonds feature high-definition photos along with the 360-degree videos, while others have neither.
Moreover, the viewer itself can be problematic, with diamonds appearing off-center and fuzzy in some cases. Additionally, the viewer displays diamonds as video clips rather than offering a fully controllable view.
In the event that you determine that Ritani’s selection of engagement rings and wedding bands is not to your liking, they generously offer a 30-day window for returns.
Whiteflash
Whiteflash stands out as a premier internet-based provider of exquisite diamonds, with a strong focus on impeccable ideal cut and super ideal cut stones. They offer more than 28,000 loose diamonds in different grades, with around 18,000 minimum 1 carat diamonds available. However, they do not offer colored diamonds, gemstones or lab diamonds. All the diamonds in their collection are certified by GIA or AGS for quality and light performance.
While some customers may not be fans of their 360˚ video feature, it’s worth noting that they now offer two types of brilliance views, the diamonds view and the sparkle view. The latter, which is the default view, features a black background with a diamond reflection that is very bright that any blemishes may not be immediately visible.
However, the brilliance display boasts a consistent backdrop, enabling a comprehensive observation of the diamond and facilitating the identification of any undesired attributes. Furthermore, it demonstrates remarkable responsiveness when attempting to examine the diamond from the rear, preventing any disruptive movements.
Unfortunately, while scrolling through their catalog, an overview of the diamond can only be seen in the sparkle view after hovering for about 5 seconds. To view the more useful video, one must click on each diamond.
In case the Whiteflash’s diamond ring does not meet your expectations, you can take advantage of their 30-day product return policy. It’s important to note that diamonds from Virtual Selection do not have videos and therefore have a shorter 10-day money-back guarantee.
Customer Service
Customer service is one of the main factors in retaining customers, and many companies lose business due to poor service. However, Ritani and Whiteflash stand out from mega jewelry retailers because they provide unbiased advice to their customers, without the pressure of making a commission or meeting sales goals.
Ritani
Ritani’s customer support is available during the weekdays, Monday to Thursday, operating from 9am Eastern Standard Time (EST) until 10pm EST. They are closed on Saturdays and open on Mondays again from 11am to 6pm. Customers can reach them through email, by phone, and chat.
For those who are unable to contact Ritani during their regular business hours, they offer private appointments outside of the set schedule. This shows their commitment to meeting their customers’ needs. Additionally, Ritani has GIA certified gemologists available through their Concierge service. They provide unbiased advice to help customers find a relatively affordable diamond within their budget, compare the loose diamonds, or select the perfect gold color for their needs.
The Concierge service is offered for free, without any commission on sales. This ensures customers receive impartial recommendations.
One of the things I admire most about Ritani is their commitment to transparency. They offer customers a proper Market Analysis for every diamond, providing information about the vendor’s selling price, Ritani’s customs and shipping costs, and their markup. This allows customers to see exactly where their money goes and make an informed decision.
Ritani stands out among the limited number of e-commerce platforms that offer the convenient option of purchasing items online and then collecting them from a physical store. While their main office is located in New York, they have established partnerships with numerous jewelry retailers across the United States. To take advantage of this service, simply click on the “find my store” button during the checkout process.
Ritani offers free shipping and FedEx overnight delivery is available, though occasionally, overnight delivery may not be possible. Signing for the package is a requisite upon its arrival and shipping is available only to customers in Canada and the USA at no extra cost. There is a limit of two returns per year.
The company provides a 30-day refund policy, arranging convenient home pickups for customers. Additionally, they have a program for diamond buybacks and upgrades available to all buyers.
Finally, if a customer finds a similar diamond on another site, Ritani offers price matching.
Whiteflash
Whiteflash provides 24/7 customer service through chat, email, and phone. They have US and international numbers available, and customers can visit their Houston showroom from Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm by booking appointments online.
At your convenience, you have the option to ask for a conversation with a gem expert and most of their operations staff hold similar credentials, which is a rarity among online jewelers.
Whiteflash focuses in superior cut diamonds, offering unique choices such as “Cut to Order” for custom-cut diamonds, bounded to Hearts and Arrows round-shaped diamonds. Additionally, they have partnered with Jewelers Mutual for jewelry insurance online, and offer upgrade services for their diamonds especially when it comes to trade-in.
Whiteflash also provides FAQ sections for customers and comprehensive education, detailing all necessary information about their diamonds. They offer Idealscope images and ASET, which are exclusive to their diamonds and show customers the diamond’s light performance. These images are not essential for purchasing a diamond, they offer additional information for customers.
I find it impressive that Whiteflash distinguishes their in-store diamonds from the virtual selection. For the most part, in-house diamonds refer to diamonds exclusively owned by Whiteflash, which are not featured on other websites unlike the majority of diamond inventories available online today.
Warranty
Many people believe that a warranty is unnecessary for their wedding and engagement rings, but I strongly recommend getting one. These rings are typically crafted from natural metals which are not invincible.
Most of these rings are usually made from authentic gold, which is an incredibly soft metal that is susceptible to scratches, nicks, and fading. However, it’s totally unrelated to the quality of the craftsmanship, but rather the inevitable wear and tear that comes with using natural materials on a daily basis.
Ritani
Similar to James Allen, Ritani stands as the sole online retailer that provides its customers with a complimentary lifetime warranty. Conversely, competing retailers such as Blue Nile and Clean Origin solely offer manufacturer warranties. Manufacturer warranties, whether lifetime or not, only account for defects and design flaws, failing to cover wear and tear damages.
Ritani’s lifetime warranty permits customers to obtain gold rhodium plating, prong tightening, and even diamond tightening at no cost. The warranty also offers a complimentary resizing is available once during the initial year., although a $35 shipping fee applies, with Ritani covering return shipping expenses.
In order to initiate the warranty, you need to activate it. Plus, you must register online before use, ideally within 45 days of purchase, although this is not mandatory. Note that the warranty applies to Ritani’s wedding and engagement rings only, not fine jewelry.
Whiteflash
Albeit not as comprehensive as Ritani’s warranty, Whiteflash’s service warranty for a year is a valuable addition. This warranty offers rhodium plating, one complimentary resizing, and prong retipping and tightening services. Furthermore, this warranty is in addition to brand warranties which may cover Whiteflash’s designer ring settings.
However, the one-year guarantee may not be sufficient for the most critical repair: rhodium plating. This is especially true for solid white gold, the most preferred metal for bridal jewelry and engagement rings. White gold loses the silvery appearance over time due to lifestyle, dirt, chemicals, and oils on your skin.
Averagely, it takes a year or so for this discoloration to become noticeable, and for some, it may occur earlier owing to the acidity of the skin.
Given the one-year duration of the warranty, it’s highly recommended to take advantage of the services close to its expiration date to ensure your ring remains in excellent condition until you need to pay for maintenance by a jeweler. However, note that the shipping policy on warranties may appear unusual, especially with inland shipping costing $35 plus 0.3% of the item’s value.
Price and Value
The cost of a ring is often the primary concern for some people, even before considering its features and benefits. However, it’s important to note that a lower-priced diamond without additional perks may still be of great value over time, while a slightly more expensive purchase may lead to cost savings down the line.
Therefore, the ultimate value of the price tag should be considered.
You can expect to pay approximately $4694 for a 1 carat natural diamond at Ritani, featuring an Ideal cut grade, H color, and SI1 clarity. This particular round cut gem comes with a GIA certificate, lacks fluorescence, and possesses outstanding polish and highly commendable symmetry.
Unlike other branded diamonds, such as James Allen’s True Hearts and Whiteflash’s A Cut Above selection, Ritani does not carry a unique line of hearts and arrows or ideal cut diamonds or have any expert selection.
Opting for a diamond with identical grades to those offered by Ritani in their comprehensive range, the cost incurred is not as steep compared to the A Cut Above assortment, amounting to $6,603. Moreover, it is accompanied by a GIA certificate. Whiteflash, unfortunately, lacked an exact 1.0 carat option, resulting in a slightly higher weight of 1.04 carats for this particular diamond.
Diamonds from Whiteflash have a slightly larger carat weight and perfect symmetry compared to Ritani’s, it’s difficult to justify the $2,000 price difference.
It’s possible that Whiteflash’s diamond has better brilliance, but this cannot be determined since all the SI1 ideal cut H color 1-carat diamonds in their virtual selection lack 360-degree videos.
Additionally, Ritani offers an unlimited warranty that covers rhodium and maintenance, whereas Whiteflash only provides a service plan for a year. On average, majority of those who prefer white gold jewelry pieces need rhodium plating annually, which can cost anywhere from $40 to $120, but that depends on factors like the number of rings and whether they are soldered or not.
Whiteflash solitaire ring once per year for the next 49 years, at a cost of $60 per plating. In that case, the total cost of rhodium plating alone would be $2,940, not including additional costs like tightening and prong retipping.
When factoring in these additional costs, the total price for the Whiteflash diamond and maintenance over 49 years would be $8,768, without even considering the cost of the ring setting. Both Whiteflash and Ritani offer designer ring settings, with Whiteflash carrying a number of its own albeit featuring renowed brands like Simon G, Verragio, Tacori, and Ritani settings.
However, it’s essential to consider what benefits, features, and protections each brand offers with its diamonds rather than solely focusing on the diamond’s price tag. In some cases, the added value of these benefits may outweigh the cost difference.
On Reddit
Ritani
Ritani doesn’t have as many Reddit reviews compared to other popular diamond retailers like Blue Nile and James Allen. However, the few reviews that do exist are mostly focused on Ritani’s lab-created diamonds rather than the natural ones. Interestingly, in one post, a few individuals noted that Ritani offered reasonable prices when compared to other retailers.
On a different Reddit post, some users commented on how Ritani has expensive ring settings, but relatively cheaper loose diamonds. Additionally, one user noted that Ritani differs from other online retailers in that they own all their ring settings rather than outsourcing them.
Whiteflash
Compared to most other brands discussed in various subreddits, Whiteflash exhibits a marginally more pronounced prominence compared to Ritani. In most Whiteflash reviews, it’s generally agreed that they offer the excellent cut quality when it comes to round-shaped brilliant diamonds, with the A Cut right above the super ideal diamonds being highly coveted.
However, their prices are often noted to be much higher as compared to other different diamond retailers.
According to a post on Reddit, Whiteflash’s prices can be up to 30% more than what you would pay at other retailers. Despite this, they are known for their great customer service, as praised by many customers across various sites.
Whiteflash’s upgrade policy is also noteworthy, requiring customers to spend only an additional dollar for another ring, compared to double the original price as practiced by Jared, Zales, and Kay Jewelers.
One customer’s experience showcases Whiteflash’s superior service. Despite taking time to decide on a vendor, the customer was impressed by Whiteflash’s attentiveness in securing their business over James Allen and Blue Nile. This level of personal attention is likely due to Whiteflash’s smaller customer base compared to James Allen and Blue Nile.
RECOMMENDED: Blue Nile vs. Whiteflash
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing between Ritani and Whiteflash, we recommend Ritani for the average customer with a moderate budget. Ritani offers a variety of quality diamonds to choose from, allowing customers to find the perfect diamond within their budget. Although their ring settings differ, Ritani’s transparency and direct affiliation with Blue Nile make it easy to trust their pricing.
While Ritani does not offer customer service around the clock, they do offer flexible appointment times, which is a plus. Although Ritani may not have a strong presence on Reddit, they are highly regarded as incredible ring designers and have received positive customer reviews.
One of the standout features of Ritani is their lifetime warranty, which includes a one-time free resizing and 30-day return policy. All the diamonds in their collection are AGS or GIA certified, ensuring high quality for customers who may not be familiar with diamond grading.
While Whiteflash is a great online retailer, they tend to be more expensive due to their specialization in light performance and cut quality. The A Cut Above collection is exquisite, but not all customers want to pay for those extra features. Ritani offers a more budget-friendly option without sacrificing quality.
Regardless of the retailer you go for, both Ritani and Whiteflash are excellent choices for buying diamonds online and are a better option than traditional retailers like Kay and Zales. It’s important to consider the ring setting when comparing prices between the two, but either way, you can’t go wrong with either choice.