Are you wondering where to get the vest VS diamonds on the internet?
Good!
In this guide we shall look at:
- What is a VS diamond?
- Red flags to watch out for when getting VS diamonds
- Are VS diamonds worth their cost?
- And a lot more!
Here is a list of my top-rated stores.
Keep reading to get tips as well as tricks and get answers to common FAQs.
Best Places to Buy VS Diamonds Online
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What is a VS Diamond?
Any time VS is mentioned when discussing about diamonds, it refers to how clear the diamond is. The quality of a diamond is dictated by its 4Cs as prescribed by GIA.
Among the 4Cs is Clarity. Clarity refers to how free the diamond is from blemishes and inclusions.
Diamonds with VS clarity come in 2 grades: VS1 and VS2. These two form the third level of diamond clarity on the scale.
VS means Very Slightly Included which denotes that the diamond has very few and minute inclusions which are visible under a 10x magnifier.
The FAQ section below gives more detail about VS diamonds.
1. James Allen’s VS Diamonds
No online store has better VS diamonds than James Allen. This is so because they have a crystal-clear HD 3600 viewer.
Vs diamonds have inclusions that can be seen, so you wouldn’t want toget them from corporate stores like Zales, Jared, or Kay. These megastores sell I1 and SI clarity diamonds in store. If you are lucky to get a VS clarity diamond in their online store, the price will be double the price at James Allen.
James Allen has a wide selection of loose diamonds that you can look at remotely. When you view their diamonds in the 360-degree viewing tool, you can be sure of the same diamond being delivered to your doorstep.
Watch the video shown below. It shows VS2 diamonds with similar grades and prices using the 3600viewers from James Allen.
Look at how clearer the VS2 diamond on the left is compared to the second.
There is a $130 price difference with an even bigger difference in visual appeal. The light performance in the diamond on the right show exactly where the visible inclusions are located. Do you see why you must use a clear 360-degree viewing technology?
Not only are the VS diamonds at James Allen cheaper, they also have GIA and IGI certificates, but I recommend that you buy only GIA certified diamonds if you want real VS diamonds. AGS certificates are also reliable.
GIA is the most trusted and accurate diamond grading lab, so there is no doubt that the diamond you are paying for is exactly what you will get.
RECOMMENDED: Best Places to Buy GIA Diamonds
The other great thing with James Allen is their huge collection of loose VS diamonds. A store can have a good viewer, but it’s nothing if the diamond selection is limited.
There are about 6,200+ VS2 diamonds with at least H color, 1-carat and very Good cut grades, and slightly below 5,900 VS1 diamonds of varying shapes. In total, you have a collection of around 12,000 VS diamonds to select from.
If you want to buy a 1-carat colorless or near-colorless, VS diamond with ideal cut at James Allen, you will be looking at $3,100 on the lower side. On the higher side, a 5carat ideal cut VS1 diamond would cost you about $250,000.
As if the wide selection and clear viewer are not enough, JA provides a free lifetime warranty for the diamonds you buy. Whether you buy customized rings, pendants, or earrings, the warranty is free.
Not many jewelry brands would take care of the diamond’s routine repairs the way James Allen does.
Pros
- Clear 3600 viewer
- More than 12,000 loose VS diamonds
- Much cheaper prices than chain stores
- Real-time conversation with a diamond specialist
- Free lifetime warranty
Cons
- IGI diamonds available
2. Blue Nile’s VS diamonds
The oldest online diamond jewelry store is Blue Nile. They have been selling clean and safe diamonds online since 1999.
Like other stores on this list, BN sells loose diamonds, ring settings, and gemstone jewelry. There are numerous settings to choose from especially if you like to build your own ring. They carry their own styles too like the Gallery Collection. This exclusive collection features high-quality platinum rings. Alternatively, you can settle for a brand designer setting like Monique Lhuillier or ZAC Pose.
Blue Nile has more than 40,000 VS1 diamonds of different shapes and grades and about $0,000 VS2 diamonds of different carat weights. This collection is much bigger than any of our other best stores and all of them have GIA certificates.
The main disadvantage is that not all loose diamonds have a 3600 viewer. Even then, you can filter the ones that have the viewer, which is good. The most important thing is to view your diamond in detail before buying it.
When you filter to the diamonds that have a 3600 viewer, you will be left with about 13,000 loose VS diamonds. Still a sizeable collection but you still have to mind other grades like cut and carat weight. This means your search will be further narrowed.
Buying a VS@ diamond with similar characteristics will have you looking at $5000 on the lower side and $11,000 on the higher side if it is an ideal cut round VS2 diamond. This is not so high compared to others. The maximum price may be similar to other stores, but the minimum is visibly much higher than other online stores on this list.
You will be surprised that even with the high prices, some people still prefer to buy from Blue Nile over any other store. Price is not everything.
How I wish Blue Nile had a real warranty instead of a manufacturer’s warranty. For any routine maintenance of the diamond, you will have to dig into your pocket.
Pros
- GIA diamonds only
- Wide selection of settings
- Trusted long-standing reputation
- Buyback option
Cons
- Warranty does not cater to routine maintenance
- Not all diamonds have 3600 viewing
- Pricier than an average store
3. Clean Origin’s VS Diamonds
While Blue Diamond is the industry’s granny, Clean Origin is the toddler. They have been selling diamonds online from 2017. They made it to our list of favorite online jewelry stores because they stock the best lab-grown VS diamonds.
Lab-created diamonds have recently gained popularity, especially among the new generations. The younger generation is starting to accept that lab diamonds are the same as mined diamonds.
Clean Origin retails all kinds of Lab created diamond jewelry including rings, bracelets, chains, etc. They let you look at the diamond using the 3600viewers although it is a bit complex and has additional features. The features and not really necessary but some jewelry lovers like them.
Watch the video below
The diamond collection at Clean Origin is smaller than that in James Allen. Their collection is composed of about 5,000 VS1 and 4,000 VS2 diamonds that have different grades and certificates.
The cheapest 1-carat round and ideal cut VS1 diamond that is H color grade will cost you $1,400 and the most expensive $53,000. A VS2 with similar characteristics goes for #1,300 on the lower side and $62,000 on the higher end. Several other factors contribute to the final price viewers of a VS1 that make it cheaper than VS2 diamonds.
The downside of buying synthetic diamonds is that their value is much lower compared to mined diamonds. The value is not only low but keeps dropping and their prices constantly fluctuate. This fact makes lab diamonds difficult and sometimes not eligible for upgrading or trading-in. all the other stores on this list have a program that enables the store to buy back the diamond from the customer.
RECOMMENDED: Lab Created vs Natural diamonds
The best thing about purchasing VS diamonds from Clean Origin is you will find diamonds that are clean to the eye without struggle. Diamonds created in the lab do not have inclusions in odd places like their natural counterparts. They have inclusions that are long and look like needles making them less visible unless they are big.
From the above image, you can clearly see the inclusions. The diamond is an emerald cut which makes it easy to see the clarity imperfections when looked at through the pavilion. Asscher cut diamonds also have visible inclusions.
Clean Origin offers its customers a manufacturer’s warranty. This warranty covers design flaws and manufacturing flaws. If you want the stone on your diamond to be tightened, prong re-tipping, or rhodium plating for white gold, you will cover the cost out of pocket.
However, what lacks in the warranty is covered in the return policy. Not so many people will buy a diamond online without being sure of a return policy.
When you buy VS diamonds from Clean Origin, you have 100 days to return the diamond in case you are not satisfied with it. That is enough time to decide whether you still want the ring or not. No other store on our list offers such a long return period.
Pros
- 100 days to return the diamond
- Lab diamonds only
- More eye clean VS diamonds
- Less pricey than natural diamonds
Cons
- Not eligible for buyback
- Manufacturer’s warranty only
4. Ritani’s VS Diamonds
Ritani has been in the jewelry market for a long time but as a brand ring designer. Off late, they started selling diamonds on the internet. They have a collection of both mined and lab-grown diamonds, patented ring settings as well as fine pieces of jewelry.
Out of all the stores on this list, Ritani has the lowest collection of diamonds, however, it does not mean that it is not the best. They have 4,500+ near colorless and colorless VS diamonds with a minimum 1-carat, ideal cut, or very good cut grades.
3,000 of the entire collection is made up of common diamond shapes such as cushion cut, princess, and round. If you want a pear shape, you will have to pick from a collection of fewer than 200 diamonds. If you want unique-shaped diamond shapes, Ritani may not be the ideal store.
One unique thing about Ritani is that they have a market analysis for all diamonds they have. The price of each diamond is broken down to show you the costs incurred for shipping from the manufacturer and processing. The analysis shows how much is charged for markup costs as well. This kind of market analysis makes customers trust the store more, especially if you think the cost of diamonds, is a rip-off.
It would be nicer if they gave customers a 3600 view of all their diamonds. The drawback is that not every diamond has a 3600 view. In fact, a few of them don’t have anything else apart from a stock photo.
Luckily, they can schedule HD images for any of the diamonds in their store within 48hrs. Most people would rather buy diamonds from a store that offers 360-degree views on all of their diamonds like James Allen unless you really like their designer ring settings.
Another great score for Ritani is that they started as a ring-setting brand initially. This means you get to pick on their many unique rings that cannot be found in any other stores. Most stores have a cathedral solitaire or pave halo ring. Ritani is a huge brand and lets you pick one out of exclusive designs. Keep in mind that unique designer ring settings are going to be insanely expensive, unlike the unbranded pieces.
RECOMMENDED: Should you Buy a Cathedral Ring Setting
Finally, buying a VS diamond from Ritani comes with a lifetime warranty. With the warranty, you get free rhodium plating, stone tightening, and prong re-tipping.
Pros
- Unique ring settings
- Market analysis
- Branded collection
- Free lifetime warranty
Cons
- Costly ring settings
- Inconsistent images and 3600 videos
- Limited collection of diamond cuts and shapes
Is a VS Diamond Real?
This question has popped up more than enough times. The answer is Yes! A VS diamond is a real diamond. Most people think that it is fake because real diamonds have blemishes and inclusions.
VS1 and VS2 diamonds are eye-clean and look flawless, hence some may think it is faux like cubic zirconia or moissanite. Luckily, there are several ways to know if a diamond is natural.
RECOMMENDED: How to Tell a Real Diamond By Eye
VS or VVS Diamond: Which is Better?
From a diamond expert’s view, VVS diamonds carry more value than VS diamonds. Their clarity is higher so they cost more and bear higher price tags.
This does not however mean that you cannot find a crappy VVS diamond or VS diamond. Other diamond qualities are important too in determining the quality of a diamond. A 1-carat VS1 diamond with excellent/ideal cut grade and D color grade will have a better quality than a round good cut grade VVS2 diamond with similar grades.
You probably know by now that you should never forego diamond cut, especially when looking at round diamonds. Always settle for excellent/ideal and very good cut grades if you want other fancy shapes.
Difference Between VS1 and VS2 Diamond
Although the difference may not be significant, the cost of VS1 diamond is higher than VS2, they are more valuable too. VS1 diamonds are also eye-clean or free from any visible imperfections.
The variation between VS1 and VS2 diamonds becomes more noticeable when the carat weight goes up. VS1 diamonds will have fewer dark spots than VS2.
When you buy either of the diamonds from a jewelry shop online that has 3600viewers, the difference is in the price you pay by choosing eye-clean VS2 diamonds.
Do VS Diamonds Need Certification?
ALL diamonds need a certification.
They may not be the best quality but VS diamonds are still expensive. With that said, how frustrated would you be to know that you bought a VS1 diamond, only to learn that it actually is an SI2 diamond?
You paid the price of a VS1 diamond only to end up with two tiers clarity grades lower. You may be quick to assume that the jewelry shop is a scam which may not be the case.
RECOMMENDED: Which Diamond Certification is Best?
When buying VS diamonds, settle only for diamonds that have certificates. A certified diamond goes through intense analysis by a professional and reliable diamond lab to make sure that the diamond advertised is exactly it.
However, you should not buy a diamond just because it has a certificate, get diamonds that have certificates from trusted labs like AGS or GIA. The Gemological Society of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) are the two most trusted and reliable labs that set diamond grading standards.
Most physical stores like Zales and Kay sell VS diamonds that have IGI certificates. These are not the best places to shop since their diamonds have grades that are not strict like GIA and AGS.
However, you can buy an IGI certified diamond and have it graded by GIA. You will be amazed to learn the difference in grades from what was advertised in the grading certificate and not necessarily by the retailer. The stores will not let you know this either.
We recommend you stick to buying VS diamonds from reputable diamond stores like James Allen and go home happy.