Complaint Review: James Allen Jamesallen.com Review James Schultz Michele Sigler Virtual Loupe Fraud

I stumbled upon this "review" when searching for jewelry insurance for the e-ring I just received from James Allen, and felt compelled to comment on it so that others won't be turned off from saving money with them. Whether or not the comments above are legitimate, they don't represent my experience at all and are almost certainly far from typical.

The diamond I received is exactly the one I selected online: I know this because the clarity appears to be the same VSI standard I purchased, and because the diamond glows "Strong Blue" under fluorescent light just as it should. (In fact, it would have been difficult to find such a unique diamond were it not for James Allen's online interface.) The band, likewise, is the one I picked online: same design, same size, same 18K gold. In my experience, their online loupe feature--along with everything else they do--proved completely legit.

That is to say, James Allen has been 100% above-board in their dealings with me. Everything worked out just as I'd expected. I have nothing but good things to say about this company and would recommend them to anyone.

The same thing happened to me also.

I was on the JamesAllen website and saw a diamond I liked - however the diamond description did not marry up to the GIA certificate posted. I chatted with a representative to clarify and she said "oh, in all my years working here this has never happened! But I would go on the certificate description".
Brilliant.

So I ordered the diamond - but imagine my surprise when I received a different GIA report to the one that had been posted online!
When I contacted the JA representatives again, they said that yes indeed the wrong certificate had been sent, and suggested that I post the certificate that I had back and once they received it they would post me out the correct one.

Two days after I had done this, they contacted me and said that actually the correct one HAD been sent out - and that I was unable to return the ring without having the certificate (which was still currently in the post on the way to them!)

Meanwhile, I contacted James Allen about this, he took a defensive stance and thought I was complaining about the colour of the diamond being the problem. Not so! I made a decision based on the measurements (Table % and Depth %). Needless to say, he gave an empty apology and offered me to return the ring (which i couldnt do, as I didnt have the diamond certificate).

It was at this stage that I was about to fly to New Zealand and said that I couldnt post it back as there are 2 fedex locations in NZ and neither were where I was.

Now, at this stage, most businesses that make a faux pas would try to make amends.

Perhaps extend the 60 days return period in my instance so that I could return it when back in the northern hemisphere? Maybe offer a discount for the troubles they had caused? Not the case.

Funnily enough, i have been back to the JA website to see my diamond - and the diamond picture has been changed!

Also as an aside, my ring isnt even hallmarked. It says PLAT then an internal reference number!!!! Unprofessional much?!

You would think that a company, that sells jewellery, would be able to get a simple transaction right.

This company is shady as h**l and I wouldnt do business with them again. Terrible!

Shame on you James Allen.

I am not affiliated with the company.  I am not a jeweler.  I am just a guy who has purchased exactly one ring in his life, and it was an engagement ring from James Allen.

It was a positive experience.  It was easy, they helped with some of my decisions and I am very satisfied.  I bought a ring last month.  As part of their policy, I am going to exchange the band for a diff. band.  The 30 day return made the decision process easier for me.

If you have never purchased from an online jeweler, you're probably very unsure as I was.  But I would tell you to do things like search the Better Business Bureau.  As of today, James Allen gets an A+ rating.  But you shouldn't trust my post.  You should look it up yourself.  The OP says all the iVouch testimonials are fake.  There's a 1000 of them, mostly very positive.  But don't use iVouch; look at the wedding forums or other sites.  Generally, JA gets favorable reviews.

Again, I don't work for JA.  The OP had a bad experience which you should take note of, but at least JA would take it back.  It seems like the bad experience is not typical.  If I had read this review first, I might not have gone with JA.  But I'm glad I bought from them and I would do it again.

(If you're wondering why there aren't more reviews on this ripoff report site, it's because it's a pain to create an account that may be spammed in the future.  As soon as I post this message, I don't intend to really come back to this site.)

However being in Frederick which is where James Allen is said to be and after some serious searching (i got ripped off last year buying local and have since started research before buying. Anyway searching for Mr. Allen He has MANY addresses in a short time (red flag #1)
One of those was in a really bad drug area that is low income housing Surely not a place they have shops except a gas station, a liquor store, and a Auto Parts shop So the Service Address given on the one for 605 Bentz street is in fact a address of a home and well in all honesty having grown up and lived in this town all my life i am Just not seeing a diamond dealer or any other high end dealer of anything (except maybe drugs) living in that block.

I also did a records check on the man and several of the addresses he has used have a person with the same name living there that well have some pretty serious charges against them. That searching combined with this Rip Off Report has made me decide to go to another place. So THANKS for your report Sorry you had a messed up experience but sharing that stopped me from possibly having one

Hello. My name is James Schultz and I am the President of JamesAllen.com. I would like to address the comments by "Mark from Malibu". I want start by saying that I do not believe that his review is real or that he ever purchased from our company. That being said, I also want to make it clear that we care very much about our customers and will always accept legitimate criticism or feedback that helps us to improve our website or policies.

To clarify a few points:

- Every single photograph on the JamesAllen.com website is unique and is the actual photograph of the diamond being displayed. We are the only company online to feature over 20,000 real diamond photographs.

- 99.9% of the diamonds listed on our website are graded by GIA or AGS - the most strict laboratories in the world. The original GIA or AGS report is sent with every shipment and can be easily verified by a qualified gemologist.

- Any customer calling the office and requesting to speak with myself will have the opportunity to do so.

- iVouch is an independent website that is not affiliated with our company in any way. All the testimonials on IVouch are written by actual customers. Implying they are all "fakes" is defamatory and untrue.

From our humble roots in 1998 through today, we have always focused on providing exceptional value and service to our customers. Here are a few facts about our company that are true:

Loose Diamonds
JamesAllen.com is the only online retailer featuring diamond photographs for over 20,000 loose diamonds. Each diamond is professionally photographed to reveal the exact shape of the diamond and location of any inclusions.

Engagement Rings
We feature over 500 different engagement ring styles, available in white gold, yellow gold and platinum. Our exclusive 3D View Gallery features stunning movies that show each design in detail and on the hand.

60 Day Free Resizing
JamesAllen.com will gladly resize your ring free-of-charge anytime within the first 60 days of purchase. Free resizing is available for all platinum, white gold and yellow gold engagement rings, as well as all Three Stone Rings.

Lifetime Warranty
We are proud of all the fine quality jewelry we sell and warrant that all items will be free from any manufacturing defects at the time of delivery. A member of our quality-control staff personally inspects every item prior to shipment. We offer free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning for the life of your fine jewelry.

Lifetime Upgrade Policy
Any loose diamond purchased from JamesAllen.com can be exchanged at 100% credit for any replacement diamond of at least 2x or greater in value. The diamond being upgraded must be in original condition and accompanied by original laboratory grading document.

Diamond Purchase Program
Do you have a diamond you would like to sell, even though you didn't purchase it from us? We can provide you with a free purchase quote on any GIA or AGS graded diamond of 1/2ct or larger. Just contact our office for details.

Free Shipping on all U.S. Orders
JamesAllen.com provides fast, free FedEx shipping on all order destinations within the continental United States, regardless of order amount. In addition to free shipping, all items are securely packaged and fully insured while in transit to your home or office.

Return Policy
We care about your satisfaction and stand behind every item we sell. If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you may return it to our offices within 30 days of the shipment date for a full refund or exchange.

To learn more about our company or purchase one of our fine quality diamonds or engagement rings please call 1-877-826-9866 or visit www.jamesallen.com.