Tiffany & co. and James Allen are two very popular names in the diamond industry. Tiffany holds a more established name and fame. Well, of course, it has been in the market for over 150 years, so the fame is well earned.
James Allen is a rookie as compared to Tiffany, but it doesn’t lag behind Tiffany in any way. The innovative designs of jewelry, very helpful customer service, and impeccable quality that, too, at competitive prices makes James Allen the leading online diamond store.
Is Tiffany Worth The Expense?
Tiffany has established itself as a luxury brand. The jewelry and the diamonds, in particular, are drop-dead gorgeous, I agree. But buying them might as well break your bank. As opposed to that, James Allen will offer you mid to top-range diamonds at better prices.
Anyway, I will be comparing these two in terms of their customer service, prices, warranty, and return policies, so you decide for yourself which of these two brands is worth your investment. What makes Tiffany crazy expensive, and is the expense worth it or not.
Customer Service
Good customer service is the key to establishing trust and credibility for a brand. As buyers, we are always worried about what happens in case a product is faulty or damaged somehow. In such cases, we expect a timely and cooperative response from these well-known brands, at least. Bad customer service simply means that a company will lose even its most loyal customers.
So let’s see what James Allen and Tiffany have to offer in terms of customer service.
Tiffany
Tiffany is surely a well-acclaimed brand worldwide with quite an established customer service. They have diamond experts available in their customer support department in case you need advice or consultation regarding a certain type of diamond.
The customer service timings of Tiffany start at 8 in the morning till 12 at night every Monday to Friday. On weekends, this service is available from 8 am – 10 pm. So you can get any kind of jewelry advice, gift consultation, assistance in shopping for a particular type of ring, and so on.
Tiffany claims that no question is too small or no request is too big for their customer service experts. That sounds really nice, by the way! I hope it actually is that way.
Read Also: James Allen Production and Shipping Time
James Allen
I cannot rave enough about the customer service of James Allen. As an online-only store, amazing customer service was a must-have for James Allen. And they do meet my expectations in that regard.
James Allen has put a lot of effort into establishing very satisfactory customer service over the years. Unlike tiffany, James Allen has a 24/7 availability of customer care experts that listen to all the queries quite patiently.
They offer a call, chat, and email option. And you can have a real-time diamond inspection with them as well.
Apart from that, what makes their service even better is the presence of people who actually know what they’re talking about. This makes the problem resolution even easier. Moreover, I have seen many pleasant customer service experiences at James Allen, so I’d give them some extra points, especially because of their 24/7 availability.
Warranty
Brands that promise repair and maintenance of their products go a long way. As customers, we look for manufacturers that stand behind their products and are willing to cooperate in case of any damage or mishap. Both of the brands under comparison offer a decent warranty policy. But let’s see what each of them has to offer.
Tiffany
At Tiffany, you become a valued customer when you purchase an engagement ring. They offer a lifetime service that includes repair and maintenance. They also offer free polishing and complimentary cleaning every time you send your diamonds for maintenance.
In addition to that, they offer a free routine checkup that happens every six months to make sure that the stone setting is intact and in place. In case of any required maintenance, you will receive a rough estimate of the repair cost and be informed before any further action.
James Allen
The warranty policy by James Allen is something exceptional. They claim that the item will never have any manufacturing defect upon arrival. Each item is carefully examined prior to shipping, so you will receive a flawless piece every time.
If you are looking for engraved wedding or engagement rings, you can have a look at their free engraving services here.
As for the warranty, a lifetime guarantee is provided at James Allen to every customer. This includes free prong re-tightening and re-polishing routine checkups. James Allen also offers lifetime repair and maintenance for your jewelry.
James Allen stands behind each of their product to ensure its customers a quality service every time.
Price and Affordability
Pricing of a certain brand makes most part of your decision. Suppose the quality and service do justice to the price, then you don’t really mind paying much. But if an item is overpriced and you find something identical to it somewhere else, then there’s no reason you should stick to the expensive one.
Tiffany
Tiffany, being a luxury brand, diamonds and jewelry here are priced very high. In my opinion, when you’re buying from Tiffany, 50% of the expense is for the ‘name,’ and the rest goes to the item itself and the services.
If you’re obsessed with brand names, then Tiffany might be your choice. Or, if you are certain someone has a special liking for Tiffany (which is not unlikely), then you may as well consider emptying your pockets at tiffany.
Prices at Tiffany are sky-high. Some people don’t consider the expense worth it, while others don’t mind breaking the bank for their loved ones. Personally, I would recommend getting an identical piece from somewhere else because the thought and emotions behind the gifts are what really counts, not the cost. But at the end of the day, it is your choice if you want to treat yourself or someone else with a Tiffany item. I genuinely consider it overpriced!
James Allen
James Allen claims that it is a brand for all. And it definitely lives up to its claims. Diamonds and other jewelry are fairly priced at James Allen.
But lower prices do not mean that they compromise on the quality. That’s not the case at all. The quality is exactly in line with what you pay for. They feature diamonds in all ranges. For example, these diamonds at James Allen are worth giving really serious thought to.
You can get very mediocre pieces from them as well as some very exquisite and valuable diamonds that justify their price. The prices are not sky high, and the fact that you can customize your ring from the start till the very end puts you more in control of the price.
So James Allen is truly emerging as a luxury brand for all. My vote goes to James Allen in terms of affordability. Check out these very affordable engagement rings at James Allen. Their prices are really astounding.
Most importantly, James Allen gives you a price match guarantee, as they have stated here on their site.
Return Policy
It is always a delight to know that a brand offers a free return or exchange policy with certain limitations in case you are not satisfied with their product. Good return policies develop a sense of confidence while purchasing an item. You know that the company stands behind its product and will cooperate with you in case of an unsatisfactory purchase.
Tiffany
Tiffany is a very high-end brand that has taken care of its return policy really well. They offer a 30-day refund or exchange period. However, this offer is valid only if the item is unused or in saleable condition.
If at any point, the company finds out that the item has been used or repaired, you can consider the return policy null and void.
James Allen
James Allen is an online-only brand. And with that status, having a very effective and hassle-free return policy is absolutely necessary. People are always skeptical about online purchases; what happens if the product isn’t identical to what you saw online? There comes the use of their return policy.
James Allen offers hassle-free return and exchange within a period of 30 days, given the product is in unworn and unused condition. Refunds and exchanges at James Allen are ‘Hassle Free’ as they claim. By following simple guidelines, you can get your money back within two weeks.
Packaging
Receiving an item with elaborate and detailed packaging is always exciting. If a company cares about its packaging, then it would care about the quality of the product just as much. Not always the case, I know, but you’ll have to agree that good packaging automatically increases expectations.
Tiffany
The blue box of Tiffany is one of the most recognized packagings. It is as famous as the brand itself. I have seen people who buy Tiffany not only because of the quality items but also for the overhyped blue box. That’s crazy, isn’t it?
Tiffany packages their items in a box in light blue color, also known as ‘forget me not blue.’ The box is basically a sign of luxury and the iconic brand itself. It gives a premium feel for sure. But I wouldn’t say that the hype is worth it.
James Allen
James Allen, on the other hand, has a very subtle and neat packaging style. Each piece of JA jewelry is packaged with special care. Your engagement ring will arrive in a white and red box with its signature heart-shaped butterfly embossed on top of the box.
The large outer box houses the smaller box in red and white. This small box that can fit right into your pocket contains the ring. At the same time, the bigger box can later be used as an elegant jewelry box. Overall, the packaging gives a very decent and elegant look. It’s not something too over the top, but it for sure is gorgeous.
Related Post: James Allen vs. Kay Jewelers.
James Allen vs. Tiffany on Reddit
There are a handful of good reviews about James Allen on Reddit. While weighing down the pros and cons of both these brands, I came across a lot of reviews that suggest that the service and customer satisfaction rate of James Allen is fairly high. Also, prices at James Allen are quite justified, so customers tend to sway towards them more.
Check out these pleasant experiences of James Allen customers on Reddit
Another one
While customers do agree upon the tremendous quality of Tiffany, most of them are concerned that they’re paying mostly for the ‘name of the brand.’ Like this person on Reddit asks:
That makes me wonder if the expense is worth it.
Wedding Wire is a trusted website for reviews when it comes to engagement/wedding rings or jewelry brands in general. I compared the reviews for both Tiffany and James Allen. See for yourself what people have to say about them.
First, look at the splendid reputation of James Allen on their website.
So many awards and a 4.8 average customer rating based on 1389 reviews. That’s awesome, isn’t it?
Also, see what one of the reviews on Wedding Wire says about James Allen.
You can see most of the people are happy about the top-notch quality in an affordable price range, unlike Tiffany.
Things would have been perfect at Tiffany if the prices were flexible enough. Just like this customer says
James Allen vs. Tiffany on Consumer Affairs
The reviews about Tiffany on Consumer Affairs are pretty odd. When I checked their rating in December 2020, it was almost 2 out of 5 stars. Now they have a rating of 3.9 out of 5, so they improved a lot. Here are a few from 2020:
Someone is probably not happy with the customer service here
And this customer isn’t happy that the item didn’t last her for long.
As opposed to that, I found out that James Allen has very satisfactory customer service.
James Allen Vs. Tiffany; Which Is Better?
After weighing all the pros and cons of both, my vote goes to James Allen. Comparing the customer service and quality (well, that was a tie), but the availability of the same item at a better price is what makes James Allen better. I would personally not want something that would cost a fortune to the one paying for it. And that is exactly the case at Tiffany.
If you can get a quality ring at James Allen at a justifiable price with similar customer care services and warranty as that of Tiffany, why would you choose something that would empty your pocket? Those extra bucks can definitely be used for something more meaningful rather than ‘the name of a certain brand.’
Find the best deals on James Allen here.
