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Ritani is one of the major players in the online diamond market which is why I had to write this Ritani Review.  Their jewelry is sold through a range of carefully selected partner stores. I’ve seen their jewelry in-store but have never ventured into their e-commerce side.

Let’s see if Ritani’s online experience lives up to its excellent reputation. Some of the well-known benefits of shopping at Ritani are:

  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Upgrades and Trade Ins
  • Interest-Free Financing Available with the Ritani Credit Card
  • All Natural Diamonds are Certified by AGS or GIA
  • Free Shipping

So would the online shopping experience offered by Ritani live up to the hype? Read on to find out…..

Ritani History

Ritani was founded back in 1999 by Harout Aghjayan,the brother of famous jewelry designer Vatche Aghjayan. The company is currently run by Brian Watkins who used to work at Blue Nile as an executive.

During the 16 years they have been operating they have, from their New York and Seattle bases, risen through the ranks and established themselves as a major player in the jewelry industry.

What sets them apart from many of their competitors is the way they seamlessly integrate their physical and online operations. They have a nationwide network of curated partners and these are the backbone of their unique approach to retailing. The so called “clicks and bricks’ allows you to order online then go and see your ring in one of their authorized store. As they cover the entire US you are guaranteed there will be one near you. Their success shows no sign of abating and in 2014 Forbes named them as one of their top 40 most promising companies.

Ritani Pricing

If you have read our other reviews you will know that I believe the only way to gauge a company’s pricing policy properly is to do live comparisons with their competitors.  Ritani are a well-respected jeweler so we felt that the best company to compare them to is Whiteflash as they are one of the selected partners.

I used the Diamond Inventory Section on Ritani and the Loose Diamonds Search on Whiteflash to select our diamonds. For Ritani I selected a 1.04 ct Round Cut Diamond:

E VS1 1.04 Carat Round Diamond from Ritani

E VS1 1.04 Carat Round Diamond from Ritani

The price of this stone is $10,227.

On Whiteflash I have selected a 1.07 ct E VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond

1.07 ct E VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond

1.07 ct E VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond from Whiteflash

The wire price of this diamond is $10,088 – a difference of $139 on the wire price – however, this is merely the beginning.

As we can see from the ASET image below the Whiteflash diamond is a far superior cut.

A well-cut diamond like the one above shows extensive red, a small amount of green, symetrical blue and only small amounts of leakage. The Ritani doesn’t provide an ASET with the diamond, and from the image provided it’s clearly not as well cut.

I would recommend sourcing a diamond from a specialist like Whiteflash as Super Ideal Cut Diamonds are something that they specialise in. It is also important to note that Whiteflash is an authorized seller of Ritani Settings so you can purchase both an ideal cut diamond and beautiful Ritani setting there.

Designer & Custom Items

Ritani doesn’t sell anyone else’s diamonds. They ethically source diamonds and only put their name to them when they have undergone stringent inspection and have been certified by GIA or AGS. As these are the two best respected gem laboratories in the world this is your assurance of reliability. It’s important to mention their Ritani Reserve Diamonds as well. Available only in round or princess cut, they are Ritani’s highest precision cut diamonds to yield the maximum sparkle.

Ritani’s create your own ring feature is very intuitive. The settings cover all the most popular styles and when it comes to choosing your diamond the user-friendly filters make it quick and easy to match the perfect stone with your setting.

Recently, a notable number of customers have raised concerns about the quality of Ritani’s settings. While the company does address these issues by offering repairs and fixes, such occurrences are still far from ideal for buyers expecting perfection.

Quality

When diving into the offerings of Ritani, there are some aspects that shine brightly, while others could use a touch more polish.

  • Natural Diamonds: One commendable aspect of Ritani’s collection is their certification for natural diamonds. These diamonds come with certifications from the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and AGS (American Gem Society) — both of which are esteemed and globally recognized institutions in the diamond industry. This ensures that buyers receive a detailed and reliable report of their diamond’s attributes.
  • Lab Diamonds: On the lab-created front, Ritani’s diamonds are graded by a range of laboratories: GI, GIA, IGI, GCAL, and DF. Excluding DF, which isn’t internationally recognized, the other labs are well-regarded in the industry. That said, the reliability of a certificate is only one part of the puzzle. The actual quality of the diamonds in question holds immense importance. Regrettably, Ritani’s lab diamonds often seem to lack in this arena. Their light performance, a crucial factor determining the brilliance and fire of a diamond, frequently falls below par. With a market brimming with options, discerning buyers can indeed find better quality alternatives elsewhere.
  • Settings: In recent times, there has been a rising tide of feedback pointing toward potential quality issues with some of Ritani’s settings. Although the company takes steps to remedy such concerns by offering repairs and fixes, it’s not an ideal scenario for those looking for flawless execution right out of the gate.
In summary, while Ritani brings certain reliable aspects to the table, particularly with the certification of natural diamonds, there remain areas that require scrutiny, especially when it comes to the actual quality of their diamonds and some of their settings. Whiteflash and James Allen provide higher quality and more precision cut diamonds, especially with James Allen’s True hearts diamonds and Whiteflash’s A Cut Above Diamonds.

Ritani Lab Diamonds

Ritani’s lab diamonds are predominantly graded by some of the industry’s renowned labs: IGI and GIA. GCAL grades a few diamonds, and there’s a small section graded by DF. It’s vital for potential buyers to be cautious with the DF-graded diamonds, as DF isn’t an internationally recognized lab. For consistency and recognition, sticking to IGI or GIA is advisable.

Upon a deeper inspection, one might find the cut quality of Ritani’s lab diamonds to be less than stellar. Cut quality is paramount as it greatly influences the diamond’s brilliance, and subpar cuts can dramatically reduce the stone’s allure. Given this, I would recommend those serious about quality to consider looking elsewhere.

If you’re in the market for top-tier precision-cut lab diamonds, Whiteflash is an excellent choice. Their ‘Precision Cut Lab Brand‘ stands out for its exemplary craftsmanship and stringent quality parameters. For those willing to consider alternatives, James Allen and Blue Nile serve as good options.

1.04 ct G VS1 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond

1.04 ct G VS1 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond from Whiteflash

The Website

The layout of the homepage is clean and informative without being over the top or crass. I particularly like the balance of text and imagery which gets the message across in a succinct way without going for the hard sell. There are only 5 tabs on the homepage which adds to the aesthetic appeal and my first impression was a very good one.

Ritani Homepage

The first tab I clicked on was Diamonds. For a self confessed diamond guru such as myself it was like a kid being unleashed in a toy shop. To be greeted by such a fine choice in all the popular cuts was a joy and I’m sure I heard a faint whisper emitting from a particularly fine round specimen that said “buy me!”

This is not a selection of loose diamonds for sale however, it’s another way of getting to their create your own ring feature where you choose the stone first as opposed to the setting, The super easy filters allow you to easily narrow down the field if you know the caliber of stone you are looking for. If you don’t then a trip to the Education Section is in order.

This is one of the best sections of this kind we’ve come across as you get to choose what you want to know about rather than scrolling through reams of text to find what you’re looking for. Everything is covered here from how to choose the perfect engagement ring to the latest trends in metals and, of course, the all conquering 4 C’s. You won’t be a diamond expert when you have finished reading this section but you will know a lot more than you did and be able to make an informed choice when it comes to buying your ring. And that’s what it’s all about when you are diamond shopping online.

There are no ready-made diamond engagements rings on offer at Ritani. Creating your own is way more personal as you are effectively designing a unique ring for that special lady. By clicking on the Engagement Ring tab you are taken to the create your own section where you choose your setting first.

The Wedding Rings and Jewelry sections are as exciting as the engagement rings and the latter also cover collections that have been exclusively designed for Ritani. All in all I was very impressed with all that this website had to offer and the fact that there is a large selection which manages not to be overwhelming.

Imagery & Light Performance

Ritani’s presentation falls short in one notable area: the absence of critical imaging tools like light performance images, ASETs, Idealscopes, and the renowned hearts and arrows images. These tools are invaluable for any discerning diamond buyer. They provide insights into the diamond’s optical symmetry, light return, and potential flaws, ultimately guiding a decision on the diamond’s brilliance and value. Without them, it becomes substantially more challenging to make an informed assessment of the diamond’s true quality.

Ritani Shopping Experience

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Ritani site. Everything was easy to find, the navigation was quick and seamless and the create a ring section was one of the simplest you will find anywhere. The checkout was incredibly smooth and I love the fact that once you get the price for your ring, that’s all you pay. There are none of those annoying extras which pop up at the very end. I valued the fact that I could go and preview my ring in a store and they told me which was the nearest to my home. I cannot fault Ritani at all on their shopping experience and they are one of the few companies who have managed to replicate their physical shopping to their online presence.

Ritani Education Center

For those embarking on the often intricate journey of diamond and jewelry shopping, Ritani’s Education section serves as a beacon of clarity. Titled “Learn how to buy diamonds, engagement rings, and more,” this resource proves invaluable, especially for beginners. Packed with insightful information, it breaks down complex topics into digestible segments, making the learning curve less steep.

Ritani Education CenterThe presentation is immaculate, ensuring readers can easily navigate through the various subsections without feeling overwhelmed. Kudos to Ritani for crafting an informative guide that shines as brightly as the jewels it seeks to educate about.

The Choice

How do you describe a choice that is huge but not too huge? Ample isn’t a good enough word, neither is sufficient. You have a wealth of different settings and metals to choose from and the perfect stone is only a few clicks away. Everything that you are told to look for when choosing a diamond can be found on sale, greatly simplifying what is, for some, a pretty daunting process.

The Packaging

Every piece of jewelry deserves a box that complements its beauty and significance. The Ritani ring box, characterized by its black hue and embossed with the brand’s logo, certainly serves its function. However, it doesn’t exude an air of luxury that some might expect or desire from such an important purchase.

While the box is perfectly adequate for the pivotal proposal moment (after all, it’s unlikely she’d say no because of the box!), those looking for a touch of opulence to store the ring in the long term might consider sourcing an alternative. The right box can amplify the allure of the ring and add a touch of sophistication to the overall experience.

The Returns Policy

Every Ritani purchase is covered by their 30 days returns policy. You can return an item at any time within this deadline completely free of charge. The item will be collected from your door and taken back to the company. Once it has been checked, as you would expect, you will receive a full refund. There is nothing knocked off for restocking.

Bottom Line

In the vast landscape of diamond retailers, every brand has its unique offerings and advantages. While Ritani does present some appealing features, the conspicuous absence of quality diamonds in their selection is an undeniable shortcoming. This significant lapse in providing consistently high-quality stones serves as the crux of their lower score in our review. For discerning buyers who prioritize quality over other factors, it might be worthwhile to explore other options in the market. As always, thorough research and due diligence are pivotal when making a decision as lasting and personal as choosing a diamond.

In addition the quality of their diamonds means I am more likely to head to either Whiteflash for their super ideal cut natural and lab diamonds or James Allen for their great selection.
Ritani Review: 3 out of 5 ★★★ by

Richard Jenkins, The Diamond Guru

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