Review of Whiteflash

Last updated on September 1, 2024

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In this article we are going to take a much closer look at Whiteflash to find out what makes them different from other online retailers like James Allen, Blue Nile or Brilliant Earth. We are going to see how they stack up against the competition and more importantly examine whether or not their claims of superior quality diamonds hold water.

What Makes Whiteflash Different?

Whiteflash makes the claim that they sell diamonds that are of the best possible quality. As you may or may not know, diamond quality has a huge impact on the value of a diamond. Assessing quality comes down to the 4 C’s: carat, clarity, color and cut quality.

The company's claims come mainly from the cut quality aspect of the 4 C’s This relates to the job done by the diamond-cutter whose skill is used to shape and cut the rough diamond into the final saleable precious gem.

Aspects such as symmetry, proportionality and facet angles are assessed by one of three main third-party diamond grading labs. These labs are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and the American Gemological Society (AGS).

The cut quality of a diamond has a huge impact on the fire and brilliance the final piece can display. In fact many people believe that sparkle and brilliance are the most important qualities of diamonds. That magical trick of the light can be breathtaking and people will pay the big bucks for a diamond packed with sparkle.

The other factors like color and clarity may also impact the brilliance of a diamond but not as much as the actual cut. The shape of the diamond combined with the facets cut into it are what create the reflections of light. When light enters the base and sides of a diamond it will bounce around the facets and escape through the top in a fantastic sparkle.

Why Are Whiteflash Diamonds “A Cut Above”?

Whiteflash have built their illustrious reputation in the diamond selling business on the fact that quality cuts produce the greatest brilliance and sparkle. Their name most definitely suggests this commitment to sparkle because what sparkle essentially means is flashes of white light.

As part of this commitment to diamond excellence the company has a range of diamonds they refer to by the term “A Cut Above.” It is their assertion that diamonds in this range are the best possible cuts even surpassing the industry standards of "excellent" or "ideal" as found in the collections of other retailers.

Do not be dismayed however as they also have diamonds with lower quality as do all online retailers which means that they have affordable options to match most budgets.

How Do You Determine Cut Quality?

The diamond cutting professionals who work at the various gemology labs around the world have years of experience in recognizing the potential properties of individual diamonds. Taking the GIA for example they spent 15 years studying the way light behaves within a round brilliant cut diamond.

They were searching for the aspects of the diamond and how they affect the sparkle of the piece. Computer mapping was used to analyze tens of thousands of possible proportion combinations in an effort to find the perfect potential cuts.

When evaluating a diamond the GIA will look at the following factors:

• How the diamond performs in terms of brightness, scintillation, and fire when viewed face-up
• The design of the diamond with relation to ensuring optimal durability and weight
• The quality and precision of the work performed by the craftsperson with regards to alignment, polishing and the cuts of the facets

It takes highly-trained gemologists to predict how the cut quality of a diamond will affect its light performance based on the measurements of a diamond. There is always an element of luck when it comes to cutting diamonds. This is why excellent cut diamonds are so rare and valuable.

It is important to have a grading scale for diamond cut quality because when buying a diamond with a top rating you can be comfortable that it will be a fantastic piece. You would otherwise have to try and compare and contrast diamonds by eye which would take a lot of time and patience.

It should be noted that diamond grading companies only assess cut for round brilliants and princess cut diamonds. This is because they are the shapes that have been most extensively studied. The other fancy diamond shapes are not graded for cut quality.

The reason shapes like the oval, pear and emerald cuts are not tested is because light through a diamond is a complicated science. The round and princess cuts have been extensively studied so it is easier to predict what they will do. Other shapes would cost too much money to grade and it is often not worth it so cut quality on these is not tested.

Does Whiteflash Really Have the Best Diamonds Available?

It is obviously a very bold claim for Whiteflash to say that their “Cut Above” range features the best diamonds in the world. The question then is whether this claim stands up under scrutiny. It is certain that they have some fantastic diamonds in their range but are they really better than what their competitors have?

Let's look at a few facts:

• Whiteflash gets its proprietary “A Cut Above" grading system from the American Gemological Society (AGS). They are an accredited third-party gemology lab who in theory are independent and have no reason to favor Whiteflash over other retailers.
• The AGS does have a more detailed cut quality grading system than the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). They go into more detail regarding diamond quality to justify their ratings. As a result it is not a stretch to say a top grade from the AGS may indicate a better quality than a top grade by the GIA.

So we can say with confidence that the top quality diamonds at Whiteflash have been graded in great detail so at the very least you can be confident of that. We also now know that the AGS uses a more detailed system of grading which adds a certain extra level of confidence.

Does this mean that definitively Whiteflash diamonds are better than those possessed by other companies? Well it can’t be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt of course because the AGS does not test every diamond on the market.

You can be sure that when Whiteflash is selling a top quality officially graded diamond it is going to be of amazing quality. This is not to say James Allen or Blue Nile do not have a better diamond in their collections, it just wasn’t tested by the AGS so how can we possibly know for sure.

Completing the Piece

Although you can buy loose diamonds you are often doing so with the intent of fitting them to a piece of jewelry. A loose diamond in a box has no real way of being displayed to its maximum impact without something to set it into.

The category of settings is where Whiteflash really shines and excels. Yes their diamonds may or may not be the best on the market, this is a judgement call. But they certainly are top of the heap when it comes to designer settings.

When it comes to jewelry a beautiful diamond is a must but you also need a setting that displays it well and perhaps even elevates the gemstone. Whiteflash has what you need in this regard with a collection of unique designer settings that rivals if not surpasses the likes of James Allen and Blue Nile.

Whether it is a classic simple solitaire setting or something more ornate, Whiteflash has an amazing range from top designers such as Tacori, Simon G., Vatche, Ritani, Danhov, A, Jaffe and Verragio. So if you are looking for the perfect diamond with a stunning engagement ring setting Whiteflash should certainly be on your list of potential retailers to check out.

How Do You Shop for Diamonds With Whiteflash?

If you happen to live in or near Sugar Land, Texas or are visiting the area you have the option to visit their brick-and-mortar location. This is an amazing experience and customers tend to agree that their customer service is amazing.

However over the years Whiteflash have become a global entity as well thanks to their reputation for high quality diamonds. This means you can shop their collection online from anywhere in the world and have your items shipped to you.

Their online sales process is immersive and user friendly allowing for easy searches and the ability to find the best possible diamonds to suit your personal budget. If you have reservations regarding only seeing pictures of the diamonds Whiteflash have got you covered to some degree.

It was James Allen who first started offering 3D imaging for their diamonds allowing customers to get the next best experience to actually seeing the diamond. Whiteflash has also adopted this model and if anything they have developed an equally great quality visual experience for their online sales.

Of course you can never completely beat the experience of seeing a diamond in person but this 3D imaging comes very close. It certainly improves the online buying process and gives you a better idea of what the diamond you are buying really looks like. Many other online retailers are still in the age of 2D pictures which just do not do the gems justice.

When it comes to searching the website's inventory you can very easily narrow the searches with their sliding scales focused on things like carat, color, clarity, cut and of course price range. You can also choose to search for a specific shape of diamond so having a good idea of what you like and the quality level you are looking for before you start is a solid plan.

You can shop for natural and lab grown diamonds and there is an option to only search diamonds that are “ready to ship.” Other diamonds that are not ready to ship may take longer for you to receive but you can still shop for them.

Diamonds will often have a link to the AGS grading certificate so you can get a detailed account of what the experts say about that specific gem stone. This is a great feature because it stands as evidence that you are purchasing a stone of specific quality. The AGS do not benefit from the diamonds sale so they have no reason to embellish its qualities.

The biggest benefit of course is that you can shop their entire collection which is something you simply can not do in store at a jewelers. Brick-and-mortar stores often have a few hundred loose diamonds on hand at the location at any time.

You can take your time and compare diamonds until you find the one that speaks to you. Their range may not be as impressive size wise compared to some of the bigger companies but there is a lot to choose from.

Pricing

In a price comparison between Whiteflash and competitor James Allen we searched for 1 carat round brilliant diamonds of very good cut quality, F color, and VS1 clarity. The results came back showing that firstly James Allen has around 40 more diamonds in this specific category than Whiteflash but this is not unexpected.

When it came to price Whiteflash ranged between $6,500 - $9,500. James Allen did have a few diamonds slightly above the $9,500 price tag at Whiteflash but they also had several as low as $3,420. Basically speaking when it comes to standard quality diamonds Whiteflash's pricing is competitive with the bigger online names.

When we look at the premium ranges however you will likely notice in your own comparison shopping that Whiteflash are charging in the region of 30% more for their top quality diamonds compared to their competitors. This will be based on gems the same size and roughly the same quality with regards the 4 C’s.

As we have mentioned the AGS does go into deeper detail when it comes to cut quality of gems than the GIA who are commonly used by the likes of James Allen and Blue Nile. These increased prices from Whiteflash then comes from the fact that their graders of choice go into more detail.

Again the question still remains: does this make the gems better? Were the AGS to check the diamonds in the collections of James Allen would they assess the gems poorly in comparison? Personally I feel that having a more detailed report does not prove beyond doubt that your diamonds are better.

It's like timing two sprinters to a dead heat over 100 yards one with a high quality timer the other by counting. You will get a more accurate reading from the quality stopwatch but this does not mean that the sprinter timed this way won the race. You need to use the same timer for both or else it doesn’t prove anything.

Whiteflash of course has the right to charge what they feel is fair for their diamonds and if people are willing to pay those prices that is their decision. The truth is every diamond is unique no two are identical although to the untrained eye they may appear to be.

Whiteflash Collection Size

Now in many ways Whiteflash can more than hold its own in the world of large scale online diamond retail. They have the quality, competitive prices and their service is second to none. They do fall short in only one regard and that is simply the size of their inventory.

Opening up the search parameters on their sliding scales reveals that their inventory as of April 13^th 2023 consists of just shy of 36,000 natural diamonds and around 950 lab grown gems. This is compared to James Allen with roughly 310,000 natural and 54,000 lab grown diamonds.

Fellow competitors Blue Nile also have over 300,000 natural diamonds in their sale inventory and a little over 14,000 lab grown gemstones. Basically speaking Whiteflashe has a much smaller selection although they may have some diamonds that are of better quality.

This smaller inventory should not be seen as a problem of course because they are still worth considering for your diamond buying needs. In many ways they have competitive prices and shopping around is the best way to find the diamond that metaphorically has your name written on it.

Whiteflash Service and Policies

In addition to having built their reputation on selling some of the highest-quality diamonds you will find, Whiteflash is also known for its high level of customer service. As mentioned their store is known for this and their very professional looking website follows suit as well.

As a company, Whiteflash is committed to instilling confidence in its customers and delivering on that promise in all regards. This is a premium business catering often to those with premium expectations of service.

Whiteflash offers:

• A 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee along with a lifetime warranty
• They offer a 1-year service plan on all jewelry purchases
• A 100% lifetime trade-up program that allows you to upgrade to a more expensive engagement ring at a later date
• Independent AGS lab reports on all of their in-house diamonds which follow stringent criteria
• Free Fedex international shipping around the globe with return shipping if need be
• A varied range of products with purchase prices that won’t break the bank
• Diamonds that are certified as conflict free meaning they were mined in the most ethical way possible with regards human rights
• A large virtual inventory to search

Whiteflash is a member of the American Gem Society and is also ISO 9001 certified for their total quality management system. Their employees have been trained by the Gemological Institute of America. This adds a certain gravitas that allows the company to be a true global force in the diamond trading industry.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to a classic high-end jewelers atmosphere and even when it comes to the website Whiteflash has that air of authority. They have some truly stunning diamonds in their admittedly limited collection and they are certainly competitively priced.

Their affiliations and standard staff qualifications have made them well respected around the world for knowing what they are doing. Do they have the very best diamonds in the world? This may be a statement of contention; they certainly have high-quality pieces and the paperwork to back that up.

When it comes to online diamond sales Whiteflash are definitely one of the top players and they have a well respected name and reputation that allows them to charge premium prices for their best diamonds.

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