| Selection |  |
| Quality |  |
| Price and Value |  |
| Shopping Experience | |
| Services and Warranty | |
Whiteflash: Worth the hype?
If you’ve already started your search for a diamond for your future spouse’s engagement ring, you’ve probably stumbled upon the name Whiteflash among the many online retailers out there. Much like James Allen, Blue Nile, and Brilliant Earth, Whiteflash is a well-respected company that is notorious for its focus on high-quality diamonds👍🏻 and a pleasing customer experience. But what makes Whiteflash so popular? And is it a good place to start your diamond buying journey? This Whiteflash review will take you through the ins and outs of the company and discuss their products, shopping experience, and customer service offerings to see if Whiteflash is the right choice for you.🍁
Before we dive into specifics, let’s talk a little bit about Whiteflash itself as a company! Founded in 2000, Whiteflash is a member of the American Gem Society located in Houston with a large showroom in Sugar Land. From day one, Whiteflash has focused all efforts on providing top-quality diamonds at a reasonable price, and the company achieves this goal through a few different means.
First, Whiteflash’s inventory is full of diamonds with high-quality cuts, and cut is pivotal to ideal sparkle. By focusing their efforts on diamonds that have excellent cuts, Whiteflash ensures each client receives a diamond with peak fire, brilliance, and scintillation. Next, Whiteflash even designs their own “super ideal” diamond cut to enhance these facets of sparkle. These diamonds are known as the “A Cut Above” collection, and we’ll explain what sets them apart from the crowd later on. Finally, Whiteflash works to continuously improve their business practices to promote transparent relationships between their company and clients.🥂 From their ISO 9000 certification to winning the Better Business Bureau's highest honor—the BBB Pinnacle Award, Whiteflash continues to impress with their dedication to ethical business and top-quality diamonds.
Now that you know a little more about the company itself, let’s get started with our Whiteflash review and take a closer look at the many reasons couples choose this online retailer (or not!).📚
If you don’t have time to read our full Whiteflash review, don’t worry! We’ve condensed some critical information into the points below to give you a general idea of whether Whiteflash is right for you:
Obviously the biggest part of any shopping experience is the inventory itself: how many diamonds can you expect from Whiteflash? And what about settings? Finally, do they sell other products like earrings, necklaces, and more so you can return later to make the most of that loyalty program discount? Let’s take a look at what Whiteflash has to offer:
Overall, Whiteflash has a rather impressive inventory of diamonds. The company boasts over 33,000 white diamonds in their inventory that are AGS certified. What’s more, they come in every shape you can imagine, from classics like round, princess, and emerald to trendy silhouettes like marquise, pear, oval, cushion, radiant, Asscher, and heart.
One thing to note: there are no colored diamonds in their public inventory.💡 In fact, Whiteflash carries very few colored gemstones on their website, so anyone looking for pink, yellow, or blue diamonds or seeking colorful accents like sapphire, ruby, aquamarine, etc. will need to seek assistance from the company or look elsewhere. But, that doesn’t mean Whiteflash doesn’t deal with colored stones at all! You can actually fill out a colored gemstone or pearl request to seek their help in sourcing high-quality colored gems, or they can find you something from their limited in-house stock of colored stones. Just don’t expect to shop their colored inventory online without help!
There are several categories of white diamonds available on Whiteflash’s website, and they’re broken down as follows:
The A Cut Above collection is Whiteflash’s signature line of premier diamonds. These stones all have “super ideal” cuts that are optimized to produce as much fire, brilliance, and scintillation as possible.✨🌟 They’re “super ideal” because they have ideal angles and proportions, snagging them a Triple Zero AGS rating with perfect polish, symmetry, and light performance. They’re the cream of the crop, surpassing the additional parameters Whiteflash places on high-quality diamonds. They’re only available in round or princess cut, and you can expect higher prices for diamonds in this category.
If there was a prize for “runner up” when it comes to quality, it would go to the Expert Selection diamonds at Whiteflash. These stones are still cut to incredibly precise proportions and still quality for Triple Zero ratings from the AGS, but they’re just slightly under the mark for Whiteflash’s own strict criteria. Luckily, typical shoppers won’t be able to tell the difference between these beauties and the illustrious A Cut Above line, so this category is a great place to find a balance between price and quality.
While most diamonds at Whiteflash are graded by the AGS, the Premium Select diamonds are actually graded by the GIA. These diamonds carry the GIA’s Triple Ex grade, which is the highest cut grade they offer! And while Whiteflash typically prefers AGS graded diamonds because they believe the lab performs more extensive cut grade analysis, they still value these diamonds that are among the highest grades you can possibly find. Plus, they come at a great value via Whiteflash.
Where Whiteflash’s inventory may fall short for some is with their setting types. While they have plenty of options to choose from, their designs all really fall into four categories: solitaire, halo, three stone, and pavé. This may be perfect if you’re looking for something classic, but more adventurous ring buyers may need to seek their setting elsewhere.
Whiteflash’s settings are available in 18K white, rose, and yellow gold as well as platinum, and there’s even a function that allows you to select what size setting you need. Are you looking at a .5 to 2.0 carat stone or a 2.5 to 10 carat rock? Using this function allows you to see how much the setting will cost for different sized stones, which is unique to Whiteflash’s platform.
The setting styles at Whiteflash are, admittedly, pretty classic. There are simple metal bands as well as milgrain and filigree designs, and you can even find a few tiny split shanks and twisted designs if you look hard enough. However, if you really want something spectacular, we recommend looking at Whiteflash’s inventory of settings crafted by major designers. These styles are a little more daring than the standard Whiteflash designs, but they’re very tasteful and fit that classic engagement ring aesthetic. Designers who craft settings for Whiteflash include:😋🎨
So there are still many options to choose from if you’re a traditional engagement ring lover, and Whiteflash’s inventory of settings may surprise you. Plus, if you really want something unique, you can always take advantage of Whiteflash’s custom ring design services, where their expert team will help you design the engagement ring of your dreams. All you need to do to get started is fill out a custom ring design request, and their team will help you from there!
Like we said before, Whiteflash primarily sticks to diamond pieces, focusing on engagement and wedding rings for your special day. That being said, they do have bracelets, anniversary rings, necklaces, and earrings when you inevitably need to come back for an anniversary gift, birthday present, or even a “push” present if a family is in your future!
From diamond stud, drop, and hoop earrings to tennis bracelets to pendants and diamond necklaces, Whiteflash carries a healthy assortment of diamond pieces that are sure to please your partner (or you!). They also have a collection of right hand rings for bougie shoppers who like to even out their sparkle on both hands, and this is where you can find some of those colored gemstones from their inventory. They do have a small assortment of cufflinks for men as well, and of course they carry men’s wedding bands in case you’d like to purchase both of your rings from the same shop.
So what’s it like to shop at Whiteflash? And how does their shopping experience stand up to the competition? Overall, the website is easy to use, search friendly, and optimized for transparency and helping you find exactly what you’re looking for with little hassle. Let’s take a look at some of the major facets of shopping on Whiteflash’s platform:
Much like Blue Nile, Brilliant Earth, and James Allen, Whiteflash offers shoppers the opportunity to start their journey by searching for either a diamond or setting. This allows you to build a ring as you go, focusing on one facet of the design at a time to make the process more digestible.
🤸🏻♂️We recommend starting your search with a diamond, as it’s a more complex process and requires a little more attention to detail. You can start by choosing which diamond shape you’re looking for, and there’s even a “Diamond Pair Search” function if you need to find matching stones for earrings or a toi et moi design. The diamond drop down menu also gives you the opportunity to head straight for A Cut Above designs rather than milling through Whiteflash’s entire inventory if you’d rather skip ahead.
Once you’ve chosen your ideal diamond shape, you can then compare diamond listings that appear on the page by clicking the “Compare” box in the upper left corner of the diamond’s photo. Each listing also lets you know each stone’s carat weight, color, clarity and whether it is a virtual listing or one that can be found in Whiteflash’s showroom.
It’s no surprise that diamond connoisseurs like Whiteflash put a lot of thought into the search criteria available to clients. Everyone needs something a little different when it comes to diamond buying, so Whiteflash has offered an extensive list of ways to filter through their diamond inventory to find the right stones for you without having to look at all 33,000+ gems!🙌🏻
Right away at the top of the diamond search page, you’ll notice their in-depth search criteria include shape, carat weight, color, clarity, cut, and price. There are also radio buttons for choosing diamonds that are either in house or available virtually. For expert searchers who really know what they want, there’s also an “advanced search function” below these criteria that allows you to look for diamonds based on their depth, symmetry, and even their fluorescence! In all honesty, the average buyer won’t need to pay as much attention to those search options up front, but it’s nice to know they’re available for someone looking for very particular specifications.
In addition to offering just about every possible criterion for searching their inventory, Whiteflash also offers a handy guide at the bottom of the diamond search page for newbie diamond buyers. This guide covers the 4Cs and what to look for, making it easier to narrow down your diamond pool if you’re unsure of which criteria you should focus on. We always recommended focusing on a solid cut, as it’s what’s going to make your diamond sparkle!✍🏻
Where Whiteflash really sets themselves apart from the competition is their imaging and videos. In fact, unlike some sites like Blue Nile where you may not even be looking at an actual image of your chosen diamond, Whiteflash provides an authentic photo for every diamond listed.
By hovering over the image of a diamond, you’ll immediately have access to more information about the stone’s specs, and you can even find ASET images for a more detailed explanation of each diamond’s sparkle once you actually click on your chosen stone. In fact, all in-house diamonds come with an Idealscope image, ASET image, and hearts and arrows image in their listings with zooming capabilities so you can get up close and personal!
Many diamonds also have HD videos where you can see them sparkle in real time📺⏱️, giving you an idea of how the stone will perform once placed in an engagement ring. For some stones, there are even separate “Sparkle” and “Brilliance” videos that highlight these features individually. The “Sparkle” video shows the scintillation and fire of the diamond using directional LED lighting on a glossy black surface, whereas the “Brilliance” video shows the brilliance of the diamond using diffuse lighting on a matte white surface. As such, you can perform a more in-depth inspection of each stone's light performance, which seems to be unique to Whiteflash’s platform and further solidifies their dedication to providing a top-notch experience with top-quality stones.🏆
High-quality imaging and videos like that available at Whiteflash aren't always offered by the competition, so it’s definitely a plus if you want the data to back up your stone’s brilliance and sparkle. Once you’ve found your ideal diamond, you can then choose to add it to your shopping cart or switch over to the engagement ring setting page by clicking “To an engagement ring” and continue through the straightforward shopping process.
Excellent customer service is a must from any online retailer you plan on using to create your dream engagement ring. It’s helpful to know the company stands behind their products and platform, and Whiteflash has a healthy list of customer service offerings available to all clients:
It’s almost become the standard in the industry, but Whiteflash offers 24/7 customer support so you can ask your diamond questions any time day or night. You can take advantage of these services via their toll-free phone number, email, or even a live chat function available on their website. Plus, the entire staff is patient, helpful, and GIA trained, so they’re not pushing you to purchase or trying to upsell you when you speak with them. It’s also nice to know you’re speaking with Accredited Jewelry Professionals, Diamond Graduates, and Graduate Gemologists, as they can guide you on your path to understanding diamond picking criteria.
Not sure what size ring your fiancée wears? No worries, Whiteflash gives clients up to 1 year to resize their ring at no extra cost. It can be hard to ask your partner for their ring size without appearing awkward, so Whiteflash makes it easy to figure out those little details without raising suspicion. Something unique to Whiteflash is their online ring sizing tool, which actually allows you to hold a ring you already own up to the screen and match its size right from home! This is much easier than the print out paper tools or plastic ring sizers of other companies, giving Whiteflash a little edge in the area of ring sizing.
If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, Whiteflash does offer a 30-day free returns policy for in-house diamonds, which is pretty much the industry standard. However, if you order one of their virtual stock rings or a gem that was specifically sourced for you, that hassle-free return period quickly drops to 10 days—not exactly a lot of time when every stone needs to go through an inspection period.
Additionally, while domestic returns include free shipping, you may have to pay to ship your item back to Whiteflash if you live overseas. Custom rings are also not eligible for returns, so think long and hard about your ring design before making that purchase!
Clients of Whiteflash enjoy a 1-year service plan on all products, which is fairly generous in the first year of wear as you’re getting used to your new item. However, it pales in comparison to the lifetime manufacturer’s warranty many other online retailers offer for their products. These lifetime services often include rhodium treatments, prong adjustments, cleanings, and more, making them a valuable part of a customer service plan. That being said, they often come with strict requirements that limit how much you can actually use them, so maybe the 1-year comprehensive plan isn’t so bad in comparison. It really just depends on how you plan to take care of your jewelry!
Some couples like to upgrade their diamond to a larger stone after a decade or two, and Whiteflash can help with that! The company offers a lifetime trade up agreement to any customer purchasing a diamond, and you can trade in your current stone for 100% of its price to put toward a new gem. Just be mindful that this applies to Whiteflash diamonds, and designer brands will only receive 50% of the original price for their new upgrade.⚖️
If you’re someone who worries about the societal impacts of diamond mining, it can be helpful to know that Whiteflash puts a lot of care and attention into minimizing their footprint and supporting causes that benefit the world at large.
Whiteflash is part of three wonderful initiatives that each handle a different area of crisis: Jewelers for Children, UN Global Impact, and Gravity Light Project. Jewelers for Children works with children’s charities to support kids from abusive backgrounds or who are terminally ill, and UN Global Impact is a coalition of 8,000 businesses that work together to combat serious global issues like human rights violations (fair wages, labor issues, environmental rights, etc.). Finally, Gravity Light Project works to provide gravity-powered lights that are cleaning burning to areas of the world lacking basic electricity and who rely on kerosene lamps for light.
What’s more, Whiteflash is a company focused on continuous improvement, and they are ISO 9000 certified. This means that Whiteflash meets international quality standards in running their business, and they’re one of very few online jewelers who do. Whiteflash adheres to strict quality control and constantly works to improve business practices to provide the best quality service possible to clients in a safe and world-friendly way, which is a noble cause we can all get behind!
Admittedly, Whiteflash doesn’t offer a ton of deals for saving big around the holidays like competitors, but there are a few ways this company sets itself apart for loyal customers who want to return again and again for quality diamonds. Here are a few ways to save a few bucks when shopping at Whiteflash as well as a quick rundown on the packaging you can expect from your purchase:
Do you have a friend or family member who also loves diamonds? Whiteflash has a “Refer a Friend” program for you! Every time you refer someone to Whiteflash’s website and they make a purchase, you receive $100 in the form of a check to put toward a new diamond piece or whatever else you wish.
Whiteflash also rewards repeat business, so the more you come back the more you’ll save! You’ll receive a $100 loyalty discount for every repeat purchase over $2,000, meaning you can come back for wedding bands, anniversary jewelry, or even a push present if you plan on expanding your family. It’s always nice to see a company give a little back to the clients who return!
First impressions are everything, and so it makes sense you’d want to know what Whiteflash’s ring box looks like before making a purchase. But don’t worry: much like the company’s focus on high-quality diamonds, the presentation afforded by their boxes is top notch. You can expect lacquered cherry wood boxes with light satin interior for an unforgettable first impression every time.
So after all that, is Whiteflash the right retailer for you? Based on our Whiteflash review, it’s easy to see it’s an excellent company with intense dedication to quality over quantity, so if you want a glittering diamond with the right paperwork, images, and videos to back up that unbeatable sparkle then you really can’t beat their user-friendly platform. It’s an excellent option for shoppers who focus more on quality over carat weight as well, as you can find a high–quality diamond at just about any size on their website.
However, if you’re still not really sure what you want and need to see more than just white diamonds before making a decision, you may want to start your search elsewhere. Whiteflash was made for white diamonds (with that signature “white flash” in their sparkle…get it?!)😉😘, so it’s not an ideal place to start for couples seeking colored diamonds or gemstones as well as more creative settings.
We’ve already talked about Brilliant Earth, Blue Nile, and James Allen before, and they all carry a creative mix of gemstones and settings, so take a look at our reviews for more information!
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