Appleby Reviews: Not the Greatest Value

Overall Score:2.5
Appleby
Price:2.5		Selection:3		Customer Service: 2
Pros	Good Quality Diamonds Nice Store
Cons	Underwhelming Service Could Be More Competitive In Pricing
Other Recommended Retailers	Blue Nile

The History

As we planned our Ireland research trip, Appleby Jewellers was the first name that popped up. As they say, they are old school. The history runs deep. The Appleby’s started making jewellery in the 1950s and opened their first store by 1960. Fourth generation Applebys are working in the store and their fingerprints are everywhere. The company’s staff are quoted in Irish media as jewelry experts and the business is well established locally.

The Experience

Walking in to Appleby Jewellers on Grafton Street, one of Dublin’s two major shopping streets, you feel like you are in the right place to buy a diamond. The place is properly luxurious and not overbearing. A sales associate was very pleasant and led us to private showroom.

After a nice discussion about what we were looking for, the associate left to bring us a selection of rings. We didn’t have an appointment, so I understand that it would take some time. Unfortunately, their organisation seems to be seriously lacking. It took almost 30 minutes for her to come back with 10 rings. More about this later.

The Product

As long as it took, the rings were lovely. They do have fantastic pieces of jewellery. We settled on two diamonds, both GIA certified (they only use GIA certificates). One was a 1.21 D SI2 round diamond in a platinum 0.10ct pave setting  (here is the report) for €14,795 Euros. We also saw a 1.01 D VS2 round diamond in a platinum solitaire for €15,995 Euros.

Unfortunately, their lack of organisation struck again. We asked to see the GIA reports and were left in the room for another 20 minutes. The sales associate came back and informed us that they couldn’t find one of them.

I was really confused, as they should at least have the GIA report number in their system. She could have looked it up online and printed out a copy. So we are only able to evaluate the D SI2 for this review.

The D SI2 was superbly cut. I will grant them that. It was bright and brilliant. Unfortunately the SI2 was visible and not very pleasant. I was surprised, given the cut quality, the price and the ambiance, that they would have a diamond with a very noticeable inclusion in the centre of the stone.

The Value

Let’s compare that diamond to this 1.30ct D SI2 from Blue Nile. The colour and clarity are the same, but the Blue Nile diamond is larger. Pairing that with this similar setting and the Blue Nile ring comes in at 30% cheaper. Strictly from a cost point of view, that is a significant savings.

If you dig a little deeper and get a better understanding of the balance of quality and value, the numbers get even worse for Appleby.

There were two specific areas where this diamond was a waste of money. The first, albeit minor one, is Appleby’s adherence to platinum. As we explain in our jewelry metal article, spending extra on platinum is a waste. Switching to white gold (which is not an option at Appleby) saves you an extra €300 Euro off the bat.

The real savings are when you dig into the colour quality (not that saving 30% isn’t reason enough). As we explain in our diamond color article, there is no reason to buy a D colour diamond. You are just paying for a higher grade on a paper. Check out this gorgeous 1.20 G SI1 from Blue Nile for €7,805 Euro. Adding this diamond to that setting and you end up with an identical looking ring for 40% less.

Diamonds Pro helped us pick a diamond, according to our budget and a few other criteria. We ended up buying a loose diamond from James Allen. We felt that we got very good value for money. The diamond was appraised by another jeweler where we live, confirming its characteristics and value. Finally, we had the diamond set in a ring by a local jeweler, and we’re very pleased with the result! Thank you Diamonds Pro 😊

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Mikeela Teaquila

Dec 26, 2022

I stumbled upon this company while asking diamond buying questions on Google. The information was very extensive so I took many notes. The company stated that they could answer any questions I had so I sent them an email. The response was swift with a personal touch. I had the pleasure of talking with Veronika whom was quick to respond with answers to my MANY questions. I found a few diamonds that met her criteria and mine, she looked them over and gave me some solid advice. I ended up with a gorgeous diamond ring at a great price thanks greatly to Veronika and her expert advice!

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Tim J

Apr 12, 2023

Bottom Line

While the store looks nice, the service was sub-par (took almost an hour to see the details on two diamonds) and the prices were very high. You are better off getting a ring similar to the ones I linked to from Blue Nile.

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab-created diamonds online.

Click to Visit

What we love about them:

• No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
• Lifetime Warranty
• Free International Shipping
• Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
• Provide insurance appraisals
• One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
• Free ring inscriptions
• Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
• 24/7 Customer Service
• Best-in-class packaging

Blue Nile Blue Nile is the largest and most well-known internet jewelry seller. They have a very large exclusive online inventory. Their high-quality images are catching up to James Allens' and their prices are amazing. Save 25% on settings at Blue Nile!

Please enter your email address to receive your 25% off coupon code:

Click to Visit

What we love about them:

• No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
• Lifetime Warranty
• Free Shipping
• Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
• Provide insurance appraisal
• One free resizing within the first year of purchase
• High quality images of about half of their diamonds
• 24/7 Customer Service
• 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
• Best in class fulfillment

About the author

Mike Fried Mike Fried has over 25 years experience in the diamond industry working with Leo Schachter Diamonds, Moshe Namdar Diamonds, and joining The Diamond Pro in 2007. He is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.