Frequently Asked Questions

James Allen has a retail location in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. (drop by anytime) and a 5th Avenue showroom in New York City (don’t forget to reserve in advance). We’d love to meet you there.

We mostly operate online, however, which allows us to cut overhead costs and focus exclusively on quality and service. This all means that you receive a high quality product at a much better value than you would at your local jewelry store.

Not in D.C. or N.Y.C. and still want to see your diamond jewelry in person? Order your jewelry today - we offer free shipping on all items, a 30-day money back guarantee, and free ring resizing for 60 days after your purchase.

Yes. We currently have G.I.A Graduate Gemologists on staff. These gemologists are an integral part of our customer service team. If you have any further questions, you can speak with a graduate gemologist at any time.

Our corporate office is located in the heart of the New York diamond district.

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

• James Allen Customer Service
• 8490 Progress Drive, Suite 125
• Frederick, MD 21701
• 
  
• James Allen Corporate Office
• 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite #601
• New York, NY 10176

All jewelry purchased from James Allen is eligible for a free cleaning every six months. You may also return your jewelry to our offices for free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning. Contact Customer Service at 1-877-826-9866 for more information.

Yes. Every finished engagement ring or piece of fine jewelry valued at $1,000 or higher will be accompanied by a full insurance evaluation.

Definitely. At James Allen, we understand how important it is for our customers to see and feel jewelry - especially a piece of jewelry as personal as an engagement ring.

So here at James Allen, we offer free shipping on all orders, with no minimum purchase. In fact, we're so confident that you'll be impressed by the quality of our jewelry that we offer a money back guarantee. If you're not satisfied with your order, you have 30 days to return your item and receive a full refund.

Nervous that you've ordered the incorrect ring size?

That's no problem, either. We will resize your ring once for free within the first year of your purchase, including free return shipping within the U.S. and Canada for the first resize.

Yes. You can purchase our loose diamonds, engagement rings or fine jewelry using our secure checkout process.

Yes. Custom designing an engagement ring is a great way to create a ring that is perfect for your unique personality—a beautiful expression of love. Learn more about custom designing your own engagement ring or fill out this form to get started. You can also call customer service 24/7 for any inquires.

If you would like assistance with placing your order, please call us toll free at 1-877-826-9866, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For questions about your order, call Customer Service at 1-877-826-9866, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or send an e-mail to service@jamesallen.com.

You can check your order status online by clicking here. You will need your order number and email address.

When you place an international order, we will ship it to you for free. Once the package arrives in your country, the courier will contact you to collect any taxes or duties. Shipping is done via Fedex International Priority for orders over $500 in value and usually takes two to three days. Packages valued below $500 are sent USPS Priority Mail.

There are several methods available to determine your ring size (or the ring size of a loved one). Please click here for a full list of the options available to you.

We will resize your ring once for free within the first year of your purchase, including free return shipping within the U.S. and Canada for the first resize. International customers pay a small return shipping fee of $50. If more than one resize is needed or outside of the first year, a $25 fee applies to resize white, yellow, and rose gold rings, and $50 for platinum. The return shipping fee is $30 for US customers and $50 for international customers. We do not charge to ship the ring back to you, so that service is always free.

During the resize process small amounts of metal will be added or removed to increase or decrease the size to adjust for the new size needed. As a result, your ring may be slightly thicker or thinner when completed. This is a minor difference, and may or may not be discernible to you. Your resized ring will be inspected by quality assurance to ensure that our high standards are met, and that your ring has been fitted to the size that you need.

Some rings cannot be resized. This may be due to a size restriction, falling outside of the recommended range, or due to the design style. During our 30-day return policy you will not be charged if your ring needs to be remanufactured. Outside our 30-day return policy and during our 1 Year Free Resizing policy a fee will apply if your ring must be remanufactured. It is important to know that your new ring may not look ‘exactly’ like the original, as minor variations can occur. Upon receipt and inspection of your ring you will be notified prior to any work being done to discuss the charge to replace your ring.

Of course not! In fact, we encourage you to choose your diamond separately - this is what makes your jewelry unique!

Yes! Almost Every ring on the James Allen website is available for purchase, regardless of whether or not you purchase a center diamond from us. Many rings, however, cannot be manufactured unless we have the diamond in our possession. Tension settings, rings with diamond halos, and other unique designs fall into that category. In those instances we require that you send the diamond to our offices and charge a $100 setting fee. To order those designs, please contact our offices and we will provide you with an exact shipping and insurance quotation. For all other designs, you can complete your order through our online shopping cart. When you check out with just a setting (and not a diamond), please provide us with the exact shape and millimeter dimensions of your diamond so we can include properly sized prongs.

Please Note: While we will take every precaution to ensure that your diamond is professionally mounted into our ring setting, JamesAllen.com cannot be responsible for any damage that may occur during the setting process. CZ (cubic zirconia), diamond simulants, clarity-enhanced diamonds, gemstones, or other diamond substitutes are particularly prone to damage. Any diamond simulants or enhanced diamonds should be clearly marked as such when sent to our offices. We also reserve the right to charge additional fees for diamonds or gemstones that are greater than 7mm in diameter.

The JAMES ALLEN inscription shown in our online product images is to protect the copyright of our photographs and videos. Your ring will only be stamped with the metal type (18kt or Platinum) and the "JA" hallmark.

Every loose diamond, ring and piece of jewelry listed on the website is sold with a 100% money back guarantee. Designing your own ring using our system or having your diamond mounted into any ring does not make the ring custom. Custom orders refer to ring designs that are not on the JamesAllen.com website. Please note: all returns on engraved rings will require a $25 re-polishing fee.

A Gemological Institute of America (GIA), American Gem Society (AGS), or International Gemological Institute (IGI) diamond certificate assures the value and quality of your diamond. GIA, AGS and IGI are the gold standard in diamond grading. Their reports detail key characteristics of each diamond.

The Four C's - Carat (size), Color, Clarity and Cut - are the industry grade standard from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Every diamond is specifically graded on these features.

A diamond's cut determines how effectively it returns light to the viewer's eye: a well-cut diamond appears brilliant and fiery, while poorly cut stones look dark and lifeless. Well-cut diamonds often appear larger than stones of the same carat weight. To learn more about cuts, click here.

"Eye-Clean" is a term used to describe a diamond that is clean to an unaided eye in a face-up position from a distance of 8 to 10 inches. Diamonds of VS2 or higher in quality will usually be eye-clean. Diamonds of SI1, SI2 and I1 need to be visually inspected to determine whether any inclusions are visible from the top. We can inspect any diamond at no charge.

We ship every loose diamond and diamond engagement ring with an independent GIA, AGS or IGI lab report. This report can be examined by a qualified gemologist and compared against the unique characteristics of your diamond.

Yes. All diamonds on our website are available for purchase.

Smaller diamonds (often called melee) are cut in factories around the world and are available in a variety of qualities.

The lowest quality goods are usually labeled as "commercial" and consist of I/J/K color and I1 clarity. "Promotional" goods are higher in both color and clarity, but are still cut for maximum weight. The highest quality diamonds are often referred to as "Collection".

Collection diamonds are finer in both color and clarity. They're precisely cut to maximize fire and brilliance. Collection quality goods are only available from specialty dealers.

We pride ourselves on using collection diamond melee in all of our engagement designs.

JamesAllen only sells diamonds that are 100% natural and untreated.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the American Gem Society (AGS), and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) will not issue grading reports on diamonds that have been treated or enhanced, so purchasing our diamonds - which are all GIA, AGS or IGI certified -- is another guarantee that your diamond is natural.

Yes. It is very common for natural gemstones to be heated. Heating the stone can intensify color and clarity, making the gemstone more beautiful and valuable. In addition, emeralds are commonly infused with a colorless oil, wax or resin to improve their appearance and luster. Nearly all rubies and emeralds on the jewelry market today are heated or treated in some fashion.

Yes, very slightly. In order to give 18kt White Gold a pure white color, it is plated with rhodium. This is a standard practice for 14kt and 18kt White Gold jewelry. Over time, the rhodium plating may wear off. When that occurs, the true color of the white gold (a slightly buttery off-white) will appear. James Allen offers lifetime free rhodium plating on all our jewelry.

Conflict-free diamonds are gems that were not obtained due to human rights abuses, child labor, violence, or environmental degradation.

At James Allen, we make sure that our customers receive conflict-free diamonds. Our internal guidelines exceed government requirements.

• We cut and polish many of the diamonds on our website.
• We only purchase polished diamonds from professional members of the diamond trade.
• We have contracts with our suppliers that guarantee that their diamonds are conflict-free.

When you shop at James Allen, you can be certain that your diamonds are coming from the most reputable providers.

Read more about our conflict-free diamonds.

We add new diamonds to our inventory on a daily basis.

Depends what you’re going for. Both lab-created diamonds and earth-created diamonds from JamesAllen.com are conflict-free and vary in their diamond grading. Lab-created diamonds allow you to maximize your budget, giving up to 30% more size for the same cost, while earth-created diamonds are incredible works of nature and the traditional choice.

Lab-created diamonds are created in a lab (you probably figured that out already). Using advanced technology, they’re grown from a sliver to a fully-formed diamond.

Lab-created diamonds and earth-created diamonds offer identical optical and chemical composition. The sparkle is the same - the core difference between them is their origin.

Neither is inherently higher quality, as both lab-created and earth-created diamonds are available in a range of qualities. For example, while the color of one diamond may be superior, the other diamond may be superior in clarity - this isn’t connected to the diamond’s origin.

Scientists start with a diamond seed - a small sliver of chemicals - then expose it to temperatures and pressures to make it grow like a diamond under the ground. A carbon coating helps the diamond crystalize as it grows.

Yes - James Allen lab-created diamonds are graded to the same standards as our earth-created diamonds. That means your lab-created diamond will be accompanied by an independent laboratory report detailing its "4 Cs" - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. If your diamond is mounted into jewelry, it will also be accompanied by an insurance appraisal.

Same deal - because lab-created diamonds are virtually and chemically identical to earth-created diamonds, they cannot be distinguished even with a professional loupe.

Yes! We stand behind all our products and want you to be 100% satisfied with your purchase. You may return your jewelry piece for a full refund or exchange within 30 days.

Yes - we partner with Jewelers Mutual , a personal jewelry insurance company which insures both lab-created and earth-created diamonds. Make sure to provide them with your insurance appraisal and policy documents.

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover), as well as PayPal.

Many customers purchasing items valued over $1,000 prefer paying by wire transfer. Wire transfer orders receive a 1.5% discount from our listed price. Customers paying by wire will receive wiring instructions once they have completed the check-out process. We must receive confirmation from our bank that a wire transfer has been completed before items can be shipped. At our sole discretion, we may require bank wire payment for any international order or orders in excess of $20,000.

Credit card orders can be placed online using our secure server or over the phone with our customer service department. For security purposes, James Allen may request additional documentation (such as drivers license, photocopy of credit card, etc) on some transactions.

Please contact our customer service department at 1-877-826-9866 if you have any additional questions.

Yes. Bank wire customers receive a 1.5% discount off their entire order.

James Allen collects sales tax on orders that are shipped to the following states: Alabama, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Georgia, Iowa ,Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia.

Yes. If you'd like pay with two different cards, please place your order over the phone with customer service at 1-877-826-9866. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The security code is a 3 or 4 digit number that appears on your credit card. Visa and MasterCard users will find this code above the signature on the back of the card. Discover and American Express users will find this number on the top right of the front of the card.

Yes. James Allen offers payment options to help you purchase the bridal jewelry of your dreams. Learn More About Financing to select the option best for you and complete the application form online.

Yes. James Allen ensures that our customers' purchases are secure. We use secure encryption and fraud protection for all credit card transactions. All sensitive data is encrypted using 256-bit Secure Socket Layers (SSL). You can view our GoDaddy.com Certificate to see an independent verification of our site’s security.

We keep your information 100% private and confidential.

Returns

If, for any reason, you are not completely satisfied with your order, you may return it within the first 30 days of shipment for a full refund or exchange - we even pay for the return shipping. Free returns only apply to U.S and Canada customers and are limited to three per customer. Please note: There will be a $25 re-polishing fee if an engraved item is returned. To return an item, simply follow the Return Procedures listed below:

1. Contact our Customer Service department at 1-877-826-9866.
2. Advise the representative that you wish to return your order.
3. Within one business day of your phone call we will email you a pre-paid, fully insured FedEx 2-Day label, along with instructions on how to safely and securely package your items.
4. Take your order and the label to the nearest FedEx location and simply mail it back to us! If you need packaging materials, FedEx will assist you.
5. Your order should arrive in our office in two business days (excludes weekends and holidays).
6. All refunds will be processed within two weeks and done in the form of the original purchase method. Bank wires will be refunded via company check.

Improperly packaged items:

Items sent to our office without a RAN number, packages shipped beyond the 30-day return period, and packages that are improperly packaged or uninsured will be refused receipt.

Damaged and Used Items:

Returned merchandise must be undamaged and in "new and unused condition." Items showing obvious signs of wear or alteration by a jeweler other than James Allen will not be accepted.

Loose diamonds:

Loose diamonds must be accompanied by the original laboratory grading report or a $150 charge will be assessed to replace the certificate.

Eternity bands and tension rings:

Eternity bands and tension rings usually cannot be resized and must be completely remanufactured.

Special orders:

Special orders cannot be returned. A ring plus center diamond that we mount together - such as the Design your Own rings - is not considered a special order.

Yes. Any diamond can be exchanged for 100% credit towards a new purchase valued at least 2x the original amount. The diamond being upgraded must be in original condition and accompanied by original laboratory grading document. We can also remodel most rings to accommodate the new diamond for a minimal charge.

We ship diamonds to the U.S., Canada and internationally. We deliver to your home, business, APO, or nearest Fedex location.

Regarding deliveries to Canada: Customs taxes may vary, depending upon the nature of the item and the Province you are having the item shipped to. For example, purchasing a loose diamond will not incur a customs tax, whereas a diamond engagement ring, diamond earrings or a diamond pendant will incur a customs tax from anywhere between 5% and 8.5%.) Other than GST/PST/HST, there are no additional import duties for orders shipped to Canada.

Before having an item shipped to Canada, please learn more about the exact taxes and rates you may be subject to pay.

Click here for a complete list of countries that we serve.

JamesAllen.com provides fast, free shipping on all order destinations, regardless of order amount.

International customers will be responsible for any duties, VAT, taxes or surcharges levied or charged by their country, so please check with local authorities prior to placing your order to confirm taxes and duties. Military personnel located overseas may also have their packages shipped to an APO or FPO location free of charge. Please keep in mind, however, that APO/FPO shipments are done through the US Post Office and can take up to three weeks to arrive.

Click here for a complete list of countries that we serve.

When you place an international order, we will ship it to you for free. Once the package arrives in your country, the courier will contact you to collect any taxes or duties. Shipping is done via Fedex International Priority for orders over $500 in value and usually takes two to three days. Packages valued below $500 are sent USPS Priority Mail.

Yes.

Yes. We will gladly mail your purchase to any military APO using the US Postal Service Registered Mail. Registered mail shipments are fully insured and can take up to three weeks for delivery, so order early!

To allow time for proper inspection by our gemologists, loose diamonds are shipped 1-4 days after payment. All shipping is FedEx Priority. All other jewelry and engagement rings will be shipped in one to three weeks, depending on the production schedule of that item. Shipping ranges are located on the detail page for each item. Please note: Overnight Friday packages arrive on Monday.

Every item sold by James Allen is inspected by our quality control department prior to shipment to ensure care and satisfaction.

Every engagement ring and wedding band on our website is carefully crafted at the time of order. While we are able expedite some orders, we highly encourage you to allow adequate time for your design to be completed and inspected by our Quality Assurance team.

Yes. Our items are fully insured during transit. All purchases require a signature at the time of delivery.

James Allen takes every precaution to ensure that your order arrives safely. Your order is fully insured during transit, and we require a signature for all packages.