Appleby Jewelry – A Review

Our Rating 4.2 out of 5.

Compare Appleby Jewelry with James Allen.

Appleby is an Irish based jewelry store. The store is quite exceptional and is the kind of setting where you can purchase the diamond engagement ring of your dreams. With a luxurious touch, the Appleby store also features decent customer service, with sales assistants who are always ready to help.

However, the downfall comes in with the pricing. The diamonds and engagement rings at Appleby hold high price tags, making them less competitive compared to online retailers such as James Allen or Blue Nile who offer top quality diamond engagement rings at affordable prices.

A Brief History

Appleby is considered an old-school jeweler. Their history runs back to 1950 when the company began making jewelry. It has remained a family-owned business and is now in the fourth generation running the store.

Family-run stores hold more trust with customers; Appleby also promotes this within their jewelry store.

What Appleby Offer

For those who want to purchase a diamond engagement ring from a physical retailer, the experience is crucial. People do not usually mind spending extra when they can get a quality experience. Appleby is one of the retailers that offer customers that luxury experience, with refined settings and sales staff who successfully uphold this. The one issue with service in-store is that it is partly disorganized and does not always run like a well-oiled machine. It can take the sales assistants some time to find the diamonds you are looking for. Luckily, you can browse around the elegant settings while waiting.

Most importantly, the diamonds at Appleby are of good quality and are superbly cut. The store sources only the best diamonds, and this is confirmed when viewing multiple stones in-store. Customers have great options to choose their perfect stone from for their engagement ring.

The experience and quality of the stones offered at Appleby do make them a store worth the visit. The prices, however, do remain one of the downfalls of the company.

What Makes Appleby Stand Out?

GIA: A massive positive for Appleby is that the diamonds they sell are certified by GIA. GIA certification, being one of the most trusted and accurate grading reports available, is important for those who understand diamonds.

Experience in-store: The in-store experience is a big pull for many towards the store since it is something that many people look for when purchasing a diamond or engagement ring from a physical retailer. The store is wonderfully luxurious and will give customers the elegant experience that they are after.

Sourced stones: All Appleby diamonds are sourced personally by Gerry Appleby, a diamond expert. With a team of master craftsmen and designers, each ring is created to suit the diamond set in it (the ring).

Settings: Not only does Appleby have superb diamonds, but the settings are also just as beautiful. There is a wide range of engagement ring settings to choose from, all creatively designed with perfect elegance.

Ethical diamonds: Every diamond sold at Appleby complies fully with the Kimberley Process. Thus, customers can be sure that their diamonds have been ethically and responsibly sourced.

Appleby Pricing

You may end up paying more for a diamond engagement ring purchased from a physical retailer than when purchasing one online. Many stores, though, do manage to keep the price hike down to a minimum. Unfortunately, an Appleby stone can sometimes cost nearly 30% more than Blue Nile or James Allen, which is quite a substantial price increase on an already expensive item.

Furthermore, Appleby does not use white gold but only platinum when creating rings. This pushes the price up quite a bit for something that is not necessarily required, especially if you are on a tight budget.

Custom Orders

Appleby Jewelers strongly believe in creating personalized pieces. As a result, each ring is handcrafted to suit individual tastes and budgets.

A customer can enquire about this in-store. A sales assistant will begin the process with them, following which designers and craftsmen will create the perfect ring. The latter will not only suit their preferences but will also fit into their price range.

Website Ease of Use

The Appleby website is as elegant as the store settings and is pleasant to use. There is some information offered on the front page but is kept simple.

When browsing for engagement rings, you can initially choose to search the rings by their different setting styles. The rings are displayed in a minimalistic way, but this is ideal to select a ring based on looks alone.

Individual rings are shown with photos from a few different angles, which helps to view the ring properly and see the smaller details. There is a small amount of information offered on each ring, though it is essential to know that the rings are sold as settings only and that you will need to match up a diamond to complete it.

Customer Service

Appleby does regard customer service as a necessary part of their business. They do well to make their business inclusive of their customers and how they experience the purchasing process. Besides, they offer good after-sales service to see customers happy long after their purchase.

Returns: Customers can return items within 7 working days for an exchange or return. All items should be in original condition with tags and packaging in-tact.

Diamond Education: Appleby has an extensive section on diamond education on their website, featuring the 4Cs and everything else that customers need to know when deciding on the perfect engagement ring or diamond.

Appleby Financing Options

There does not appear to be an online financing option for Appleby, although there might be some if customers visit the store physically.

Why You Should Choose Appleby

• Luxury store setting for customers
• Ethically sourced diamonds through the Kimberley Process
• All diamonds are GIA certified and of stunning quality

Appleby – A Luxury Experience at a High Cost

Appleby offers customers the chance to experience a luxury and elegant setting without visiting top-end brands, such as Tiffany & Co. The catch is that the diamonds hold a higher price tag than what many would be happy to pay. Even though these diamonds and engagement rings are of stunning quality, you will be able to find very similar stones and pieces at James Allen or Blue Nile for a lesser price.

To decide whether to pay a premium for the in-store experience is up to you. We, however, believe that you could stretch your budget further by shopping online at James Allen.

Here is the Official Website:  https://www.appleby.ie/