Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry – A Review

Our Rating 4 out of 5.

Compare Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry with James Allen.

Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry stores have an elegant and luxurious ambiance, paving the way for customers to expect service, diamonds, and jewelry that match the luxury. Unfortunately, the high-class experience ends with the in-store décor and feel and does not extend to the products' service or quality.

Skipping the luxurious ambiance at Lee Michaels, you will be able to find an engagement ring for a fraction of the price and much better quality at James Allen.

A Brief History

Lee Michaels opened their first store in Baton Rouge in 1978, headed up by Lee and Brenda Berg.

Later in the Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, the second generation of the family became involved. The company has now expanded to have eight stores across three states, found throughout Louisiana, Texas, Jackson, Mississippi, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and San Antonio.

What Lee Michaels Offer

Lee Michaels offers customers the chance to experience a luxurious setting of a jewelry store without visiting a higher-end store such as Tiffany & Co. The stores are quite beautiful and fit well into the upscale shopping centers that they are set in.

The issue with the experience comes in when with the sales assistants. The service offered in-store does not match the luxurious interior, which is why their customers are left wanting. It is a big downfall for physical retailers since they need to compete with online retailers who have full-time helpful customer support always readily available.

To their credit, some of the diamonds sold at Lee Michaels do come with a GIA certificate, and while this is a great advantage, the diamonds are on the lower end of the quality, carrying extremely high price tags.

What Makes Lee Michaels Stand Out?

Store settings: The setting of the stores is the biggest show-off that the company has. They are wonderfully elegant, and the ambiance in-store, ignoring the sales assistants, is worth spending time in.

Settings: There are some beautiful settings available at Lee Michaels. The settings themselves are stunning, and, barring the subpar diamonds, you can find a beautiful ring at Lee Michaels, either in-store or online.

Trained jewelry professionals: Every Lee Michaels consultant team member has been educated through the GIA and carries an Accredited Jewelry Professional certification. A number of the consultants have obtained the title of Registered Jeweler and Graduate Gemologists, giving them the ability to provide expert advice on all jewelry and diamonds.

Lee Michaels Pricing

The diamonds at Lee Michaels are overpriced; there is no way around this. Other than the diamonds being poorly cut and not of excellent quality, the prices are unjustifiable. The only benefit of purchasing a diamond at Lee Michaels is to experience the store's interior, but that quickly fades when you leave the store with an overpriced, low-quality diamond.

Physical retailers have to deal with increased overheads compared to online retailers, though many manage to keep this to a minimum when pricing their diamonds. Lee Michaels, however, does not do this.

When comparing diamonds between Lee Michaels and an online retailer such as James Allen, you can expect a price increase of around 30%.

Custom Orders

Lee Michaels has a range of exceptional jewelry, customizable for special gifts, whether for a gift or an anniversary. The furthest you can have an engagement ring customized is by choosing a setting and then a diamond for it.

Website Ease of Use

The Lee Michaels website is a good representation of their stores. It is elegant, clean, and gives off a high-class appeal.

The front page advertises various collections, other jewelry on sale, and a brief history of the company itself.

There is not much option when it comes to sorting the rings, and the only way you can do so is by price, which does not help you choose between cut, setting, and style.

When viewing a ring, you will come across a picture that you can zoom in and out, though it is limited to how well you can see the actual design. There is a small amount of information on rings and the diamonds they are set with. Besides, there is an option to make an appointment to view a ring in-store, which can be incredibly limiting for those who do not have access to a store nearby.

Other information is easily accessible on the site, where there are different options on how to contact customer support if needed.

Customer Service

While Lee Michaels pride themselves on customer service, this does vary between stores. Online, you will find a more helpful customer care line and additional information about Lee Michaels' services.

Returns: There is a 30-day return policy for items purchased from Lee Michaels. The items can be returned for a refund, store credit, or for an exchange.

Appraisals: Lee Michaels offers appraisals for their jewelry by one of their staff who is a member of the American Gem Society. It is a complimentary service offered for purchases over $2,500.

Repairs: The service facilities at Lee Michael include the latest diagnostic and testing equipment, leading to a repair by an expert staff factory-trained technician.

Lee Michaels Financing Options

Lee Michaels offers qualifying clients a credit card sourced from Synchrony Financial.

It involves a quick application process that provides instant credit when applied for in-store. Maintenance of the account can be done by low minimum payments, with special payment options available.

Why You Should Choose Lee Michaels

• Luxury settings in-store
• Affiliated with the GIA
• Staff members trained by the GIA

Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry – High Prices with No Perks

If you want to waste some money on a low-quality diamond and not-so-great service, you can visit Lee Michaels. The store is wonderfully inviting at first, but that is as far as the experience will take you.

For the sake of your budget and to know that you are wearing a diamond engagement ring worthy of your love and money, you should shop at James Allen or Blue Nile. You will be treated like a valued customer and will receive an engagement ring that will fit nicely into your budget.

Here is the official website: https://www.lmfj.com/