The first thing that will strike you is the name. The founders of this site obviously had a lot of foresight and went ahead and reserved this website for their use much in advance. And according to Google Analytics (www.analytics.google.com), several thousand visitors just stumble across this site each week, as the name is obviously the easiest to guess.

Getting into what the site has to offer, the home page is a tad small when compared to the other sites we have been through; but all the basics are present on the home page itself. Rather than having just buy diamond links on the home page, one good thing that diamond.com has done is that they have placed the various sections up front for the customers to see. Actually, this site seems to be a mixture of several other. Like we liked www.diamondsonweb.com for its fabulous shopping experience, we liked www.ice.com for the sheer quantity of discount offers they offer on their site, and other sites for various kinds of other features. Diamond.com has mixed them all up on their home page and this is probably the only site that has various kinds of collections like the ‘Valentine collection’, ‘Winter Manami collection’ and other discounted products on sale, along with the regular shopping panel for diamonds and regular jewelry. That is obviously a nice feature as the site has something for everyone.

Another unique thing that we found on the site, which we did not notice anywhere else, was the presence of Bridesmaids and Groomsmen gift ideas. There are separate links for both of these on the home page and that is a nice little gesture. After all, no wedding is complete without bridesmaids and groomsmen, and separate gift sections for them are a nice thought.

Diamond.com has got one thing right and one thing wrong. The thing that they got right is the differentiation and classification of various kinds of jewels so that people find it easy to search through. For instance, when we click on the ‘Valentine’ section, there is another page that opens up with options like ‘Shop by price’, ‘Gift ideas for him’, ‘Gift ideas for her’ and ‘Engagement rings’. Again, each of these sections are divided into sub-sections so that the shopper gets right into what he wants. Now, what the site got wrong is the fact that most shoppers when they log on to an online jewelry site, they don’t know what they want! And certainly not to the extent of exactly knowing what kind of jewelry they want, in what category, at what price point and for exactly whom are they going to buy the product. That is where the site loses out; as the customer tends to lose patience when he has to keep taking decisions to arrive at the product range he is looking for. Here is a secret in retailing – the customer hates taking decisions. That is why the first thing we ask at a restaurant when we go in to eat is ‘What is special at your restaurant’. Not because we actually want to hear, but because we don’t want to choose and take a decision! The same thing holds true for this site also. That way, diamonds on web is a whole class apart and the experience there is totally unique and customer-centric.

But there are some other unique things about this portal. One of them is the presence of jewel encrusted watches on sale. No other main stream diamond retailing site we saw had watches present. So that is another nice move by the portal. Most of the popular brands of top-range watches are present and the prices also are pretty competitive.

Billing and payment options – This is actually strange. We can only find credit card payment mentioned as the method of payment. We are fairly certain that the site will also accept checks and wire transfers, but that is mentioned no where. Also, an interest free monthly payment is advertised for only credit card customers. There is a 30 day refund policy also advertised, but there are two pages of terms and conditions, which puts you on the back foot.

Even for shipping options, there was over 2 pages of rules and regulations; Pretty confusing actually.

Overall, the site is nice in terms of various options and different price points; but needs to revamp its shopping experience, and make it simpler.

Rating – 7 / 10

There are many benefits o buying diamonds online:

1. You can shop at any time of the day or night and take as much going through all the models as you like.

2. Many websites also offer a wealth of details and information about the Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry. And they don’t get tired how many times you visit them or how many times you ask the same questions. With distance selling regulations implemented and controlled by the Office of Fair Trading, sellers have a responsibility to provide accurate descriptions and the reassurance of a comprehensive returns policy. This is because the customer cannot see the item they are buying until it arrives.

3. Many internet retailers operate at much lower profit margins than high street retailers due to the lower overheads they encounter. This saving is then passed on to the customer in terms of Discounted Prices.

4. Some internet retailers also offer a very personal service. Emails are one of the most important methods of communication to many people. To be able to just ask a question and receive a prompt reply is important when selling such an expensive piece of jewelery. If you are unsure of how efficient a company is, why not place an inquiry and judge the service for yourself.

These online jewelry stores showcase more varieties, than an ordinary store. A person gets a lot of options to choose from. So, if you are planning to buy your share of diamonds, just log on to some reputed online store. But don’t forget to see if you  can also get some freebies or discount offers.