Being an online jeweler has been an exciting adventure over the last 11 years! When we set out to make diamond wedding rings affordable for the hardworking couples – we did so by identifying a very select diamond grade, one which seemed unappealing on paper, but looked amazing in person. And 11 years of reviews from the modern couple is the "proof in the pudding". Over the years, major retailers like Zales, Helzberg & KAY Jewelers have caught onto our approach, offering the same diamond grade, or in many cases, a lower diamond grade in order to offer a lower price. So, what does this all boil down to?
It's rare to find two styles that are almost the same to make the comparisons easier. That's why we were delighted to see a similar style to our Bridgette Collection on Zales.com which allowed us to compare them side by side! The subtle difference here between the two styles is the diamond color grading of the Zales ring, however we find the difference negligible and impossible to tell while being worn on hand. Both weighing in at 1/3 carats total weight with the same color & clarity grades shows how remarkably high priced Zales' options are. For what is, in essence, the same ring, a hardworking couple would pay a whopping $400 more to Zales!
We got our hands on a Zales #20062078 Bridal Ring Set to put it side by side with the Bridgette Collection – see the video below to see how they compare! (My Trio Rings on the Right, and Zales on the Left!)
* Price as of Friday January 29th 2021, at 10:30 AM EST
Both of these diamond engagement ring styles are 1/2 carat in weight, and feature a similar princess style setting with baguette accents. When viewing My Trio Ring's Margot collection with a higher clarity of I1-I2, the sparkle was far more apparent than the lower quality I3 in the Zales style. Jewelers use magnifying glasses (or loupes) to see inclusions in finer quality diamonds. But what's important to couples is the look every day and we've found that you cannot see inclusions on smaller I1 stones, however you can see the inclusions impact to an I3 which appears smashed or cloudy. The Zales ring does a fantastic job of showing that you can in fact go too low and the sacrifice comes at quality.
* Price as of Friday January 29th 2021, at 10:30 AM EST
The Kalani engagement ring and the Helzberg #2422374 engagement ring are very similar in appearance – a cushion inspired, double diamond halo design with a round brilliant cut diamond center stone. Yet, these two engagement rings vary drastically! The first difference to note is the total diamond carat weight; the My Trio Rings Kalani engagement ring is priced at $1099.95, while the Helzberg version costs $500 more at $1699. This difference is particularly important, as it brings other features of these engagement rings into the discussion such as the total carat weight, color and clarity of the two rings.
Long story short, the Helzberg engagement ring has a lower color and clarity, all on a ring with a smaller diamond carat weight than the Kalani engagement ring by My Trio Rings. See the chart below for the point by point break down of the differences between the two diamond rings. Essentially, you can spend about $100 LESS on an engagement ring that is larger in carat weight, and is higher in quality when you shop the Kalani engagement ring with My Trio Rings.
When comparing these double diamond halo engagement rings, there are four significant points to consider. The color and clarity of the diamonds in the Analiese engagement ring are higher in quality than the Kay's Item #992518009. Next, the carat weight of the Analiese engagement ring is higher at ½ carat T.W. versus 3/8 carat T.W. for the Kay's ring. These three elements of higher color, clarity and carat weight add up to a higher price point for the My Trio Rings Analiese engagement ring. When comparison shopping these two engagement rings, it comes down to deciding which elements you want to prioritize – better quality or lower price.
The beauty of a delicate, diamond halo engagement ring is timeless. The design is highly sought after, which means that a lot of jewelers offer similar looking designs at varying prices and qualities. A perfect example of almost identical engagement rings sold by different jewelers that are drastically different is the Jocelyn engagement ring versus #2382981 from Helzberg. At first glance, the rings look similar, but when you break down the details of the two rings and compare, you come to find that the Jocelyn engagement ring has better clarity & color, is larger in total diamond carat weight, and costs $200 LESS than the Helzberg comparison. The lesson to be learned from this comparison; pay less for a ring that offers MORE!
How do you know you're getting a fantastic look at amazing quality? Do you have to learn diamond grading to make the right choice?As the modern jeweler for the modern couple, we did the hard work for you – and you don't need to learn all the nitty-gritty details of diamond grading to make sense of it all. The holiday season means we've stocked up on styles to maximize savings for our couples. And while other jewelers offer "bigger discounts", our prices are still lower than theirs. Below we'll outline how our value is consistently above the industry.
Bridgette Collection Bridal Ring Set VS. Zales #20062078 Bridal Ring Set
It's rare to find two styles that are almost the same to make the comparisons easier. That's why we were delighted to see a similar style to our Bridgette Collection on Zales.com which allowed us to compare them side by side! The subtle difference here between the two styles is the diamond color grading of the Zales ring, however we find the difference negligible and impossible to tell while being worn on hand. Both weighing in at 1/3 carats total weight with the same color & clarity grades shows how remarkably high priced Zales' options are. For what is, in essence, the same ring, a hardworking couple would pay a whopping $400 more to Zales!
We got our hands on a Zales #20062078 Bridal Ring Set to put it side by side with the Bridgette Collection – see the video below to see how they compare! (My Trio Rings on the Right, and Zales on the Left!)
| My Trio Rings Bridgette Collection | Zales #20062078 | |
| Price | $599.99 | $1059.99 |
| Carats | 1/3 | 1/3 |
| Clarity | I1-I2 | I1 |
| Color | H-I | I |
DIFFERENCES IN THE SAME COLOR RANGE OF A DIAMOND ARE HARDLY DISTINGUISHABLE TO THE NAKED EYE
WE DRAW THE LINE BEFORE THE PRICE IS TOO LOW & QUALITY IS SACRIFICED
Margot Collection Engagement Ring VS. Zales #20116763
Both of these diamond engagement ring styles are 1/2 carat in weight, and feature a similar princess style setting with baguette accents. When viewing My Trio Ring's Margot collection with a higher clarity of I1-I2, the sparkle was far more apparent than the lower quality I3 in the Zales style. Jewelers use magnifying glasses (or loupes) to see inclusions in finer quality diamonds. But what's important to couples is the look every day and we've found that you cannot see inclusions on smaller I1 stones, however you can see the inclusions impact to an I3 which appears smashed or cloudy. The Zales ring does a fantastic job of showing that you can in fact go too low and the sacrifice comes at quality.
| My Trio Rings Margot Collection | Zales #20116763 | |
| Price | $949.99 | $777.00 |
| Carats | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| Clarity | I1-I2 | I3 |
| Color | H-I | I-J |
THE TRUTH IS, THE GRADING SYSTEM USED BY JEWELERS TO PRICE DIAMONDS IN NOT ALIGNED WITH THE PRICE THAT COUPLES SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE LOOK OF A DIAMOND.
Kalani Engagement Ring VS. Helzberg Item #2422374
The Kalani engagement ring and the Helzberg #2422374 engagement ring are very similar in appearance – a cushion inspired, double diamond halo design with a round brilliant cut diamond center stone. Yet, these two engagement rings vary drastically! The first difference to note is the total diamond carat weight; the My Trio Rings Kalani engagement ring is priced at $1099.95, while the Helzberg version costs $500 more at $1699. This difference is particularly important, as it brings other features of these engagement rings into the discussion such as the total carat weight, color and clarity of the two rings.
Long story short, the Helzberg engagement ring has a lower color and clarity, all on a ring with a smaller diamond carat weight than the Kalani engagement ring by My Trio Rings. See the chart below for the point by point break down of the differences between the two diamond rings. Essentially, you can spend about $100 LESS on an engagement ring that is larger in carat weight, and is higher in quality when you shop the Kalani engagement ring with My Trio Rings.
| My Trio Rings Kalani Collection | Helzberg #2422374 | |
| Price | $1599.99 | $1699.00 |
| Carats | 1 | 3/4 |
| Clarity | I1-I2 | I1 |
| Color | G-H | I |
The Analiese Engagement Ring VS. Kay's Item #: 992518009
When comparing these double diamond halo engagement rings, there are four significant points to consider. The color and clarity of the diamonds in the Analiese engagement ring are higher in quality than the Kay's Item #992518009. Next, the carat weight of the Analiese engagement ring is higher at ½ carat T.W. versus 3/8 carat T.W. for the Kay's ring. These three elements of higher color, clarity and carat weight add up to a higher price point for the My Trio Rings Analiese engagement ring. When comparison shopping these two engagement rings, it comes down to deciding which elements you want to prioritize – better quality or lower price.
| The Analiese Engagement Ring | Kay's Item #: 992518009 | |
| Price | $1099.99 | $879.20 |
| Carats | 1/2 | 3/8 |
| Clarity | I1-I2 | I3 |
| Color | H-I | I |
Jocelyn Ladies Engagement Ring VS. Helzberg Item #2382981
The beauty of a delicate, diamond halo engagement ring is timeless. The design is highly sought after, which means that a lot of jewelers offer similar looking designs at varying prices and qualities. A perfect example of almost identical engagement rings sold by different jewelers that are drastically different is the Jocelyn engagement ring versus #2382981 from Helzberg. At first glance, the rings look similar, but when you break down the details of the two rings and compare, you come to find that the Jocelyn engagement ring has better clarity & color, is larger in total diamond carat weight, and costs $200 LESS than the Helzberg comparison. The lesson to be learned from this comparison; pay less for a ring that offers MORE!
| Jocelyn Ladies Engagement Ring | Helzberg Item #2382981 | |
| Price | $1099.99 | $1299.00 |
| Carat | 1/2 | 1/3 |
| Clarity | I1-I2 | I2 |
| Color | H-I | I-J |
What You Can Take Away From These Comparisons:
It's worth pointing out that many main street jewelers spend very little time highlighting each style, referring to styles by sku numbers, unlike My Trio Rings collections which feature 300+ named families of matching rings each with distinct details. Finally, when you're looking to choose a jeweler that understands what you are looking for, consider the Modern Jeweler – with up to eight different payment options from Venmo to No-Fee Layaway, the first and only Plus Size Wedding Ring Collection, a Nickel Free Collection and Same Sex wedding ring collections!Need help comparing? Our team is non-comissioned, so we we'll happily help you compare two rings to help you make sure you get the most value! Reach out through live chat!Our 60-day returns ensure you can wear your rings in person and fall absolutely in love with them, or a full refund. Our crafters' warranty and extended care plan offer you the piece of mind of a retail store servicing, but at your convenience with shipping right to your home.