Gregory Jewellers Diamonds Review: Good Selection in a Pleasant Atmosphere

Overall Score:3.33
Gregory Jewellers
Price:2.5		Selection:3.5		Customer Service:4
Pros	Store atmosphere Helpful staff
Cons	High prices
Other Recommended Retailers	Blue Nile James Allen

Bottom Line Recommendation

Gregory Jewellers were one of the best shoppes we secret shopped during our time in Australia. They had some nice diamonds (all GIA, some weren’t exactly great choices), pretty good service and a nice atmosphere in the stores. That said, I’d have preferred if the prices were a bit cheaper. They were by no means a rip-off, but you can get far better value buying from a reputable online jeweller like Blue Nile or James Allen.

If you are adamant about purchasing at a physical store, Gregory Jewellers are an excellent choice. There is no way a physical retailer can compete with the prices you can find shopping on-line. That said, I’d prefer to see a premium of 20-25% at a physical retailer. As you will see below, Gregory Jewellers had premiums over 30%. That said, it’s nice to see a store with a nice selection and excellent salespeople.

The History

Founded in 1967. Today, the Gregory Jewellers brand continues this tradition of superb quality and service, boasting a diverse portfolio of fine jewellery, internationally renowned watch brands and accessories which consistently set the bar for style and elegance. A five point criteria guaranteeing every piece bearing the Gregory maker’s mark is finished to the finest degree of quality.

Parramatta Mall

The Experience

Despite being in a busy mall with discount retailers, Gregory Jewellers still managed to retain a dignified vibe befitting a higher end jeweller. The store had a bright, modern look with well stocked showcases. We wandered around a bit before the saleswoman came on over to say hi. She was quite affable and was quite helpful.

The one drawback was they did not allow photographs in the store. Especially when you are shopping around, its best to have as much information catalogued so you can make a decision. Another issue was not being able to easily see the GIA certificates. We were limited to two.

The Product

We saw an interesting array of round diamonds while we were there. All of the diamonds were in simple 18kt white gold settings. The first diamond was a 0.80ct D color, VVS2 clarity GIA certified diamond. This diamond looked absolutely fantastic and cost AU$6,700.

The second diamond we saw was a 1.00ct H color, VVS2 clarity diamond for AU$14,200. Unfortunately this diamond did not live up to the standards from the previous diamond. This diamond was poorly cut (65% depth) which caused the diamond to look extremely dark and lack brilliance.

The third diamond we saw was a 1.00ct G color, SI2 clarity solitaire for AU$10,990. This diamond was certainly an improvement cut-wise but it did have a noticeable white inclusion. We do like recommending SI2 clarity to get the best bang for your buck, but you need to find an eye-clean one.

Bondi Shopping Centre

The Experience

As it was at the Parramatta Mall, Gregory Jewellers exuded a confident, luxurious vibe. This felt more at home in the Bondi Shopping Centre which was definitely a more upscale mall. Whereas the Parramatta location had a bright, modern vibe, this location had a more old-school vibe to it.

Once again, the salesman was friendly and helpful. They had signs saying no photography, but the salesman said its ok for us to take pictures. This allowed us to look at a more interesting option (it’s easier to describe a round diamond in a solitaire setting without photos).

The Product

The diamond we saw was a 1.80ct F color, SI2 clarity pear shape diamond in a white gold solitaire setting. This diamond was absolutely stunning. Perhaps it was the nicest diamond we saw in Sydney. The shape was a perfect teardrop with no noticeable bowtie and, unlike the 1.00ct SI2 we saw at their other location, the SI2 clarity was eye-clean. Congratulations to the diamond buyer who picked that one out. The price for the ring was AU$27,100

The Value

Let’s start with the smallest and work our way up. The first diamond we saw was the 0.80ct D color, VVS2 Clarity round diamond in an 18kt white gold solitaire setting for AU$6,700. The diamond was nice, so we will find a comparable diamond. Here is a 0.70ct D color, VVS2 clarity round diamond from Blue Nile. It is virtually identical to the one we saw and the price is AU$4,533. If you add this diamond to a comparable setting to the one we saw at Gregory Jewellers, the total price is AU$5,538. That is a savings of 17%.

The second diamond we saw was the 1.00ct H color, VVS1 clarity round diamond for AU$14,200. This diamond was very disappointing cut-wise. Here is a similar (if not better) cut diamond from Blue Nile. It’s a 1.01ct H color VVS1 diamond for AU$9,472. Adding it into this simple 18kt white gold solitaire and you save 26%.

The last diamond we saw at the Parramatta Mall was the 1.00ct G color, SI2 clarity round diamond in an 18kt white gold solitaire setting for AU$10,990. This diamond was better cut than the previous but had a noticeable inclusion. Here is a similar 1.00ct G color, SI2 clarity diamond from Blue Nile for AU$6,080. If you place the diamond in this solitaire setting, the total cost is AU$6,790. That is a savings of 35%.

Lastly we have the stunning 1.80ct F color, SI2 clarity pear shape for AU$27,100. As I mentioned before, the diamond buyer really outdid himself on this one. I wasn’t able to find a comparable 1.80ct, but here is a beautiful 1.70ct pear shape from Blue Nile that is similar to that one except for the size difference. This one is significantly cheaper, but it’s not a fair comparison so I won’t price compare.

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab created diamonds online. For a limited time Save 25% during James Allen Holiday Sale!

Click to Visit

What we love about them:

• No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
• Lifetime Warranty
• Free International Shipping
• Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
• Provide insurance appraisals
• One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
• Free ring inscriptions
• Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
• 24/7 Customer Service
• Best-in-class packaging

Blue Nile Blue Nile is the largest and most well known internet jewelry seller. They have a very large exclusive online inventory. Their high quality images are catching up to James Allens' and their prices are amazing. Blue Nile have generously offered our readers an exclusive one-time use coupon. (Click Here to save $100 off $1000 purchase)

Please enter your email address to receive your personal one-time use unique coupon code:

Click to Visit

What we love about them:

• No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
• Lifetime Warranty
• Free Shipping
• Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
• Provide insurance appraisal
• One free resizing within the first year of purchase
• High quality images of about half of their diamonds
• 24/7 Customer Service
• 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
• Best in class fulfillment

About the author

Michael Fried Mike Fried has over 25 years experience in the diamond industry working with Leo Schachter Diamonds, Moshe Namdar Diamonds, and joining The Diamond Pro in 2007. He is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.