Are you considering Macy’s for your diamond engagement ring purchase? Despite its popularity for apparel, fragrance, or homeware, our research suggests you might want to rethink choosing Macy’s for an engagement ring.
Our conclusion? We wouldn’t recommend Macy’s for a diamond engagement ring due to concerns over quality and pricing.
The History of Macy’s
As an iconic American retailer for more than a century and a half, Macy’s has carved a significant place in the nation’s cultural history, notably with its Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC. It is known for its vast selection of goods, including a wide variety of clothing and home accessories.
Quality, Variety, and Pricing of Macy’s Jewelry
We found Macy’s diamond engagement ring to be lacking in quality and variety, and overly priced, which could potentially turn away customers. Compared to dedicated jewelers, their selection is quite limited, with a narrow price range. Their website, despite being an additional source for selection lacks user experience.
Quality of Macy’s Diamonds
While there are exceptions, Macy’s generally offers lower-quality diamonds. Some are IGI-certified SI clarity, but many fall below this standard or expect to pay a ridiculously exorbitant price for a GIA-certified engagement ring at Macy’s.
Despite the $31,150 price tag on this GIA Certified 2-Carat H-Color SI2-Clarity Diamond Twist Shank Engagement Ring in 14k White Gold at Macy’s. We strongly believe the images of this diamond engagement ring displayed on Macy’s website are deceiving as their center diamond looks ‘eye-clean’ but is in fact slightly included (SI) as illustrated on the James Allen loose diamond with the same stats as the Macy’s loose diamond below:
GIA Certified 2-Carat H-Color SI2-Clarity Diamond Twist Shank Engagement Ring at Macy’s
Pricing of Macy’s Diamond Engagement Rings
When it comes to price, Macy’s diamond rings are not competitive. A comparison with high-end jeweler Whiteflash revealed that similar rings were priced about 35% higher at Macy’s.
Certified Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring (2 ct. t.w.) in 14k White Gold at Macy’s ($60,000)
Macy’s Sales Tactics
While the idea of getting a ring at 60/65/70% off might seem appealing, in reality, it’s merely a marketing strategy. Macy’s has faced criticism for this practice. The lesson? Ignore the inflated regular prices and compare the sale price with the market.
Our Macy’s Online Shopping Experience
Having an online presence is a must for any jewelry store that wants to reach out to more customers, even household names like Macy’s. Considering Macy’s sells so many products, their website is fairly minimalist and offers easy navigation to the different types of products you’d expect from a big chain store. Macy’s online jewelry store may be user-friendly but lacks user experience.
A quick glance at Whiteflash or James Allen will show you the difference in image caliber. In addition to outstanding imaging, they also have 360-degree views, videos, and fantastic filtering to find just the diamond you are looking for.
Looking for diamond jewelry online from a vendor you can trust? Browse our jewelry search featuring fine diamond jewelry from vetted online jewelers Whiteflash, James Allen, Blue Nile, B2C Jewels, and Adiamor.
Final Thoughts
We wouldn’t suggest buying your engagement ring (or other diamond jewelry) from Macy’s. Given the limited selection, disappointing jewelry quality, and inflated prices, you’d be better off with an online jewelry retailer like James Allen or Whiteflash, which provides better value for money.
What did you think of Macy’s diamond jewelry review? Have you had a positive experience with purchasing a diamond engagement ring at Macy’s? We would love to read your Macy’s diamond review(s) on the PriceScope forum.