Ben Bridge Jewelers Review: Good Quality for the Price?

Ben Bridge holds a special place as one of the oldest and most established jewelry chains in the USA, with its stores found mostly in malls.

The company was founded over a hundred years ago in 1912, beginning in Seattle. In 1968, their first mall store opened in the Seattle South Center Mall, and they were responsible for starting the jewelry chain mall stores.

The first out-of-state store opened in 1980 and as a big help to the company, Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway invested in it.

From this, Ben Bridge grew to have 86 stores across America and Canada, focused mainly on the West Coast.

The experience received in a Ben Bridge store can often be hit or miss. Some locations offer a wonderfully luxurious experience, whereas others fall short. The same goes for the sales assistants in-store - with such a large chain holding many employees, you will get some great ones and some that will be below par.

Purchasing diamonds at Ben Bridge can be slightly risky as well. They hold some fantastic stones, but you need a keen eye for diamond properties to know which stones are worth buying.

Ben Bridge is a member of the American Gem Society, which is helpful but less beneficial than having GIA-certified diamonds. However, it is better than no diamond certification at all.

History: Ben Bridge is one of the oldest jewelers in the United States, and this does come into play when a consumer is looking for a trustworthy business. While this should translate to more knowledge and better-quality diamonds, it does not always shine through.

Settings: Ignoring the diamonds for a bit, the settings at Ben Bridge are pretty nice. The craftsmanship shines through well from the designs, which make stunning engagement rings paired with suitable diamonds.

Forever mark Diamonds: Ben Bridge can boast about their diamonds because they hold some Forever Mark stones. These are beautiful and rare stones that are responsibly sourced and are currently in demand in the diamond industry.

The price tags that Ben Bridge's Diamonds hold prove they are a physical retailer, much like other jewelers who do not focus on online retail. Some physical retailers manage to keep prices down to accommodate those who cannot afford high premiums. However, luxury brands like Tiffany & Co charge premium prices for diamonds and jewelry.

Unfortunately, the price tags at Ben Bridge seem to match those found at luxury chains such as Tiffany & Co., without the brand name or quality that one receives when buying at a higher end.

There is no justification for the prices that most of the diamonds at Ben Bridge hold because the service and quality do not make up for these exorbitant prices.

Personal jewelers at Ben Bridge will work with customers to create an original piece from the ground up or help to reset or restyle an heirloom.

There is room for custom designing your piece; the customer can do their design in-store or online at Ben Bridge.

Ben Bridge holds design events dedicated to resetting old diamonds into contemporary settings.

The Ben Bridge website is modern and clean and holds everything you would want from a site. The focus online is on something other than engagement rings. There are banners for their new Rolex watches and other jewelry, but navigating to the engagement ring page is not difficult.

You can choose to sort by bridal sets, various collections, vintage-inspired rings, and cut and style. It does offer more choice than other physical jewelers’ online sites and makes it easier to filter down to the ring or setting you want.

Viewing a ring on the site is pleasant. There is a clear picture of the ring and the diamond and a vast amount of information on the setting, the primary stones, and any other accompanying stones on the ring.

Concerning other helpful service information, you can find it easily on the site.

Ben Bridge stores hold some great sales assistants who try to provide diamond education to customers before the sale.

There is helpful customer service and some useful pre-sales and after-sales service online.

Trade-ins: You can trade in any diamond purchased at Ben Bridge and be credited with the total price towards buying a diamond that costs twice as much as the original purchase.

Returns: Ben Bridge has a 90-day return policy on items purchased for credit in-store or exchanges.

Warranties: All jewelry and timepieces bought from Ben Bridge come with a Limited Warranty Plan, which protects the items against defects. An additional care plan can be purchased that helps to cover additional services such as refinishing and resizing.

There is a special Ben Bridge Financing option applicable in-store or online. It includes a three-payment option with no interest.

• Custom design for jewelry in-store or online
• 86 locations across the USA
• Diamond trade-in program
• Forever mark diamonds sold both online and in-store

You might be lucky to find one of the best diamonds in the Ben Bridge store. Still, you will quickly notice when comparing that the diamond will cost significantly more than a similar diamond sold at James Allen.

Some brands can justify this price increase, but Ben Bridge has nothing that does. Using your budget online at James Allen or Blue Nile would be better to stretch it further and ensure you receive a quality diamond with a GIA grading report.