Friday, February 3rd
2023 Engagement Ring Reviews
Kay
- Just over 3,000 engagement rings to choose from
- In business for over a century
- "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
- 30-day return policy, 60 days for exchanges; extended during the holidays
- Free shipping on orders of $50+ within the continental US
Kay Jewelers was founded in 1916 and emphasizes that there's a perfect piece of jewelry for every love story. With more than a thousand retail locations and an online storefront with over 3,000 engagement rings to choose from, it's easy to see why this is one of the first names that comes to mind. In recent years, this retailer and several others (including three additional stores in our review) were acquired by Signet Jewelers, but each brand retains its unique identity.
Good selection, easy to shop
There are just over 3,000 engagement rings in Kay's online inventory, and it's pretty smooth finding the ones that match what you have in mind. You can click on one of the styles listed in the bubbles at the top of the page, like vintage, three-stone or solitaire. The filters can also help you narrow down the ring options by price, stone type or shape, carat range, metal type or color, and so on. When you finally have a results list, you can organize it by customer rating, price, best match, or even new arrivals if you like being on the cutting edge of what's trending.
DIY for engagement rings
If nothing pre-made puts the sparkle in your eye, try Kay's Ring Customizer. You can play around with metals, mounting styles and stone shapes, and the tool will show you real-time renderings as you go. For more glamour, you can create a Neil Lane engagement ring, or take your sketch to a store location and get help from an expert jewelry designer.
What will it cost?
With respect to price, you'll find a few options under $250, but those are usually in the promise ring category and not full-fledged engagement rings. The bulk of Kay's rings fall between $1,000 to $2,500, but for customers who want something more high-end Kay sells nearly 100 rings over $10,000. Need financing? Look right below the ring's price to see your options: usually, you'll be choosing between a Kay Jewelers Credit Card and financing through Affirm.
Get protected
With a once-in-lifetime purchase like an engagement ring, it's always wise to consider a protection plan. Kay's diamonds all come with a lifetime guarantee at no extra cost, but be aware that you have to bring the ring in for an inspection every six months to keep the warranty valid. That complimentary coverage only covers the stone replacement and the cleaning/inspection; you'll need to add the Forever Cherished plan for other issues like ring sizing, stone resetting, and prong tightening. That coverage depends on the cost of the ring itself, but expect the fee to be somewhere between 5-15% of your purchase price.
Order online for home or in-store delivery
Kay offers free shipping within the continental US, but only to street addresses (and not PO Boxes), and all engagement rings meet their minimum order threshold of $50 to qualify. Another option is to have the ring sent to your local Kay store: it's the best way to make sure it arrives safely and can even help you keep it a surprise until the big reveal day. Don't forget to ask for complimentary gift wrap too!
Return within 30 days of your order
If you decide to return the engagement ring, you'll only have 30 days from the date you placed the order, not from the day it arrives. Kay extends that to 60 days if you choose to exchange it for something else instead of getting a refund. And, over the holidays, you'll get an extended window (usually for purchases made from mid-October to Christmas Eve, with returns allowed up until mid-to-late January). In-person returns are always accepted at local Kay stores if you'd rather not put the engagement ring in the mail.
Customers are often unhappy
It all sounds pretty encouraging, until you start looking at what Kay's customers say. Despite an "A+" from the Better Business Bureau for both Kay and parent company Signet, this store's reputation is far from stellar. Some reviews describe receiving jewelry and other items that had clearly been used previously! Other complaints mention significant problems with getting warranty repairs approved and finished, poor responses from Kay representatives, and overall poor quality. It's not a good thing when the adjectives used to describe a business are "nightmare" and "scam" , and we saw that more than once in the feedback from Kay shoppers.
Other stores pay more attention to customer satisfaction
Whether or not diamonds are a girl's best friend is up for debate, but it seems that Kay is no friend of, well, anybody. All of the selection and customization in the world doesn't make up for letting people down after the sale, and hundreds of customer comments paint that picture. Unless Kay shows a major uptick in reputation, they'll remain towards the bottom of our rankings among retailers who offer engagement rings.
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Where's the Best Place to Get an Engagement Ring Online?
That's not a question anyone would have asked twenty years ago, but it's a really smart one to ask now! Sure, many ring shoppers still buy their rings from a local jeweler - often at the first place they visit - but they're missing out on a lot.
Starting your search for the perfect "Will you marry me?" bling on the internet puts the world's best selection within reach. This is a piece of jewelry that could be handed down in your new family for generations, and you want it to be as unique and beautiful as your relationship. Whether your intended has already dreamed up exactly what she wants to see on her finger or you're going by the hope that you'll know it when you see it, online engagement ring retailers have you covered.
Engagement Ring FAQ
Continued from above...
The other big reason to buy the ring online is price. Local jewelry stores have to pass on their overhead costs to you, but internet stores aren't spending money on rent, face-to-face salespeople, or utilities at brick-and-mortar locations. You could save as much as 50% for an engagement ring of the same quality, carat weight and clarity - or better!
Best of all, there's no pressure to buy it right now when you use an online jeweler: you get all the time you need to compare different styles, design your own one-of-a-kind piece, or maybe even send some contenders to your future fiancee to see if you're on the right track! (And, ladies, that works in reverse too: why not drop a few hints with links to the rings you love and make it easier on your beloved?)
Afraid that it might not be safe to have your ring delivered? Fear not. If you choose an online jewelry store that does have a location near you, it's easy to order the engagement ring online and have it shipped there. It's a clever way to keep it out of the hands of porch pirates - and to keep it a surprise until you're ready to pop the question! Most stores will hold it for up to 30 days. For online-only jewelers, rest assured that they'll send your ring with plenty of insurance in the event of loss or damage during transit.
And, you've got nothing to worry about with sizing or returns either. 30 days is the standard window for sending back your purchase for a refund or exchange, and many jewelers offer complimentary resizing - often for up to a full year. Plus, if your engagement ring comes from a retailer with a brick-and-mortar presence, you've got the convenience of in-store returns and resizing on top of that.
Ready to begin your search? You might feel a little overwhelmed: this is a big deal, after all, and you want to get it right the first time. As you consider which jewelry store should earn your business, here are some criteria that can help you judge for yourself:
- Selection. More styles, settings, and even loose diamonds to choose from will translate into a better shopping experience and a higher likelihood that you'll find an engagement ring (or several!) that will be the perfect centerpiece for your proposal.
- Value. Whether your budget is $600 or $60,000, you want a high-quality ring that's worth what you're spending. Check to see if there are customer ratings for any jewelry you're considering, to see how it looks in reality vs. the stock photos displayed online.
- Financing. Not everyone has a big chunk of cash on the ready. Does the jeweler offer payment plans with reasonable terms?
- Return Policy. Most online jewelry stores give you 30 days to send back your items as long as they're in the original condition. Some stores extend that to 60 days, and you may find longer-than-average timeframes for engagement rings purchased during the holidays.
- Reputation. None of the previous factors matter if you buy your ring from an unreliable retailer. Make sure that a store has a strong history of customer satisfaction before you commit to your purchase: a good grade from the Better Business Bureau and lots of five-star customer ratings are both signs of a trustworthy jeweler.
You need an engagement ring that really stands out, and we can help! TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's best options for buying a ring online, and we hope this information makes your shopping effortless and your proposal a moment to remember forever!
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