Does Jared Own James Allen Diamonds

Are Jared and James Allen the same company? Find out who owns James Allen and learn the difference between Jared and James Allen rings.

Who Owns James Allen?

James, Jared - the names sound similar enough. But are these two diamond giants really just the same company?

The answer is no.

James Allen and Jared are two separate companies. But they share the same parent company.

Signet Jewelers is the world's largest diamond retailer. Signet owns Jared and expanded its empire in 2017 when it bought James Allen. Although you may have seen James Allen rings inside Jared stores, the two are still separate stores.

The partnership between the two stores is a way to increase sales for Signet. Jared shoppers get access to new ring designs. James Allen shoppers get to see the most popular rings on the site in-store.

About Signet Jewelers

Signet Jewelers was founded in 1949, and it operates around 2,800 stores in the U.S., UK, and Canada.

Signet owns many brands you've probably heard of before. These companies include:

• Kay Jewelers
  
• Zales
  
• Banter by Piercing Pagoda
  
• Diamonds Direct
  
• Ernest Jones

Signet owns a variety of diamond jewelers with different price ranges. This helps them cater to a much larger audience.

Although brick-and-mortar stores aren't going anywhere any time soon, customers are shopping online for jewelry more often. By acquiring James Allen, Signet was able to adapt to the times and stay relevant.

James Allen vs. Jared: Which is Better?

James Allen is one of the biggest online jewelers, while Jared is a classic brick-and-mortar. Both stores have their strengths and weaknesses. Find out which store is best for you.

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1. Shopping Experience

Whether you prefer to shop online or in-store is entirely a personal choice. There are pros and cons to both.

Choose James Allen if: You refer to browse from the comfort of your own home and design your own ring. The site allows you to choose from thousands of diamonds with different cuts and price points.

James Allen even provides 360-degree videos for every single diamond on the site. You won't be able to see your ring until after you buy it. But the videos can give you a very good idea of what you're working with.

Choose Jared if: You love to shop in-store and ask the associates lots of questions. At Jared, you do have fewer options. But shopping in person can be a special experience for couples.

2. Cost

Winner: James Allen

Online jewelers have lower overhead costs. This lets them sell their products with a lower markup. James Allen prices can be up to 50% lower compared to traditional, big-box diamond retailers.

Jared is considered Signet's more luxurious brick-and-mortar store. So, you'll often find pricier rings compared to other brands.

In general, shopping online will get you the best bang for your buck. For the same amount of money, you can find better quality, better-looking diamonds.

3. Jewelry Selection

Winner: James Allen

Every Jared store is a little different, but they can't pack the sheer volume of James Allen's inventory into a small store.

With that said, if you have a special ring design in mind, Jared can help bring your creation to life. The company will work with you to take your unique ring idea from a sketch to the final product.

James Allen is great if you want to choose from a larger selection of diamonds and customize a ring.

Jared is a better match if you have a specific idea in mind for a ring.

4. Customer Service

Winner: James Allen

It's hard to make an apples-to-apples comparison for customer service since your experience could vary at different Jared locations. Managers at each store could provide completely different experiences for the customer.

In general, Jared has received some pretty negative customer service reviews on the internet. Some customers seem to have issues with shipping and lost items.

James Allen is online-only, so it's important that it offers good customer service. For the most part, it seems most customers are pretty happy with its customer support. Customer service reps are very responsive and helpful.

5. Store Policies

Winner: James Allen

It isn't easy to get a ring 100% right the very first time. That's why it's so important to look for good return policies and warranties anywhere you shop.

Both Jared and James Allen have a 30-day return policy. But here's an important distinction: Jared won't accept custom-designed jewelry for returns, while James Allen doesn't have restrictions on what you can and can't return.

Jared offers a free lifetime guarantee as well as basic coverage for cleaning, stone replacement, and more. It also offers a paid extended service warranty to cover more extensive repairs and resizing.

James Allen also includes repairs, resizing, and cleaning in their warranty. Except you get it free with every purchase of diamond jewelry. This is another case where shopping online can get you better value perks than you'd get in-store.

Bottom Line

Jared doesn't own James Allen. But they have been partnering together under their parent company, Signet Jewelers.

The two companies offer completely different shopping experiences. Shopping in-store has its merits. But if you want the best value out of your engagement ring, online shopping is the smarter choice.

Retailers like James Allen and Blue Nile offer a huge selection of rings for a lot cheaper than you'd find in store.

Want to learn more about buying the perfect ring? Check out these articles next:

• How to Buy an Engagement Ring
  
• Best Places to Buy an Engagement Ring
  
• 5 Best Places to Buy Lab Created Diamonds