Website Address of Vrai- https://www.vrai.com/
What is Vrai jewelry? Is Vrai jewelry the same as Vrai and Oro? Can I get diamond engagement rings on Vrai? Are diamonds on Vrai natural or lab-grown? Why do I keep hearing complaints about Vrai engagement rings for long-term wear, are they bad?
Whether you’re wondering about Vrai for your wedding jewelry or engagement ring, it’s become the hottest new choice for brides of all ages in 2021. The design choices of Vrai make it one of the best hand-picked diamond engagement ring designers around the world.
Read on to learn all about Vrai’s pros, cons, history, background, complaints, reviews by critics, and general presence offline and online as of date.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Should You Buy From Vrai?
- Lab-Grown
- 10X Savings
- Doesn’t harm the planet
- 30-day returns
- Made in the USA
- Lifetime Upgrade
- Lifetime warranty
Why Shouldn’t You Buy Diamond Engagement Ring From Vrai?
- Too delicate
- Discoloration of diamonds
- IGI Certifications
- Settings are costlier
- Can’t Return Two Engagement Rings
- Returns are different for loose diamonds
- Limitations of Lifetime Guarantee and Upgrade
History of Vrai Diamonds Jewelry
What Types Of Diamonds And Diamond Engagement Rings Are Available On Vrai?
Are There Pictures And Videos Of Diamonds From Vrai?
How To Buy Diamond Ring On Vrai?
How To Get Custom Diamond Engagement Ring From Vrai?
Does Vrai Offer Financing Options? What Are The Payment Options On Vrai?
Where Does Vrai Ship To? What Are The Shipping Options On Vrai?
Does Vrai Resize For Free?
How To Return Diamond Engagement Rings Bought From Vrai?
How To Get In Touch With Vrai?
Is Vrai A Fraud? Is Vrai Legit?
Vrai- The Full Review
Vrai Customer Complaints
Vrai Final Verdict
Vrai Ratings
User Ratings 17/20
Variety Of Diamond Engagement Rings 19/20
Customer Service and Shopping Support 18/20
Payment, Shipping, Insurance, & Warranty 19/20
Returns, Refunds, and Trade-In 19/20
Why Should You Buy From Vrai?
With celebs like Kendall Jenner, J Lo, and even Gwen Stefani donning Vrai pieces that simply look stunning, it’s worth investing in a brand that’s modern and
- Lab-Grown
One of the things that makes Vrai an outstanding choice for brides of all ages getting married in 2021, 2022, or even after is that your diamonds are completely ethical. Vrai creates jewelry from sustainable diamonds alone.
In such a way, Vrai eliminates any association with mining or labor associated problems too. Moreover, Vrai’s diamonds are the world’s only diamonds with zero carbon emissions using a proprietary technology that uses Columbia River to grow diamonds in America.
Vrai’s lab-grown alternatives also save 250 tonnes of soil, 120 gallons of water, and 65 kilos of carbon dioxide.
- 10X Savings
By cultivating its own diamonds using a proprietary method, Vrai is eliminating the middlemen who might otherwise need to be paid in commissions per your purchase of a diamond. Hence, Vrai ends up saving you ten times as much as you may pay with someone else.
This way, you can end up spending more on tangible things like the carat weight of the diamond or its cut or clarity instead of a reference or broker.
- Doesn’t harm the planet
Vrai diamonds are cultivated in such a way that there aren’t any toxic emissions that threaten the atmosphere or the planet itself. Vrai is for the ecologically aware people who would rather spend their hard-earned money to preserve the planet than on vanity.
If you look at the point above and this together, Vrai is the best choice for budget-savvy and eco-conscious people of this generation.
- 30-day returns
You can return engagement ring jewelry purchased from Vrai online website within 30 days of receiving it. They process refunds within ten days of receiving them but you’ll need to follow return authorization procedures (we’ve outlined them further ahead in this post) to ensure your return is accepted and refund processed.
- Made in the USA
If you’re patriotic or just want to support local or American jewelry designers or just American diamonds, Vrai is the best place to get your engagement ring.
From the diamonds that are grown in the U.S soil to cutting, polishing, and designing that are done in Los Angeles or at different locations of Vrai within the United States. That’s why it’s one of the only diamond ring designers and sellers completely American-made!
- Lifetime Upgrade
You can also upgrade diamonds bought from Vrai, specifically put, solitaire diamonds with a carat weight of 0.50 and above for lifetime upgrades. You can trade it in for the same value of the diamond as you originally bought for another diamond on Vrai with at least a 50% higher price tag. Bear in mind that you won’t reimburse for the setting, tax, shipping, and personalization costs.
- Lifetime warranty
Vrai also offers an ironclad lifetime warranty on all its diamonds as it’s created by the Diamond Foundry. This includes any and all manufacturing issues such as missing pave diamonds of 0.02 carat and below besides loose stones and prongs. Slight variations may be visible on every ring as each one is custom-made for the person.
Why Shouldn’t You Buy Diamond Engagement Ring From Vrai?
After reading thoroughly about the advantages of Vrai diamonds, it’s important to look at their shortcomings. I warn you, it’s a long list, but it’ll help you make the right decision whether or not to go with Vrai.
Let’s jump into it!
- Too delicate
When you go through verified reviews of buyers from Vrai, you’ll see a large number of reviews that talk about the damages like the broken metal of the ring or diamonds falling out of the piece.
That’s because Vrai mostly uses thin bands with lesser gold than usual that may look dainty for events but aren’t so perfect for long-term daily wear. Keep in mind that their lifetime warranty doesn’t cover such damage as it’s due to wear and tear, ultimately.
Even if it’s thicker bands, Vrai’s jewelry contains lesser gold than usual and it’s a huge red flag for me. Moreover, Vrai didn’t use to specify the weight of gold in their jewelry pieces but now they do. Hence, you can very well choose heavy pieces for daily wear.
Some customers have even shared reviews saying some of their pieces were found to be shockingly hollow.
- Discoloration of diamonds
Another noteworthy disadvantage of going for Vrai diamonds is that your diamonds will have ap permanent discoloration.
Upon checking further, the process of making diamonds called CVD or chemical vapor deposition ends up leaving a brown discoloration and heat+pressure treated diamonds end up with a blue hue.
But, Vrai makes them through pressure + heat. The general consensus is Vrai diamonds have brown or pink hues. VRAI claims they only have pinkish-brown and brown hue diamonds available according to US reviews.
- IGI Certifications
While most diamonds on Vrai are certified by IGI, they also use their own GIA-certified gemologists to create diamond reports. However, most of us don’t trust labs like IGI or CGL.
When it comes to diamond certifications, the Gemological Institute of America tops the list for accurate analysis of diamonds. That’s because a diamond with an IGI certificate quoting higher clarity or cut might end up showing poorer conclusions when assessed by GIA.
- Settings are costlier
Do you know Vrai charges almost twice as James Allen or Ritani for settings?
Take an example. Here’s a four-prong platinum setting for round-shaped diamonds on Vrai that costs $1,240.
Here’s a similar one from James Allen with about the same metal thickness and prongs to get an idea priced at $547.
- Can’t Return Two Engagement Rings
According to the policies at Vrai, every customer is entitled to one engagement ring return and not two. In short, any other ring you purchase from Vrai won’t be encompassed under return provisions. Talk with Vrai customer care directly to talk about it.
- Returns are different for loose diamonds
When it comes to loose diamonds, the return window is different than what’s applicable for engagement rings. You can return diamonds bought from Vrai within two weeks of getting them for a full refund to the original payment mode. In this case, too, you can’t return more than one loose diamond just as in the case of engagement rings.
- Limitations of Lifetime Guarantee and Upgrade
Although manufacturing defects are covered under Lifetime Warranty, repair costs outside the scope of the manufacturing defects category must be borne by you. On top of it, you can’t replace diamonds above 0.02 carats sold by Vrai.
History of Vrai Diamonds Jewelry
A unique diamond designer and seller that creates its own diamonds using hydropower from the Pacific Northwest, Vrai diamonds are aimed at reducing the harm on our planet with diamond mining and other toxic gas emissions. Using Vra’s proprietary technology, the carbon emissions are reduced to zero.
But how and where did it all begin? Started as ‘Vrai and Oro’ in 2014, it’s founded by Vanessa Stofenmacher and Chelsea Nicholson also eliminates middlemen to offer a better markup and huge savings. Made completely in the United States, Vrai Diamonds is a digital startup that makes fine jewelry more affordable.
Before founding the jewelry, Vanessa had worked closely in the jewelry industry and badly wanted to bring sustainability to the table. The name ‘Vrai and Oro’ translates to ‘Truth and Gold’ in French. The best thing about Vrai is it was made popular by the audience and their word-of-mouth instead of expensive marketing campaigns.
Their social media journey is spectacular and organic. It has zero offline locations and completely works virtually. In 2016, Vrai was bought by Diamond Foundry to enhance the process of lab-grown diamonds.
What Types Of Diamonds And Diamond Engagement Rings Are Available On Vrai?
While Vrai did sell natural Israeli diamonds in the very beginning, every diamond at Vrai is made at a lab. Today, you can also select from the widest variety of lab-grown diamonds in ten different shapes such as round, oval, emerald, marquise, cushion, Asscher, trillion, radiant, and princess cuts.
The good news is Vrai also sells nothing but recycled metals such as gold (white, rose, yellow) and platinum. Moreover, you won’t find gold plated jewelry but solid gold of 14K to 18K purities but not 22K like Catbird.
Founded in 2014, Vrai is where you can find simple, timeless, and beautiful fine jewelry — no vermeil, only 14-karat and 18-karat gold here.
Today, Diamond Foundry on Vrai offers custom-made diamonds focused on eco-friendly production. The company compresses carbon in a plasma reactor with temperatures up to 10,000° F (Fun fact is that’s as hot as the sun!)
Hence, diamonds at Vrai are as similar as the natural diamonds when it comes to clarity, symmetry, and other traits. However, it’s lesser in costs and problems that inevitably come with diamond mining today. That being said, they resell at horrible rates. So, get lab-made diamond engagement rings if you’re planning to keep a bespoke piece forever than for resale values.
Being a bridal jewelry seller, Vrai showcases a wide range of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. But their chief focus is diamond engagement rings that look much like their natural counterparts. Truth be told, you won’t notice any difference between lab-grown ones and natural ones unless you’re a gemologist or observing the rock with a loupe.
Are There Pictures And Videos Of Diamonds From Vrai?
For every engagement ring on Vrai, you’ll get to see four detailed pictures and one real image plus a real video of a model flaunting it off. You can see diamonds in 360-degree interactive videos to focus on the parts you want.
The photography is done exceptionally well and their images will help you pick the best setting and diamond without any problem.
How To Buy Diamond Ring On Vrai?
Buying a diamond on Vrai isn’t rocket science. The following stepwise guide will help you navigate the process easily.
Here you go-
- Get an appointment by clicking on this link. You can select from Virtual appointments or face-to-face sessions at their Los Angeles studio, San Francisco studio, or at pop-ups around North America. You won’t be charged for this service.
- Keep in mind that virtual ring appointments are 50 minutes while wedding band appointments are 30 minutes. For fine jewelry of other types, this will be 30 minutes.
- You can use the session to discuss what you’re looking for and narrow down on diamond carat, cut, color, and clarity easily.
How To Get Custom Diamond Engagement Ring From Vrai?
Choosing a custom diamond or creating one with Vrai is as easy as making a customized one on James Allen or Brilliant Earth. Vrai experts will guide you through every step so that you can choose the perfect diamond shape, carat, and even clarity with a setting as well as the metal band that’s perfectly compatible.
Once you’re done selecting or listing your preferences, Vrai sales experts will show you pieces and loose stones that match your requirements. You will also be asked the deadline, the date of confirmation, the total duration of production as well as modifications such as resizing or upgrading.
Here’s the form for creating custom diamond engagement rings on Vrai.
However, keep in mind that custom diamond engagement rings are a final sale and don’t come with refunds or returns. You can get a free resizing of custom diamond rings with the Vrai Lifetime Care Package for a size or two, both up or down.
Keep in mind that custom diamond rings automatically qualify for Vrai’s Diamond Upgrade Program but the center stone should be equal to or above one carat with a minimum bill of $3,000 USD. Also bear that the total time for producing a custom diamond ring is 21 business days but it may take longer or shorter than usual depending on regulations and your preferences.
Look out for notifications from Vrai because once the CAD design is approved it takes roughly two weeks to finish the production of Vrai custom engagement rings.
Does Vrai Offer Financing Options? What Are The Payment Options On Vrai?
Just like you saw on our recently reviewed diamond engagement ring sellers on DPA, Vrai also offers Klarna as their chief financing option. This is applicable for all orders below the bill of below $10,000 USD. you can even pay with four interest-free installments if your bill is under $1,000 USD.
For international customers, you can get financing assistance from PayPal while purchasing your diamond engagement ring on Vrai for orders costing between 99 to 500 Euros.
Read more about Financing on Vrai here.
Where Does Vrai Ship To? What Are The Shipping Options On Vrai?
Apart from North American including the United States of America and Canada, Vrai also ships to many international destinations.
European destinations include Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Romania, Norway, Sweden, Romania, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Spain, and Slovakia.
Vrai also ships to Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Singapore. Here are the domestic shipping options available for U.S customers:
- Standard includes five to seven days.
- Two-business-days delivery for made-to-order engagement rings with complimentary shipping if it’s above $700 USD. As an add-on, it’s available for $30 USD for items that are available in-stock and under $700.
- Overnight shipping is available for an extra cost of $50 USD and complimentary for orders above $10,000 USD.
Does Vrai Resize For Free?
You can get your engagement rings resized for no added costs at Vrai with their Lifetime Care Package. Keep in mind it allows for one size up or down by the quarter, half, or full size in European and UK sizes.
If you got a diamond engagement ring from Vrai, you can also get annual shining, prong tightening, and re-dipping (for white gold) as part of their Lifetime Warranty.
How To Return Diamond Engagement Rings Bought From Vrai?
As you’ve read above, all engagement rings bought on Vrai come with a 30-day return window. However, you must keep in mind that items should be unworn to be accepted by Vra. The complimentary return policy is applicable for engagement ring purchases of $700.
If your purchase is above this price, you must talk directly to the customer service team for an appropriate authorization code and set of procedures. One of the best things about Vrai is it accepts engraved items but the personalization fee isn’t reimbursed as we read in a review. Please confirm with the customer service about the same before you finalize anything.
You can also return items within two years of purchase as part of their lifetime warranty policies.
How To Get In Touch With Vrai?
Here’s how to contact Vrai-
- Email for Vrai is [email protected]
- Vrai has a live chat feature that works according to scheduled times.
- Vrai has showrooms in the U.S, China, the U.K, Europe, Canada, and Dubai.
Keep in mind that Vrai doesn’t have any phone-in feature.
Is Vrai A Fraud? Is Vrai Legit?
While it’s a personal decision, Vrai is a reputable seller with positive and negative reviews. Being one of the first in the industry of lab-grown American diamonds, they have their own set of problems. But be assured that Vrai offers great diamonds and settings including options to make your own that you can decide on what’s right for you. As per our research, Vrai jewelry and diamond engagement rings aren’t fraudulent in any way.
Vrai- The Full Review
Now that you know most of the things about Vrai, this section will summarize their entire business process, history, working, policies, and problems so that you can decide if it’s the right choice for you. Else, feel free to go through our newly updated diamond engagement reviews.
You can get a diamond engagement ring for affordable prices with great lab-grown diamonds here. Beware that Vrai doesn’t sell natural diamonds anymore. They’re quick to respond to email and chat queries too.
Vrai is an American brand founded in Los Angeles almost a decade earlier. It’s been donned by many celebrities like Kendall Jenner to Leonardo Di Caprio in support of their ethical and eco-conscious making as well as design practices of diamond jewelry.
With a mission to produce jewelry sans any carbon emissions, Vrai exhibits stunning simplicity in its designs. All that being said, Vrai jewelry can be delicate due to its minimalism. But if you’re going for an engagement diamond ring for daily wear, go for a heavy one in an appropriate sizing.
One of the little-known things about Vrai is they deliver their products in sustainable packaging. They are also one of the only brands with 100% transparency about where their diamonds come from and how or where they’re made.
Offering 13 settings and over ten shapes for diamonds, it’s easier to create a custom-made diamond engagement ring on Vrai than getting the grandest sub. Also, their return window extends to 30 days from receiving the item, so you can send it back for a refund if you’re dissatisfied with it. The best thing is they also ship to many destinations around the world apart from the U.S!
Vrai Customer Complaints
Unfortunately, we found the quality of Vrai pieces poor in most of the reviews (about 40%). Most of them talked about non-engagement-ring pieces like bracelets and necklaces that broke easily. Hence, look for a good and heavy engagement ring good enough to hold your diamonds properly if you do shop at Vrai.
Vrai Final Verdict
After doing extensive research for approximately two weeks, we’ve come to the conclusion that Vrai is a good place to get ethical diamonds and diamond engagement ring jewelry for good prices. However, you must keep in mind to choose pieces that are good enough for daily wear, being wary of the fact that their delicate pieces break too often.
Vrai Ratings
User Ratings 17/20
The Vrai website is quite clean and simple but its selection of diamonds and filters is a bit too confusing and simple. Most users do think their website design could do better too. All that being said, their website experiences zero glitches and so forth.
Variety Of Diamond Engagement Rings 19/20
Displaying 13 settings and 10 diamond shapes with many collections such as Classic, Signature, Solitaires, Three-Stones, Halo, and even Vintage options. Vrai showcases innumerable styles of designs for brides and grooms of every shape, size, and taste.
Customer Service and Shopping Support 18/20
While Vrai doesn’t have a phone-in option, they do have a scheduled live chat feature and responsive email program. Their customer service representative talked in length about their warranty besides the clarity and cut of diamonds so that our trial customer could buy their engagement ring with a custom diamond a month ago.
Payment, Shipping, Insurance, & Warranty 19/20
You can pay on Vrai with PayPal, GPay, ShopPay, Visa, Mastercard, Aramex, Discover, and other Credit Cards apart from Klarna Financing. Orders are insured by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group and shipped by FedEx.
Returns, Refunds, and Trade-In 19/20
You can return Vrai items within 30 days for refunds and trade-in diamonds above 0.5 carats for diamonds 50% higher in price as well. They also offer good Lifetime Care and Warranty policies with many complimentary services.