Will You? Rogers and Hollands Review

Key Takeaways

• Our issue isn’t with Rogers Hollands’ stores. Bright, warm, and welcoming, they put forward a great impression to shoppers looking to invest in an engagement ring.
• The biggest issue, for us, with Rogers Hollands and their approach to diamond selling is a lost list of labs they rely on for grading reports.
• This means that there is a major inconsistency across their selection of diamonds, which makes it impossible for inexperienced shoppers to draw up strong comparisons between one option and another.
• Sticking to the most reputable labs – preferably the GIA or, failing that, the AGS – is the only way to feel confident that you’re making the strongest choice possible, and not overpaying on lower quality.

If you find yourself in the Northeast a lot, then you’re probably already familiar with the name Rogers and Hollands. With more than seventy locations spread across the region, and particularly in Illinois, where Chicago alone has more than ten Rogers and Hollands stores, its burgundy frontage is pretty easy to recognize.

So, when you start coming round to the idea of investing in an engagement ring, it’s pretty natural that theirs is one of the first names you think of.

In favor of addressing the elephant in the room sooner rather than later, we’re not against mall jewelry stores. There’s plenty to like, for instance, about Ben Bridge, which we’ve reviewed here, and a lot of benefits to heading out to the mall rather than going down the online shopping route.

Even still, Rogers and Hollands left a lot to be desired, and we’re not catapulting it to the top of our list anytime soon.

Our rating: one star

The positives: a welcoming atmosphere, and many years’ experience matching shoppers to the right engagement rings.

The negatives: there’s just too much risk in offering uneducated shoppers a range of diamonds, all graded by different labs – including some known for their inconsistent approach to grading.

The Brand

Rogers and Hollands began as two separate jewelers, with Hollands dating back to the early twentieth century, and Rogers Jewelers first opening its doors in the mid-century. Rogers Jewelers acquired Hollands in 1979, and has been operating as Rogers & Hollands ever since. It has also remained family-owned, giving it a pretty unique position compared with some of the other big chain jewelry stores.

They stock a number of brands we’ve reviewed in the past. For instance, Gabriel & Co., and Verragio, a distinctive brand that produces designs on a much, much larger scale than your average jeweler.

One of the most notable things about Rogers and Hollands is that, for all their years of experience in fine jewelry, they’ve yet to get very discerning about the types of diamonds they offer their customers. On their website, it’s possible to search diamonds with AGS, EGL, GCAL, GIA, GSI, HRD, or IGI certification – meaning that, unless you know enough to pick one diamond lab (hint: it’s the GIA), you’re going to be looking at a very, very inconsistent range of diamonds.

At most, we’d recommend our readers broaden their range to include AGS diamonds as well as GIA – although still favoring the GIA where possible. A range as wide as the one offered by Rogers and Hollands cannot, in our opinion, benefit the customer, since some of the labs included on that list are known for being a lot looser with their grades.

What does this mean? While you’ll pay less for an HRD diamond than you would a GIA diamond that is (on paper) comparable, they won’t be comparable in real life, and you’ll have wasted money instead.

The Experience

The one area where Rogers and Hollands really is better than the online vendors we’ve reviewed lies in the fact that they offer a physical store to their customers. Choosing Rogers and Hollands over, say, James Allen or Brilliant Earth means that you’ll get the experience of going in for a real consultation, with a real jeweler, and being able to actually see your options right there in front of you, rather than through a screen.

Still, that’s the only benefit we can see to choosing Rogers and Hollands. With their inconsistent approach to diamond certification, and their range of designers is not quite what we’d expect for someone ready to spend thousands of dollars on the most important piece of jewelry they will ever invest in.

The Cost

Rogers and Hollands sits in the middle of the road in terms of price, although you’ll probably notice a fair amount of discrepancy between diamonds since some will be worth more, thanks to their GIA reports, and others less as a result of a report from a lesser lab.

Rogers and Hollands is not a luxury brand, so there’s no ‘blue box’ pricing phenomenon, but the fact that they’re a pretty prominent, easily recognizable brand in a number of states means that shoppers will find it easier to trust them. They’ve got a stable reputation and, unfortunately, uneducated shoppers could all too easily make it to the checkout without realizing how poor a choice that EGL or HRD diamond is, compared with the more expensive GIA diamond.

FAQ

Any other questions, answered.

What is Rogers and Hollands?

A prominent jewelry store operating more than seventy stores in the US.

It’s not so well known outside of the Northeast, but still a big name regardless.

Is Rogers and Hollands Legit?

Yes, Rogers and Hollands is a legitimate jewelry store.

We’re not excited about the sort of experience they’re offering to their customers, but you’re certainly not putting yourself at risk of getting scammed or sold a fake by choosing to shop with them. There’s every chance you could find a beautiful and fairly priced diamond with them, but you’ll need to narrow down that list of options quite substantially first.

Who Owns Rogers and Hollands Jewelry?

It remains a family-owned company.

This is one thing that set it apart from other notable chain stores, like Zales and Kay Jewelers.

Is Rogers Jewelers Going Out of Business?

No, Rogers Jewelers is still thriving across the Northeast.

True, there’s more competition than ever before – particularly with the prominence of certain online vendors – but there will always be a lot of demand for jewelers who can provide a highly personalized level of service.   

Our Summary

While we’re always on the side of the bricks-and-mortar jewelry store, there are a few things about Rogers and Hollands that we find hard to see past.

For the most part, this boils down to some potentially major differences in diamond quality. You just can’t compare the quality or value of a selection of GIA certified diamonds, and a selection interspersed with diamonds graded by labs known for their inconsistencies, and, in some cases, less scrupulous approaches to protecting customers from a bad deal.

We consider GIA or AGS certification to be a total non-negotiable for shoppers – and, though both of these categories are available at Rogers and Hollands, there is just too much room for error.