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10 Common Diamond Buying Mistakes
Some jewelers, who grade their own diamonds, consistently over-grade the quality of their diamonds. In too many cases, what may seem to be a bargain, is actually over-priced. Subtle differences in quality can mean a tremendous difference in value. Wherever you buy your diamond insist on certification by an independent laboratory. The grading report shows you all of the characteristics, measurements, and disclosure of any treatments which enhance the appearance. You should also get a mapping or “plotting” of the diamond to show its internal characteristics. DON’T BUY ANY DIAMOND FROM ANY-ONE WITHOUT GETTING AN INDEPENDENT IMPARTIAL LABORATORY GRADING REPORT.
Diamonds, even though they are the hardest substance known to man, can chip or crack in normal use. A sudden blow can chip or crack a diamond. Your diamond should be insured against loss, theft, mysterious disappearance and breakage. Many homeowners insurance policies do not offer this coverage. Ask your insurance agent if the policy that they are offering owners all of these possibilities.
It’s important to choose a diamond that “makessense”based on what you can see with your naked eye and what you can afford to spend. A diamond’s value is determined by its rarity. Color, cut, clarity and carat weight are the rarity factors. The highest grades in each of these categories are the most rare and valuable and, of course, larger and higher carat weights demand much higher prices. Your jeweler will give you expert guidance in how to make an intelligent choice and select a diamond based on its beauty, brilliance, quality and affordability.
You can choose a diamond with high quality grades, but if it has been cut and polished improperly, it could be as dull and lifeless as apiece of glass. A diamond that doesn’t sparkle is a bad choice. Your jeweler will show you how to choose a diamond that will catch the light and release its fire in a blaze of dazzling colors.
Be sure to select a store where the employees are well versed and trained in Diamontology. The proper qualifications have titles: Graduate Gemologist, Certified Diamontologist and Registered Jeweler are some of the titles that show a certain level of achievement in the study of Diamontology.
To enable you to clearly see subtle differences in a diamond’s color, cut and clarity you must be able to see it magnified ten times. A small magnifying glass is very difficult for the average person to use. Jewelers have stereoscopic micro-scopes that they use to look at diamonds. Insist that the jeweler shows you your selection under his stereoscopic microscope. He should “plot”all of the tiny inclusions or markings hidden inside the diamond. The microscope also makes the body color much more visible and it’s easier to see whether or not the diamond has been properly proportioned. The jeweler should also permanently, positively register and identify the diamond using “plotting” or “meas-uring”and in some cases a gem print machine, which takes a photograph of the reflections of the diamond’s facet structure.
Many jewelers supply you with a “pretty piece of paper” that looks like a written warranty. However, read it carefully! Be sure it contains a clear refund policy. Be sure it tells you exactly what services will be offered free of charge in the future. Read the appraisal carefully and make sure that it contains all of the proper details as to the quality of the diamond that you have purchased.
Many people shopping for a diamond in several stores come up with the store that is offering them an “unbelievable bargain.” Diamonds have a very clear cut market value at the wholesale level. No jeweler will ever knowingly sell a diamond below that established level. In most cases you’d just be getting a “cheaper” diamond at a lower price. And that’s not a bargain!
Your jeweler will help you establish an easy payment plan to help you stretch your budget to afford a better diamond. You should consider spending about 21/2times your monthly salary. Remember, a diamond engagement ring is a symbol of love. She’ll have it for the rest of her life and may even pass it along to your children and grandchildren. That’s why quality is important when choosing your diamond. A simple, easy payment plan can make your job of selecting the right diamond much easier.
All jewelry stores sell diamond engagement rings. However, you will get the best choices by shopping in stores that specialize in diamonds, especially diamond engagement rings and wed-ding bands. You might have to shop ten or twelve conventional jewelers just to see the selection that a specialist can show you. |
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BUYING A DIAMOND WITHOUT AN IMPARTIAL INDEPENDENT GRADING REPORT.
WEARING A
DIAMOND THAT IS NOT INSURED.
BUYING A DIAMOND
BASED ON ITS “PERFECTION” ONLY.
CHOOSING A
DIAMOND BASED ON ITS QUALITY GRADES ALONG WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE
WAY THE DIAMOND HAS BEEN CUT AND POLISHED.
BUYING A DIAMOND
FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T TAKE THE TIME OR HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO
EXPLAIN AND SHOW YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT MAKING AN
INTELLIGENT CHOICE.
BUYING YOUR
DIAMOND FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T CLEARLY SHOW YOU THE DIAMOND
UNDER THE PROPER CONDITIONS.
BUYING YOUR
DIAMOND FROM A JEWELER WHO DOESN’T GIVE YOU A WRITTEN SERVICE
WARRANTY ALONG WITH A CLEAR WRITTEN GUARANTEE OF QUALITY.
THINKING YOU ARE
GETTING AN UNBELIEVABLE BARGAIN
GETTING A
DIAMOND OF LARGER SIZE AND LOW QUALITY BECAUSE YOU CAN’T AFFORD A
BETTER ONE.
BUYING YOUR
ENGAGEMENT RING FROM A STORE THAT DOESN’T SPECIALIZE.