In this day of point and click there are many items that make sense. But there may be items that don't make sense, especially for unseasoned buyers. Yes, its very convenient to just go google Buy Diamonds , but is that the best way to make a purchase ?
The internet is a great source to search and learn. But when buying a diamond, it's an emotional experience. Diamonds are emotional. They symbolize love and a bond between two people.
The problem is, when buying online, there may be a GIA grading report, (click the link to see a 1.57 ct I SI1 that i have for sale) and there may be a video or pictures. But does the inexperienced buyer really know what they are looking at ? Price isn't the whole story either. Without real knowledge, you may be over paying for something that looks like a bargain.
For one thing, we always recommend diamonds with a GIA grading report. There are other companies out there like AGS, EGL, etc., but in most cases in an apples to apples comparison the color and clarity is inferior to a GIA graded diamond. Sometimes color and clarity can be off by at least two levels. So you may be buying an inferior diamond, that's why the price is less. You can learn more about diamond grading on our Education page
In addition, the inexperienced person doesn't know what dimensions or angles are best for a diamond. An example would be a GIA graded Excellent diamond. The cut rating on a diamond is based on multiple factors. Factors like Brightness, fire, overweight, star facet, depth, crown angle, etc.. And the grade is given if the factors are within a range. Its not a specific science. So one excellent cut may look different to another when viewing. The most important thing about a diamond is it's cut, and we only recommend buying an Excellent cut, polish and symmetry can be Very Good, you wont see the difference if you aren't an expert. Even color isn't something specific. Color is a relative comparison. You gauge against a Master set of diamonds. If a diamond has less yellow than an H color, but more than an F color, its a G. But when you are searching and looking at the diamonds clarity, you should not only consider the specific rating, but what is the inclusion that the clarity is based on ? For instance a clarity rating of SI1. Is the inclusion a black crystal, feather, or twining wisp ? even though you should not be able to see the inclusion with the naked eye, a black crystal may be obvious, where a feather or white twining wisp won't be visible.
So back to the point of this post. There are two things that we recommend when buying a diamond. Seek professional guidance, and view the diamond in person. Don't buy blindly from the internet, you may be disappointed or pay too much. Another thing I want to mention. Many people are shocked if they have to sell their diamond. That's because most jewelry stores mark up the price of the diamond and setting 3-5 times. So when you sell you get hammered. we only mark up our diamonds an average of 14%. Which actually beats most online retailers. And another fun fact, we get our diamonds from the same manufacturers as the big online retailers do. We just mark them up less.
As per above, we do offer diamonds for sale on our website, but we consider that as a tool for the consumer. It's a good starting point to get an idea of what diamond is within your budget. The next step is the client meets with us and we show you the diamond in person BEFORE you purchase. Obviously you need to be somewhat local to us to do this, but if you are not local to us we recommend that you do the same in your local market. We will always be available to help you with guidance, even if you don't purchase from us.
So to sum it up, it's always best to view a diamond in person with an experienced jeweler. NOT just point and click !
Keith Knox - GIA Diamonds Graduate
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