Diamonds

Diamond Certificate

2008-10-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Diamonds are considered to be one of the most precious stones everywhere around the world, thanks to the ever so popular marketing campaign of De Beers which was launched in 1947. Who hasn’t heard about the advertisement that “diamonds are forever”? This simple line unquestioningly changed the diamond market forever.

Indeed, diamonds have come a long, long way. Now, diamonds are considered prime choices for engagement rings to signify lasting relationships. They are also considered as family heirlooms and as wise investment pieces. With almost everyone holding on to their cherished diamond jewelry, the demand for these stones continues to increase dramatically. Without doubt, diamonds are among the most highly coveted gemstones. As such, if you consider buying some, you would certainly want them to be worth exactly what the jewelers claimed them to be. And how do you do it? Ask for a diamond certificate!

A diamond certificate can be accurately described as the blueprint of a diamond. It tells you the exact measurement, weight and the details of the cut and quality of the diamond. In a nutshell, it spells out all the individual properties of the stone itself and provides proof of the stone’s identity and value. You may be required to pay for the certificate but its cost is usually quite low. Plus, securing a certificate will provide you a much-needed peace of mind knowing that you are getting your money’s worth.

These certificates provide an unbiased description of the diamond, since it is issued by diamond grading laboratories and not by your average dealer or jeweler. At present, there are many laboratories which issue diamond certificates, but the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) are by far the most credible diamond grading laboratories in the world.

Here are some reasons why you should not buy a diamond without a diamond certificate:

• You can find the best deals in town. A diamond certificate gives you the exact details of the gem you are considering to buy. Why is this important? Well, knowing the exact features of the stone will allow you to do some comparison-shopping before doing the actual purchase. Hence, you have the chance to find the best deals in town!

• You get your money’s worth. How unfortunate would it be if you find out that your jeweler has tricked you into paying an extremely high price for the diamond you bought? With a diamond certificate at hand, there will be no more worries about overpaying for a particular piece of diamond jewelry. A diamond certificate allows you to make an informed choice. Therefore, you pay for the stone based on its qualities. No more, no less!

• You get to sell the diamond at a better price. In case you want to sell your diamonds for one reason or another at some future time, you will have the necessary documents to authenticate its value. Plus, selling diamond jewelry, or loose diamonds, without a certificate to back it up is nearly impossible.

• You can safely insure your diamonds. To insure your diamonds, a copy of the certificate will be required to provide a proof of its value. Who else can argue over the actual value of a diamond when it is authenticated by a diamond certificate?

There are many good reasons why you should never even consider buying a diamond without a certificate issued by a credible laboratory. So, if you are planning to go shopping for that precious diamond, ask your jeweler for its certificate. It will definitely save you a lot of trouble!

Conflict Diamonds

2008-10-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Conflict diamonds are called such because these diamonds came from conflict-ridden countries that suffer from terrorism and human right abuses. Conflict diamond are also otherwise known as blood diamonds, because many people have died or have been killed by several groups that want to control the diamond trade in Africa. The money from conflict diamonds is also used to fund illegal activities for military and terrorist groups in different African countries such as Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The citizens of these countries then suffer at the hands of these groups.

For these reasons, it is important to stop the sales of conflict diamonds. There are efforts being made by the United Nations, including several South African countries, to stop this kind of trade. The South African countries determine all the origins of the rough diamonds in the market, then stop its refining process and distribution if it is established that it came from conflict areas. They have devised a process known as the Kimberly Process, which aims to track the rough or uncut diamonds that enters another country. The shippers then have to provide documentation proving that these diamonds did not come from a conflict country before being allowed entry.

Despite all the potentials being seen in the Kimberly Process, not all countries are participating in this program. You should note that this is quite normal because the Kimberly Process is a comprehensive program that requires the complete cooperation of dozens of governments and agencies for it to work perfectly. Not all countries can agree to all the terms of the Kimberly Process. You should also note that despite all these setbacks, the Kimberly Process has achieved remarkable developments in stopping the trade of conflict diamonds. In time, the Kimberly Process can be a significant force in minimizing the illegal diamond trade.

While there are programs being implemented to stop the illegal diamond trade in Africa, consumers should also do their part in stopping these activities by avoiding the purchase of conflict diamonds. Currently, the retailers of diamonds cannot give consumers the assurance that the diamonds they are buying did not come from a conflict area. However, consumers have the power to change that - if they demand the necessary information that can prove that the diamonds they buy did not come from an illegal trade. The act of demanding information alone sends an important message that consumers are not willing to settle for blood diamonds. Changes in the way diamonds are traded will not happen instantly. But when consumers are committed, it is inevitable that change will happen and lives will be saved.

There are consumer programs being implemented nowadays to assure the consumers that the diamonds they are buying are not conflict diamonds. One noteworthy program is a Canadian program named Voluntary Code of Conduct for Authenticating Canadian Diamond Claim. This program verifies that a diamond came from Canada and not anywhere else. Similar programs should be implemented worldwide to ensure that there would be no more conflict diamonds for sale in the future.

Man-Made Diamonds; A Buyer's Guide

2007-01-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

By Gary La Court

It seems nearly impossible to watch TV or open a newspaper without seeing something about man-made diamonds. For hundreds of years science has tried to create a perfect synthetic diamond. Finally, 21st-century technology has made that prospect a reality.

There are many reasons to purchase synthetic diamonds instead of the mined variety. The prices charged for mined diamonds are, in the very best verbiage, an illusion. To put it more bluntly, Cecil Adams, in his award-winning newspaper column “The Straight Dope” says: “Diamonds are a con, pure and simple.” Diamond prices are largely controlled by the DeBeers diamond cartel, and they are not a fair reflection of diamond scarcity. Additionally, studies show that one out of three diamonds sold in the US today has been altered to artificially increase its value. Further studies have shown that on average a couple pays 40% too much for their diamond engagement ring.

Beyond deceptive pricing, there are the issues of “blood diamonds”, forced child labor, and a myriad of other disturbing diamond facts.

Recently, socially conscious celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Minnie Driver, and Angelina Jolie have made a vocal issue of wearing only synthetic diamonds to the many gala events they attend.

Good synthetic diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from the mined variety, but without the baggage, and additionally, they cost thousands of dollars less. But, which synthetic diamond is the best choice?

There are many types of man-made or synthetic diamonds available. The choices are numerous, but unbiased information is scarce. Here is an overview and comparison of the synthetic diamonds currently unavailable on the market:

Cubic Zirconia

The grandfather of simulated diamonds, Zircons are available widely. In their best examples, CZ’s are actually a fairly decent diamond replica. Unfortunately, the commodity-like availability and vast differences in quality have made the stone synonymous with low-cost fashion jewelry. Perhaps a good choice for cheap bling, but not for fine jewelry. Many sources are available, a decent one is: http://www.czfantasy.com

Russian Diamonds

Including Russian Brilliants, Russian Stars and others, they are in fact nothing but high quality cubic zirconias. This is not mentioned prominently on their web sites and they will only cop to it when pressed, but that is the fact. Russian diamond simulates are priced around $280 per carat.

Russian Diamonds are a fine jewelry selection and are usually mounted in quality precious metal settings.

Russian Brilliants are one of the best and oldest sellers of “Russian Diamonds” available at: http://www.russianbrilliants.net

Moissanite

Moissanite is a lab-created mineral that is a very good diamond simulant. Moissanite has been on the market as a fine jewelry choice since the early 90s and has picked up quite a few fans. Moissanite is a hard mineral that, like diamond, will cut glass. There are a couple of minor downsides to moissanite however. First, it is quite expensive, (though still cheap compared to diamonds) usually priced about $500 per carat for good samples.

Secondly, moissanite does not have the same optical qualities as diamond and there are several indicators that make them easy to spot with the naked eye for an experienced practitioner. It is difficult to produce a pure white moissanite and they often appear slightly green when viewed in natural light. Also, moissanite has significantly higher radiance and brilliance factors then natural diamond, causing them to appear “too sparkly” to some. Overall though, moissanite is a beautiful synthetic diamond choice.

“Moissanite From the Sky” at http://www.fromthesky.com is a good source of fine moissanite jewelry.

Diamond Nexus

Diamond Nexus gemstones are the result of a fairly new scientific advancement in processing technique, and have only recently been available in the United States.

Diamond Nexus gemstones are excellent diamond simulants and come very close to matching the properties of mined diamonds at many different comparison points. They cut glass, being virtually identical to diamond on the Mohs (hardness) scale. They refract perfect “hearts and arrows” and have radiance and brilliance readings extremely close to flawless diamond.

Best of all, they are currently introductory priced for the U.S. market, and are a steal at $79 per caret. Diamond Nexus gemstones are only available in precious metal, solid-gold settings.

Diamond Nexus is only available from Diamond Nexus Labs at: http://www.DiamondNexusLabs.com

White Sapphire

Sapphire is the second hardest natural mineral on the Mohs scale, surpassed only by diamond. They are, unlike the others in this review, a natural stone. Their radiance and brilliance are not up to the standards of diamond however. Nevertheless, quality white sapphires priced at around $220 per carat are a good diamond alternative.

A quality source is: http://www.TheNaturalSapphireCompany.com

Gemisis Cultured Diamond

Gemisis diamonds are beautiful and almost perfect diamond replicas. Unfortunately, they are not available in a clear, white color, so they are not a good choice for traditional diamond settings. However, if a yellow, orange or pink diamond is what you crave, Gemisis offers stunning choices in beautiful precious metal, fine-jewelry settings.

Gemisis Cultured Diamonds are only available at: http://www.gemisis.com

Recap:

Synthetic diamonds offer many advantages over the mined variety. You can buy with confidence, knowing that you are getting exactly what you paid for, and have not been the victim of diamond pricing chicanery. If you are concerned with the world around you, you can have a clear conscience, knowing that your money has not contributed to the support of an unethical and abusive industry.

However, there are many choices of synthetic diamonds, with varying degrees of quality. Take a little time to review the seller’s information to get a clear idea of what the science is behind the gemstones you are buying.

For my money, I believe the best choices are quality Moissanite stones or the new diamond simulant gemstones available from Diamond Nexus Labs.

Colored Diamonds: Which Ones Are The Best Colors?

2006-12-24T01:09:00.000-08:00

By Michael Kohler

Guidelines for buying colored diamonds can be quite difficult. The value of the natural colored diamond usually depends on the rarity of its color than on any of the other 3 Cs, including carat weight. When you’re doing this make sure to compare the cut, clarity, carat, and color of each diamond you’re interested in as well.

Some stores advertise color treated diamonds as if they were genuine. If you want one of these color treated diamonds because they’re not as expensive, then go ahead and buy one. Any inclusions are less visible and any slight yellowish color is less noticeable.

What is its color grade. Is the color what you desire. The Brahmin diamond (colorless) gave power, friends, riches, and good luck; the Kshatriya (brown/champagne) prevented old age; Vaisya (the color of a “kodali flower”) brought success; and the sudra (a diamond with sheen of a polished blade, probably gray or black) brought all types of good fortune.

White (or more correctly, colorless) diamonds are the most popular, but diamond occurs in every color in the rainbow. The real diamond projects blue color light if put under the ultra violet light or the black color. Fancy color diamonds are available in almost every color imaginable and, while the rarity of colored diamonds makes them more expensive than white or colorless gems, they are nowhere near as costly as they once were.

To the buyer, however, the clarity grade is important because it indicates, on a relative basis, how “clean” the diamond is. Flaws classification, the clarity grade, is one of the most important criteria used to determine the value of a diamond. Clarity ranges from flawless (perfect) to I (included).

Clarity - How clear is the stone. Clarity- This term is used to describe the clearness of the diamond, to find yourself a rock with perfect clarity is rare and expensive. But if the cut is poor, even if the colour and clarity are superb, the diamond will lack that famous sparkle they are known for.

The unusual colored ones are generally considered to have more commercial value but those who believe in the traditional value place greater importance upon the pure, clarity of the colourless jewel. Just quickly, you should know that the 4Cs are the carat, cut, color and clarity of a diamond. Cut, colour, clarity and carat are used to determine a great diamond.

Clarity literally means "clearness" and refers to the diamond's ability to allow the free passage of light without obstruction or absorption. Just as the diamond looks good with any metal base, when it is used on jewelry, the clarity inherent in the diamond ensures that it will look good with any sort of apparel. The majority of diamonds have inclusions, or flaws (these are measured by the Clarity component of the four C’s of diamond buying.

Their purity and clarity makes a stellar diamond engagement ring. While buying loose diamonds or other diamonds, a buyer must know about the 4 Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat.

Natural Fancy Colored Diamonds. The Agra is graded as a naturally colored fancy light pink and weighs 32. The company also specializes in rare fancy colored diamonds.

In short, colored diamonds are a delight to see and the envy of many women, and men, that own them. Their unique characteristics make them one of the most sought after gems in the world.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Kohler

Famous Diamonds

2006-11-08T02:19:00.001-08:00

Among the most well known diamonds is the
Hope. This 45.52 carat steel blue diamond
is currently on display at the Smithsonian.
The legends of the ill-fortune and curse
bestowed on the possessor of the Hope
Diamond are many. This diamond was
donated to the Smithsonian in 1958. The
Hope was originally a rather flat, blocky
110-carat rough.

The Dresden Green stands out among the
natural colored diamonds. It is the largest
green diamond in the world weighing
40.70 carats. This diamond is historic, large
and has a natural green color with a slight
blue overtone. These facts make it virtually
priceless.

The Conde Pink is a pear shaped and
weighs 9.01-carats. This pink diamond was
once owned by Louis XIII.

The Tiffany Yellow diamond a beautiful
canary-yellow octahedron weighing 287.42
in the rough (metric) carats discovered in
either 1877 or 1878 in South Africa. The
gem after cutting boasts the extraordinary
weight of 128.54 carats. And until recently,
was the largest golden-yellow in the world.

The Koh-I-Noor ( Mountain of Light ) is now
among the British Crown Jewels. This
diamond weighs 105.60 carats. First
mentioned in 1304, it is believed to have
been once set in Shah Jehan‘s famous
peacock throne as one of the peacocks eyes.

The Agra is graded as a naturally colored
Fancy Light Pink and weighs 32.34 carats.
It was sold for about 6.9 million in 1990.
Since this sale, it has been modified to a
cushion shape weighing about 28.15 carats.

The Transvaal Blue is pear cut. This blue
diamond weighs 25 carats. It was found in
the Premier Diamond Mine in Transvaal,
South Africa.

The Great Chrysanthemum was discovered
in the summer of 1963, in a South African
diamond field. This 198.28-carat fancy
brown diamond appeared to be a light
honey color in its rough state. However,
after cutting, it proved to be a rich golden
brown, with overtones of sienna and burnt
orange.

The Taylor-Burton Diamond is a pear-shaped
69.42 carat diamond. Cartier of New York
purchased this diamond at an auction in
1969 and christened it "Cartier." The next
day Richard Burton bought the diamond
for Elizabeth Taylor. He renamed it the
"Taylor-Burton”. In 1978, Elizabeth
Taylor put the diamond up for sale.
Prospective buyers had to pay $2,500
each to view the diamond to cover the costs
of showing it. Finally, in June of 1979, the
diamond was sold for nearly $3 million dollars.

Diamond Scams

2006-11-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

When it comes to diamonds, there are
numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are
minor, but there are some major ones that
come up from time to time concerning the
buying and selling of diamonds. Scams
occur simply because most people who buy
diamonds – for whatever reasons – don’t
know that much about diamonds. Therefore,
they are easily fooled.

A common scam that most jewelry stores
participate in is the Carat Total Weight scam.
The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring,
only states the total carat weight of all
diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the
total weights separately for each diamond.
This leads consumers to believe that the main
diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it
is. Ask what the total carat weight of the center
stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewelry
stores are allowed to round off diamond
weights. This means that if the jeweler tells
you that it is a ¾ carat diamond, it is
probably between ½ and ¾ carat – but
closer to ¾.

Jewelry stores often run ‘fluorescence’
scams to varying degrees. Referring to a
diamond as a blue-white diamond is such a
scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very
unique and special, but in fact, this type of
diamond is of lesser quality – even though
the jeweler will try to make you think you are
getting something special. Jewelry stores
also like to show their diamonds in bright
lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask
to see the diamond in a different, darker
type of lighting as well.

Some truly unscrupulous jewelers target
those who want appraisals on diamonds
that were given to them as gifts or that were
purchased elsewhere. They will try to tell you
that the diamond is worthless, or worth less
than it actually is worth – and offer to take it
off your hands or trade it for a much better
diamond, along with the cash to make up
the difference. This is called low balling.
Get a second, third, and even a forth opinion
before taking any action.

Another common dirty trick is to switch the
diamond you have chosen and paid for with
one of lesser quality and value when you
leave it to be set in a piece of jewelry, or
leave a diamond ring to be sized. The only
way to avoid this is to do business with one
trustworthy jeweler. Avoid jewelers that you
have not done business with in the past.

There are many more scams that jewelry
stores commonly pull on unsuspecting
consumers. Just use your best judgment,
and purchase your diamonds with the
utmost care and consideration.

Diamond Grading Reports

2006-11-08T02:18:00.000-08:00

You’ve been told that having a certificate or
a diamond grading report is important, and
as a responsible consumer, you get one –
unfortunately, you probably won’t understand
a word of what is on that diamond grading
report, unless you are a jeweler.

On the color grading scale, D, E, and F
mean that the diamond has no color. G, H,
and I means that it has very little color. J, K,
and L means that the diamond has a slight
yellow color. P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, and X
means that the diamond is a darker shade
of yellow. Z means that the diamond has a
fancy color – other than white or yellow.
On the color grading scale, D is the most
valuable, and X is the least valuable –
however diamonds that get a Z rating are
the rarest and most expensive diamonds
in the world.

There are many aspects to a grading report.
Figuring it all out can be very confusing. You
should talk to a jeweler you trust, and have
them explain everything on the diamond
grading report to you.

Diamond Certificates

2006-09-20T03:37:00.000-07:00

A diamond certificate is also known as a
Diamond Grading Report. This report comes
from the Gemological Institute of America
(GIA), and you should require this report
when you are purchasing a diamond.

With a diamond certificate, you can verify
the color, cut, carat, weight, and clarity of the
diamond. You don’t have to worry about a
diamond dealer telling you anything less than
the truth, because the certificate comes
from the GIA – not the dealer. You may be
required to pay for the certificate, but the
cost is usually low, and in many cases, it
will help you negotiate a better price on the
diamond – or keep you from purchasing a
lower quality diamond altogether.

If you buy a high quality diamond, and then
later decide to sell the diamond, you will
need to have the certificate, or you will have
a hard time selling it to someone else.
Furthermore, you can use the Diamond
Grading Report to look up the wholesale
value of the diamond in question. Use the
guide that is used by the diamond cutting
industry.

With the Certificate, or Diamond Grading
Report, there won’t be any doubts when you
are trying to purchase a diamond. You can
easily find out what the diamond is worth.
This will prevent you from overpaying, and it
can prevent a seller from under-charging as
well.

A copy of the Diamond Grading Report
should be given to your insurance company
as well, when you insure the diamond. This
provides absolute, unquestionable proof of
the value of the diamond should it be stolen
in the future. Insurance companies cannot
argue with the report.

Avoid diamond dealers who seem reluctant
to provide a certificate! Also avoid sellers
who tell you that a certificate diamond will
cost you more – the only additional cost
should be the cost of the certificate, which
is low. If the dealer doesn’t want to provide
a certificate, then you don’t want to do
business with that dealer.

Don’t accept certificates from Gemological
Laboratories other than GIA. There are many
fly-by-night Gemological labs these days, but
in the end, GIA has been established as the
most respectable and trustworthy – not to
mention oldest – of the lot. So avoid dealers
who don’t want to use GIA for certification
purposes as well.

Don’t buy an expensive diamond without
paying the extra cost of the certificate. If a
dealer tries to convince you to make the
purchase without the certificate, or if they
want to use a company other than GIA, you
can be sure that the dealer has probably
greatly inflated the price of the diamond –
they have something that they are hiding
from you.

Diamond Brands and What They Mean

2006-09-20T03:36:00.000-07:00

Diamonds are one of the few products that
simply cannot be ‘branded.’ Even though
there are different cuts, different grades, and
different values placed on each and every
diamond in existence, no diamond is any
specific brand – just as gold is not a specific
brand.

Branding is actually based on who owns the
diamond. For instance, if DeBeers owns the
diamond, it is a DeBeers Diamond – but it is
still just a diamond. If the diamond was cut by
a specific well known cutter, then it might be
branded in that way as well – but it usually
isn’t. It is still branded based on who owns it
at the time. So basically, when it comes down
to it – diamond brands mean absolutely
nothing at all.

Do not allow a jeweler to try to talk you into
paying an exorbitant price on a diamond
because it is a specific brand. This is a bit
of trickery used by unscrupulous jewelers
when they know that they are dealing with
people who don’t know much about
diamonds. Remember that diamonds are
not actually branded – unless mother nature
has her own brand!

Colored Diamonds

2006-09-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

Fancy colored diamonds are all the rage
these days. Gemologists have developed
new ways to create versions that are
affordable for the average person - by
treating less desirable diamonds. These
less desirable diamonds are treated with
irradiation followed by intense heat. This
turns brown and yellowish diamonds into
beautifully colored diamonds that you can
afford. This produces stunning greens,
blues, yellows, reds, purples and other
colors. These colors are considered
permanent, but there is a possibility
they could change during repairs if a high
heat is used.

Treatments like irradiation make it possible
for more people to own these vividly colored
diamonds. Most natural colored diamonds
are rare and also extremely expensive. When
shopping for colored diamonds you need to
assume that any affordable fancy color
diamond has been treated. Ask about the
stones origin and request to view a lab
certificate to verify authenticity.

Synthetic colored diamonds are another
option if owning a colored diamond is
something you desire but cannot quite afford.
They are real diamonds, but they are created
in a lab.

Natural fancy color diamonds get their
coloring from different trace elements present
in the stones, such as nitrogen, which
produces a yellow diamond. Diamonds can
be colored by exposure to radiation during its
creation. An example of a diamond affected
by radiation is a Green diamond.

Another way that a natural colored diamond
gets color is by its inclusions. Regarded as
flaws and undesirable in a colorless diamond,
inclusions give unique tones and brilliant
flashes of color in a fancy color diamond.
Remember that Natural fancy colored
diamonds are very expensive, any colored
diamond labeled to be sold as natural should
be accompanied by a certificate from a
respected grading lab.

A "fancy" diamond is a natural diamond that
has color. These colors vary from red, green,
purple, violet, orange, blue and pink – and
most shades between. Fancy color shades
vary from faint to intense.

The most famous diamonds in the world are
Color diamonds. The Tiffany Diamond,
which is yellow and the Hope Diamond which
is blue are colored diamonds. Color
diamonds have an amazing financial track
record. The value has never decreased on
wholesale level in more than 30 years. Blue
and pink diamonds have doubled every 5
years of a strong economy. In the 1970’s
you could have bought a very high quality
blue diamond for about 50K and today the
very same stone would be worth between
2 and 3 million.

Choosing The Cut of A Diamond

2006-08-28T03:13:00.000-07:00

There are many different cuts of diamonds
to choose from. The cut essentially refers to
the shape that the diamond is cut into –
unless you are in the diamond or jewelry
business, but this shape has a great impact
on the much the diamond sparkles.

The most popular cuts are heart, marquise,
oval, pear, princess, round, trillion, and
emerald cuts. The shape has an impact on
how much the diamond sparkles, but the
actual cutting itself – when the diamond
cutter actually cuts the diamond into a
particular shape – also matters a great
deal. If the diamond is poorly cut, it will lose
its sparkle.

However, in the diamond industry, the cut of
a diamond doesn’t refer to its shape at all.
Instead, this is a reference to the stone’s
depth, width, brilliance, durability, clarity, and
other aspects of the diamond. Common
cutting problems include a missing or off
center culet, misalignment, a diamond that
is too thick or too thin, cracks, or broken
culets.

When shopping for a diamond, you should
of course choose the shape that you like the
best, but then look at several different
diamonds of that shape to find the one with
the best cut – the one that sparkles the most,
in all types of lighting.

Buying Diamonds Online

2006-08-28T03:12:00.000-07:00

With all of the potential for scams concerning
diamonds, buying diamonds online almost
seems unthinkable! However, you actually
can purchase diamonds online, without any
problems – as long as you are careful.

First, think about your reasons for wanting to
purchase the diamond online, as opposed to
making a purchase from a local jewelry store.
The most common reason is price. Due to
low overhead costs, online jewelers and
wholesalers are able to offer lower prices.
However, you must be careful – sometimes
a price that is too low is a sure indication of
a scam.

One of the best things about purchasing
online is the unlimited selection. When
shopping offline, you are limited to the
selection in the stores in your general area.
Online, there are no limits. But again, you
must use a great deal of care and
consideration before handing your money
over to someone that you cannot see and
have never met!

Before shopping, learn as much as you can
about diamonds – especially cut, color,
clarity and carat weights. When you are
knowledgeable about diamonds, it will be
harder for a con artist to rip you off. Once
you know more about diamonds, you will be
ready to start shopping.

Take your time. Don’t purchase the first
diamond that you see that interests you.
Instead, look for similar diamonds for sale.
Do some comparison shopping to find the
lowest prices. Once you have found the
lowest price, start doing your investigation.
You know about diamonds, you’ve found a
diamond that you love, and you’ve found the
lowest price – but you are still quite a ways
away from actually purchasing that diamond!

Ask about the seller’s credentials, such as
professional jewelry associations that they
belong to. View and print the seller’s return,
refund, and upgrade policies. Also inquire
about additional services, such as settings
and mountings, sizing, and free shipping. Do
a search for customer reviews on this
particular company around the Internet. Also
check with the BBB Online to see if there have
been any complaints.

Ask for a diamond grading report from an
independent laboratory such as GIA, HRD,
EGL or AGS. You should see this before
making a purchase. Finally, use a reputable
escrow service for high dollar diamonds –
preferably one that will have the diamond
appraised while it is in their possession. The
seller sends the diamond to the escrow
service, and you send the money to pay for
the diamond to the escrow service. The
escrow service has the diamond appraised,
sends the diamond to you, and sends the
money to the seller. This is the surest way to
protect yourself…again, make sure that you
use a reputable escrow service!

Bonded Diamonds

2006-08-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

Before you start shopping for diamonds,
consider dealing with a bonded jeweler.
Bonded jewelers sell bonded diamonds,
and there are very few bonded jewelers in
the world. In fact, out of all of the jeweler’s
in the world, only about 5% of them are
bonded. Buying a bonded diamond will
cost more than buying a non-bonded
diamond, but when you look at what you
get with the bonded option, you will see
that it is well worth the extra expense.

First, bonded diamonds have a buy back
policy for the life of the diamond. No matter
how long you have had the diamond, you can
take it back to the bonded jeweler and sell it
back to him or her, for a 100% refund. If a
jeweler does not offer a 100% buy back
guarantee, for the life of the diamond, then
you should take a closer look at the diamond
to see what is wrong with it.

Bonded diamonds also have a breakage
policy. If the stone breaks or chips, the
bonded jeweler will replace it with a new one
– one time. No jeweler would ever offer such
a policy on any stone that was not 100%
natural, so just the offer of such a policy
should give you piece of mind concerning
the quality of the diamond. Bonded
diamonds are natural and untreated.

Bonded diamonds increase in value, with a
fixed appreciation rate that is designed to
keep up with inflation. This means that a
diamond that is worth a certain amount of
money today will be worth more in the future,
as the price of diamonds continues to rise.
This generally does not apply to buy backs,
however. It typically applies to trade-ins.

Alternately, by purchasing a bonded
diamond, you are protected against the
possibility of a market crash. If a market
crash occurs, the value of diamonds will
drop. However, the bonded jeweler
guarantees to refund you the difference
between what the diamond is now worth
and what you paid for it before the market
crash.

It may be difficult to find a bonded jeweler in
your area, but if you can, this is who you
want to deal with, as opposed to dealing
with an un-bonded jeweler. Specifically tell
the jeweler that you are only interested in
bonded diamonds. You can find a bonded
jeweler in your area by using various online
resources, or by calling the local jewelry
stores.

Are Diamonds Really Rare?

2006-08-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

When you walk into a jewelry store and see
all the diamonds in all of the various settings
that are for sale, it is difficult to realize that
diamonds are indeed rare. Most people
don’t even stop to consider how that
diamond came to be sitting in that jeweler’s
case! There is quite a bit of work that is done
before a diamond is ready to sell to the
general public!

For every one million diamonds that are
mined, only one will be found that is a quality
one caret diamond. In order to find a two
caret diamond, about five million diamonds
must be mined. More than two hundred tons
of ore must be mined to find one small
diamond, and even then, more than 80%
of the diamonds that are mined are only
good for industrial use, such as diamond
drill bits.

So, the next time you visit your local jewelry
store, ask to see the one carat diamonds.
You should look at this diamond with new
appreciation – knowing that it truly is one
in a million!

All About the Clarity of Diamonds

2006-08-13T14:07:00.001-07:00

Clarity is an important aspect of a diamond,
and it is important to know how to grade the
clarity of a diamond before you buy one. It is
actually quite easy to learn how to grade the
clarity of a diamond. There are basically two
things that you must understand: Diamonds
with visual inclusions and blemishes, and
those that are ‘eye clean’ meaning that there
are no inclusions or blemishes that can be
seen with the naked eye. From there, the
clarity of a diamond is further broken down
into subcategories.

Many people mistakenly think that diamond
clarity refers to how clear it is. This isn’t so.
Clarity actually refers to the internal and
external imperfections of the diamond. The
best diamonds, of course get a grade of FL
or IF – Flawless or Internally Flawless –
meaning that it is perfect. A grade of I-1, I-2
or I-3 means that the diamond is imperfect,
with a grade of I-3 being the worst.

Other grades are VVS1 and VVS2, which
means that the diamond is very, very slightly
imperfect; VS1 and VS2, meaning the
diamond is very slightly imperfect; SI-1 and
SI-2, which means that the diamond is

About Diamond Weights

2006-08-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

Diamonds are measured in Carat Weight.
One carat weighs 200 milligrams. If a
diamond is referred to as four grains, this
also means that it is a one carat diamond.
The word Carat comes from the word carob.
A carob is a bean that grows on a tree in the
Mediterranean. In times past, if a diamond
weighed the same as a carob bean, it was
one carob, or one carat.

However, in the far east, where Carob trees
do not grow, rice was used to measure the
weight of a diamond. If a diamond weighed
as much as four grains of rice, it was four
grains – or one carat as we know it to be
now. The majority of diamond purchases
are for diamonds that are 1/3 of a carat.

Beware when shopping for diamonds that
are already set or mounted. If more than one
diamond is used in the piece, the tag on the
jewelry will give the CTW or Carat Total
Weight – it does not tell you the carat weight
of each stone in the piece. You need to ask
the jeweler for the total carat weight of the
largest diamond in the piece to truly
understand what you are buying.