The First Step
Buying a Diamond - the Basics
Before you purchase your diamond, or diamond jewellery, there are some things you need to be aware of. At Solid Gold, we advise our clients on the various things they need to consider. Here you will find some of the more important considerations. Take the GIA virtual diamond buying tutorial.
Choose your jeweller before you choose your diamond.
When you buy a diamond you are automatically relying on the integrity of the company you are buying from, because while you can and should do your homework, you are never going to have the same level of knowledge as a ‘qualified’ jeweller. The operative word here is ‘qualified’. Any sales person with a few hours training can give the impression that they know what they are talking about, but chances are that they probably do not. Here are three simple ways to test the integrity of the person you are communicating with, for additional information see our Frequently Asked Questions.
Does the diamond carry an HRD, GIA or IGI certificate?
There are other laboratories with similar sounding names, so be careful when you are checking these certificates. The HRD (Hoge Raad voor Daimant or ‘Diamond High Council’ representing the Antwerp Diamond Centre), GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the IGI (International Gemological Institute) are the most widely regarded and recognised diamond-grading laboratories in the world. Be cautious of any company offering other types of certificates.
Is the HRD, GIA or IGI certificate genuine?
It is not unknown for confidence tricksters to copy a certificate and alter it to suit the supposed attributes of the stone they are selling. EG: We have had customers bringing in loose diamonds they have bought overseas or online as supposed ‘one carat’ bargains only to discover that the diamond they have bought is worth less than half the price they paid for it.
Has every category of your certificate been completed?
Some diamond grading laboratories leave out some sections of their certificate and this absence of information can be used to inadvertently provide a false impression of the value of the stone you are purchasing. Here is a checklist of the minimum qualities that should be included on any grading certificate in order to ensure you receive the quality of diamond you are paying for:
- Description
- Shape and Cut
- Weight
- Clarity Grade
- Colour Grade
- Finish
- Polish & Symmetry
- Proportions
- Table Diameter
- Crown Height
- Pavilion Depth
- Girdle Thickness
- Culet Size
While the order of those qualities may vary slightly amongst the major international laboratories, all of them should be detailed on your certificate.
Are you being offered a discount or a sale special?
Diamonds have remained a valued commodity for centuries. They are not something that drops in value overnight, so be wary of any company or individual that is offering you 20% to 50% off. While everyone likes to think they have got a bargain, when it comes to diamonds, many so called bargains are not what they appear to be and it really is a case of buyer beware. A cheap diamond is usually exactly what it purports to be. They often contain serious flaws and in most instances they do not carry an independent certificate.
While it may look fine on a website or in a suburban shopping centre with a sale sign in the window (and it may still technically be a diamond), you are probably not getting the kind of value for money that you have been led to believe. Solid Gold has never had a sale since the day we opened and our rationale for this is that we consistently provide the same value to every client every day of the year.