Taken right from a local jeweler''s website (selling their "exclusive" heart star diamond)....
Professional jewelers don’t buy diamonds on the web.
Why is it that professional jewelers, those who work every day in the diamond business, don’t buy diamonds over the internet? Professional diamond dealers and jewelers go through hundreds of diamonds at a time, analyzing subtle differences in diamonds that on paper look very, very similar. No two diamonds are alike. No two diamonds have exactly the same look, fire and personality. Even when comparing three virtually identical diamonds, one will always be more beautiful than the rest. Anyone who knows diamonds, who works with them every day, will tell you that buying diamonds on the web is a fools game!
In the diamond business, you can’t buy what you can not see.
How many diamonds can you actually see on the web? None...not one. The only way to see a diamond is to buy it, have it shipped to you and then you can actually see it...how crazy is that? The sad truth is that the only people who are buying diamonds on the web are the people who know the least about diamonds.
12 more reasons NOT to buy your diamond over the internet
• Who is this internet site? Where is it and how long have they been in business? Will they be in business tomorrow? How many dot.coms from five years ago are still in business?
• Is the diamond you’re considering certified by a reputable lab? There are many “for profit” gem labs with questionable, “flexible” grading standards that are not worth the paper on which they are printed.
• If it is certified, how do you know for sure that the diamond you receive in the mail is exactly the same diamond described in the certificate?
• The cutting quality is subject to wide “liberal” interpretation by sellers but contributes 40% to the price of the diamond. This alone often accounts for the entire difference in price.
• Clarity grades are subject to interpretation and discrimination. There are good SI diamonds and there are less desirable SI stones with obtrusive, unpleasant inclusions. Which one do you think you’ll get web “site” unseen?
• Do they offer a money-back, 30 day guarantee? Will they be able to refund your money? What if they don’t? What recourse do you have, the internet police?
• You will need an independent appraisal by a GIA trained and certified gemologist that will cost a minimum of $100.
• You will have to get the diamond mounted at a cost of between $200 and $450.
• What about the ring? Will the diamond, it’s size, shape and quality, be suitable for the ring design that you like? What if you change your mind? In the end, don’t you still need a real jeweler?
• What about trading up? Will an internet site allow you to trade up to a larger size diamond in the future? Will they give you credit in trade or are all sales final after the initial purchase...if they’re still in business?
• Who will insure that the diamond is mounted properly and protected against loss? No reputable jeweler will warrant an internet diamond.
• Since you are virtually guaranteed that you won’t get the most beautiful diamonds and that you are still going to have to spend at least $300 to $450 for an appraisal, mounting, shipping and insurance--considering all the factors--is it even worth gambling $5000 to save $500?
Professional jewelers don’t buy diamonds on the web.
Why is it that professional jewelers, those who work every day in the diamond business, don’t buy diamonds over the internet? Professional diamond dealers and jewelers go through hundreds of diamonds at a time, analyzing subtle differences in diamonds that on paper look very, very similar. No two diamonds are alike. No two diamonds have exactly the same look, fire and personality. Even when comparing three virtually identical diamonds, one will always be more beautiful than the rest. Anyone who knows diamonds, who works with them every day, will tell you that buying diamonds on the web is a fools game!
In the diamond business, you can’t buy what you can not see.
How many diamonds can you actually see on the web? None...not one. The only way to see a diamond is to buy it, have it shipped to you and then you can actually see it...how crazy is that? The sad truth is that the only people who are buying diamonds on the web are the people who know the least about diamonds.
12 more reasons NOT to buy your diamond over the internet
• Who is this internet site? Where is it and how long have they been in business? Will they be in business tomorrow? How many dot.coms from five years ago are still in business?
• Is the diamond you’re considering certified by a reputable lab? There are many “for profit” gem labs with questionable, “flexible” grading standards that are not worth the paper on which they are printed.
• If it is certified, how do you know for sure that the diamond you receive in the mail is exactly the same diamond described in the certificate?
• The cutting quality is subject to wide “liberal” interpretation by sellers but contributes 40% to the price of the diamond. This alone often accounts for the entire difference in price.
• Clarity grades are subject to interpretation and discrimination. There are good SI diamonds and there are less desirable SI stones with obtrusive, unpleasant inclusions. Which one do you think you’ll get web “site” unseen?
• Do they offer a money-back, 30 day guarantee? Will they be able to refund your money? What if they don’t? What recourse do you have, the internet police?
• You will need an independent appraisal by a GIA trained and certified gemologist that will cost a minimum of $100.
• You will have to get the diamond mounted at a cost of between $200 and $450.
• What about the ring? Will the diamond, it’s size, shape and quality, be suitable for the ring design that you like? What if you change your mind? In the end, don’t you still need a real jeweler?
• What about trading up? Will an internet site allow you to trade up to a larger size diamond in the future? Will they give you credit in trade or are all sales final after the initial purchase...if they’re still in business?
• Who will insure that the diamond is mounted properly and protected against loss? No reputable jeweler will warrant an internet diamond.
• Since you are virtually guaranteed that you won’t get the most beautiful diamonds and that you are still going to have to spend at least $300 to $450 for an appraisal, mounting, shipping and insurance--considering all the factors--is it even worth gambling $5000 to save $500?