Buying a diamond

[keg]

I am in Melbourne Australia and considering buying a diamond online versus through a local dealer. If i find a diamond online which is significantly cheaper (say $500 aust $$$) than through the dealer will the savings been lost through hassle, shipping and customs duties? And am i better off just haggling with the dealer? Also, how long does it take to get a diamond shipped from America through someone such as "Dirt Cheap Diamonds"? And is it reliable?

Thanks

 

[pricescope]

Hey mate

You still have to pay custom duties when importing to Australia.

You should be ok with DCD as well as many other vendors on Pricescope.

However, in Melbourne you should pay Garry Holloway (aka Cut Nut) a visit first! http://www.preciousmetals.com.au/

 

[keg]

Thanks for your reply

It's probably different here in OZ to America, but i have looked at some stones under half a carat and when i asked if they were certified was told that stones this size are rarely certified since it costs so much, is this standard? Plus, can i expect the table, depth, pavillion and crown measurements with any stone i look at regardless of size? And should a reputable dealer be able to let me see the stone through a magnifying glass or microscope? Can i rely on the look of the stone and an independent evaluation?

Once again, thanks for all you help.

Keg

Ps.I've been shopping for months and i hate it

 

[DiamondJoeQuimby]

You should get the cut measurements on ANY size stone, IMO. If they say they don't have them, walk from this dealer. Also, if a jewler won't let you look at the stones with a loupe, that is another danger sign. If you decide these aren't enough to dissuade you, make sure the jeweler has a good return policy, after you have it appraised, and find out if it is/is not what they claim, you may want to return it.

While I am a rookie diamond shopper, these just seem to be common sense issues more than gem issues. Buying something that there are many opportunities for an unscrupulous dealer to exploit without written verification is absurd.

 

[keg]

Thanks..this is exactly what i thought! It's a matter of convincing the person who is actually buying the diamond. It's really quite difficult because I've been researching for ages and then when you start looking you get treated like you're talking nonsense...plus they have excuses like: i don't have that equipment available. Then you wonder if you're paranoid. The good sign is, we are most welcome to get the diamond appraised by a third party and it also comes with an independent evaluation. We are going to try to arrange to get our own sarin report and were considering buying an ideal scope, do you think we need both?

keg

 

[keg]

I just remembered, this guy also told my friend that he couldn't get the measurements because it wasn't certified and they would be on the certificate...i told him straight away that this was BS and that he needed a Sarin report. Is it possible that such dealers are not necessarily unscrupulous, just unprofessional, or are they the same thing? And is it possible that he may still have a good stone even if he doesn't know what he's talking about?

 

[DiamondJoeQuimby]

If by some stroke of dumb luck he has a good stone, the chances of him having a lousy stone are much higher. If you are going to plunk down a few thousand dollars you'd better have some confidence in the jeweler. JMO.