Diamond brokers

[PuddyKat]

What are diamond 'brokers'? Middlemen? Are they usually GGs? Do they look around everywhere for a diamond a customer wants? Do they charge a fee? Would their prices be cheaper than a B&M place or even a retail place posing as a 'wholesaler'?
Sorry, lots of questions. I just would like to know a broker's qualifications and if they are a good route to go.

Laurie

 

[golfer]

Most on the internet sites (or at least a high %) are brokers. There's some sort of central online database where "manufacturers" (though I think that's a misleading term) list their available stones. When you see a listing on a broker's website, they are simply relisting that stone with an additional fee (their margin). That's why several sites will have the exact same stone listed. The internet brokers are much cheaper than B&M stores and generally a little cheaper than the non-broker internet sites (NiceIce, Good Old Gold), though the information about each stone is less -- since they don't actually have the stone yet.

 

[pricescope]

Golfer, very good summary. There two or three B2B databases where cutters, manufacturers and wholesalers list their inventory.

Not all of them are GG. Martin Sheffield (USACertedDiamonds.com) for example is. BlueNile, Mondera, or Diamond.com has GG’s on staff.

Other companies are headed by master diamond cutter like Whiteflash.com is leading by Brian Gavin.