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How do you make sure diamond isn't switched at jeweler?

carrwash13

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
16
So I need to have my new diamond I bought from whiteflash set. My mom told me to be careful where I go because she heard sometimes diamonds get switched (stolen). I don't have a regular jeweler I trust so it made me nervous. If you go to a halfway known jewelry store is this something to be worried about?
 

centralsquare

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
2,216
In general, I don't think there is much to worry about but could you ask the jeweler to show you the inscription (assuming there is one)
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
Well... most jewelers value their reputation-- it's what enables them to stay in business. However, there are crooks everywhere and who knows if your jeweler was hitting the sauce that day right? In the UNLIKELY EVENT that YOU did not screen your jeweler carefully (you have a responsibility here)-- check their BBB records, their yelp reviews, their jewelry association ratings etc. and you decided to use a shady jeweler here's what you do:

1. Make sure your jewelry is insured. And make sure you appraisals are updated regularly.
2. If you diamond has inclusions or an inscription make sure you know what they are and how to find them with a loupe. When you drop your stone off for repair/whatever you and the jeweler loupe the stone together on your work order ticket you both agree on the inclusions and inscription. Then when you pick it up you do your due diligence and check it all before you walk out that door.
3. If you have no inclusions you can spot and no inscription (I have neither) and you wouldn't know your diamond just by looking at it (I have an asscher so I am pretty good at spotting mine, plus it's hard to switch it in it's current setting) then you need to be extra sure about the jeweler you take it to and to get it appraised regularly. Also, you can do what I do... use only jewelers with in house benches... ones that don't send out their repair work. It enables you to have "one throat to choke" in the event of a problem and those stores usually have 40x loupes and even *I* can find an inclusion in my stone with a 40x loupe.
 

swingirl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
5,667
Why not have WF set your stone? Or have you already purchased your setting?
 

hoofbeats95

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
1,458
My previous ring was a WF stone set by a mall jewelry store. I regret that to this day. If I could go back I'd have WF do it. The quality is not even close to the same.

That being said, we used a microscope to find the inscription. Wrote it on my ticket. When I picked the ring up the first and second time (they put the wrong head on the first time) we used the microscope to check it again. I think they were amused by me, but I wanted to make SURE that was my stone.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
Looked back through your posts - you have a 1.2 SI1, correct? Buy yourself a cheap 10x loupe on ebay - or use the jewellers - and check your inclusions against your inclusion plot on the report.

If you are really worried - inscriptions can be easily polished off (not that any reputable jeweller ever would, one customer's nice stone is just not worth the business they would lose). The only things that can't be changed are your stone's characteristic inclusion and facet patterns - get to know yours w/ a loupe, I highly doubt there will be any deliberate misdirection but you can avoid accidents this way, too.
 

WinkHPD

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
May 3, 2001
Messages
7,516
carrwash13|1314855138|3007171 said:
So I need to have my new diamond I bought from whiteflash set. My mom told me to be careful where I go because she heard sometimes diamonds get switched (stolen). I don't have a regular jeweler I trust so it made me nervous. If you go to a halfway known jewelry store is this something to be worried about?

I always recommend to my clients that if they take the diamond any where else, while traveling, etc, that they ask the jeweler to show them the diamond under their microscope. (If they do not have a microscope, go somewhere else!)

Draw a diagram of the inclusions of the diamond, initial it and ask the jeweler to initial it and tell them that you will want to see it again after the work is done.

Be nice about it! Most jewelers will appreciate that you are helping them to prove that this is your diamond. If they get offended, go somewhere else.

Wink
 

John P

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
3,563
Gypsy|1314859166|3007186 said:
Well... most jewelers value their reputation-- it's what enables them to stay in business. However, there are crooks everywhere and who knows if your jeweler was hitting the sauce that day right? In the UNLIKELY EVENT that YOU did not screen your jeweler carefully (you have a responsibility here)-- check their BBB records, their yelp reviews, their jewelry association ratings etc. and you decided to use a shady jeweler here's what you do:

1. Make sure your jewelry is insured. And make sure you appraisals are updated regularly.
2. If you diamond has inclusions or an inscription make sure you know what they are and how to find them with a loupe. When you drop your stone off for repair/whatever you and the jeweler loupe the stone together on your work order ticket you both agree on the inclusions and inscription. Then when you pick it up you do your due diligence and check it all before you walk out that door.
3. If you have no inclusions you can spot and no inscription (I have neither) and you wouldn't know your diamond just by looking at it (I have an asscher so I am pretty good at spotting mine, plus it's hard to switch it in it's current setting) then you need to be extra sure about the jeweler you take it to and to get it appraised regularly. Also, you can do what I do... use only jewelers with in house benches... ones that don't send out their repair work. It enables you to have "one throat to choke" in the event of a problem and those stores usually have 40x loupes and even *I* can find an inclusion in my stone with a 40x loupe.

Great reply.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
Thank you John. 8)
 

Amys Bling

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
11,025
have an inclusion plot done when dropping off the ring/bring your lab grading with the inclusion plot- and write down the inscription # from the girdle and check it upon pick up.
 
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