Question about internet buying?

[RAH]

I keep seeing reccomendations to look at the diamonds your comparing in person, however what if you are buying on the internet? Is it best to go by the specifications then and simply return if you''re not completely satisfied?

Thanks!

 

[dazednconfused]

RAH,

I just bought over the net. First, I did a lot of research. Then I narrowed it down tyoe of cut I wanted (round, emerald, etc). Then I went to a local store and asked to see some diamonds. I had no idea what the color or carat weight looked like in person. Then I did a search for some stones on pricescope. I ended up working with Julie at USACerted. She was excellent and their prices were the best. I highly recommend her. I was a little uneasy about buying over the net. I based my stone selection on the specifications and Julie ran a list of stones that fit my criteria. I selected a few and she obtained the cert. We both looked at the cert to determine if it was a stone worht considering. After I had found 2 I liked, I had them both sent directly to a reputable appraiser (Martin Fuller in VA) in my local area. When I arrived at the appraiser, we both opened the FedEx boxes and examined the stones. Once I selected the one I liked, I made the payment arrangements with USACerted. The other stone is sent back to the supplier and your stone is kept by the appraiser until your payment is cleared with USACerted. I found this process to be extremely easy. I would not hestitate to recommend this buying strategy to anyone. Your appraiser will be able to recommend a jeweler to set your stone. Also, many people may not feel it necessary to send more than 1 stone to the appraiser. I wanted to compare the 2 side by side.

Good luck

 

[Heyjud]

Buying diamonds on the net....
It's the best way to go
You get more for your money
More diamond, more glow!

Be sure that you deal
With a reputable site
Keep checking this chatroom
They'll advise wrong from right.

Good luck!
--JUD

 

[niceice]

Welcome to the hunt Rah! Decide what it is that you want from the diamond you buy and then search the multiple inventory listings available here on Price Scope... You can tell a lot about a diamond on-line if the right information is provided, look for a dealer who actually has the inventory that they "represent" - in other words, a dealer who is not just working off of a list of diamonds that they have never seen and therefore can't really advise you on... This dealer should be able to provide you with a full color copy of the lab report so that you may determine whether the inclusions are truly inclusions (inside the diamond and marked in red) or externals (outside the diamond and marked in green) this can not be determined from a black and white copy... Look for a dealer who can provide you with detailed clarity photographs of the inclusions so that you can determine whether you are going to be able to accept what the inclusions will look like when you are finally able to see the diamond in-person through a loupe or through a gem scope... Be sure to obtain detailed Sarin or OGI computerized proportions analysis from the seller to ensure that the diamond you purchase is within the proportions range that you have decided upon. The "old world" results of these compuerized proportions analysis were printed on avery-type mailing labels, but the latest results are printed on full size sheets of paper and provide a wealth of information, there is no reason to accept the avery-type results any more... They are simply obsolete... For instance, the labels provide the crown angle and pavilion angle measurements based on the average of the measurements, but the new reports provide the high and low measurements that the average is based upon, thus you can determine how "tight" the range really is... And they provide facet-by-facet graphics so that you can determine how well the diamond has been cut in terms of balance... While it may be acceptable to some to buy a diamond strictly "off paper" we like to think that customers have the right to buy "off paper" from a detailed point of view... Other sites that think along the same lines as ourselves in terms of information provided to the client are GoodOldGold, DBOF, WhiteFlash and SuperbCert... And as far as we know, all of them are willing to send the diamonds to an independent appraiser prior to purchase and offer full refunds within a pre-determined inspection period... You can find the inventories of all these dealers here on Price Scope by conducting a search via the diamond search engine. If you are looking for a round brilliant ideal cut diamond, we recommend you search within these parameters:

Total depth: 59 - 61.8%
Table: 55 - 56%
Crown angle: 34.3 - 34.8 degrees
Pavilion angle: 40.5 - 40.9 degrees
Girdle: 1.0% thin to medium or medium, faceted
Culet: GIA none or AGS pointed
Polish: AGS Ideal or GIA Excellent
Symmetry: AGS Ideal or GIA Excellent

Education is the key to getting this right, read the threads found on this forum and you'll have the information to make an excellent choice!

 

[gemsource]

i agree,i have a web biz.and carry mostly rings
from karat gold i sell by the gram 10k at 8.50
14k at 9.50 i can do this because i dont have to take in acount all the expenses of my mall store which is a kiosk.and i plan on being there a long time.i carry many fine diamond rings and bracelets but i cap off the cost of items on the site to 3500 dollars.WHY?i offer a 30 day refund i look at it like i can always put it in my case.i do have a 26ct,invisible set dia.bracelet for $56,000.00
that we can custom make in 18k si clarity.but how could i honestly live with myself if you didnt like it?they gotta have a store or atleast buy really cheap.stuff for a couple of hundred bucks no more

 

[diamondsman]

Most Internet co. offer money back if not satisfied,After you have located the stone you want shop it for price on different websites compare diamonds and then make your decision!!

good luck

 

[Mara]

I highly recommend purchasing online but have never done it. Wish I could!

We were about to buy online but an offline jeweler we were working with brought in the stone we chose and we got it. He also matched the internet pricing I'd found. So in that case--it made sense for us to buy offline since we liked the stone in person and we had the online pricing match. But not all jewelers will do that, we have worked with this guy before and will again. He also made our custom setting.

The other posters gave excellent information on buying online. I will also add that there are sites that give you much more information than not, and would advise that you focus your sites within those sites. It does not mean that the other sites do not have great stones. But in my opinion, exhaust your search with the sites that DO first, and then if you need to expand out to the other sites, do so. Many of the other sites will give information readily, or may have to dig to get it...etc. It's about minimizing the time you have to put into this and still get excellent returns. It's easy to get very involved!

That said, here are a few sites to check out in case you are just starting. They all offer a great deal of information on their stones and most only choose the cream of the crop from the ones they are shown for buying. So you have a good idea of their level of quality. Many post on the forums as well so you can get an idea of their top level of customer service. As always, get your stone double checked after buying (or before if you have it sent to an independent appraiser with sale contingent upon results) and be sure that the site has a good, no questions asked return policy.

GoodOldGold.Com
NiceIce.Com
SuperbCert.Com
WhiteFlash.Com
DiamondOptics.Com

Even if you do not buy online, the sites above have enough information to keep your eyes busy for a while. Also if you decide to buy offline, try to utilize your knowledge gained from the research here AND pricing structure as well, you may get lucky and find a B&M willing to negotiate more on pricing if they feel they may lose your sale to an online vendor.

Good luck!