What questions to ask of an independent jeweler?

[Ginaworld]

I''m close to purchasing a diamond from an independent jeweler but I''m not sure of what questions I should ask before I buy. They don''t really have the same refund policy a lot of the major chain stores have, so I want to make sure this is exactly what I think I''m getting. It''s a GIA cert (the store refuses to sell EGL certed diamonds), and the store has some local reputability, but I''ve never purchased a $12,000 stone before and I want to make an educated purchase.

Can anyone with an independent jeweler experience tell me what questions I should ask of him? What expectations should I have of this relationship? Any common pitfalls when dealing with an independent? Are my cold feet showing here or are these or any other questions valid? Any comments would be so greatly appreciated!

 

[niceice]

You should ask the same questions of your local B&M retailer that you would ask of one of the on-line dealers before you buy... Why would the situation be any different? The fact that you're standing in a store doesn't make the dealer any more reputable... We say this from the position of being both a B&M and on-line retailer... Why doesn't the jeweler have a reasonable return and inspection period? What are they hiding? We offer our in-store customers the same benefits we extend to our on-line customers and just like we often extend our inspection period for our on-line customers, we find ourselves granting reasonable extensions of time for our in-store customers... Companies need to be willing to be reasonable in the manner in which they work with each individual client because each client has individual needs... Express your concerns to the jeweler and ask them to grant you a ten day inspection period to allow you a reasonable period of time to have the diamond evaluated by an independent graduate gemologist of your choosing... Get the terms of the inspection period in writing and dont' be afraid to point out that you could buy a comparable diamond from a variety of on-line retailers and get the inspection period you are looking for... Print out the inspection and satisfaction guarantee sections of the various sites, ours is at http://www.niceice.com/guarantee.htm and GOG's is at http://www.goodoldgold.com/refund_exchange_policies.htm and here is the policy offered by White Flash http://www.whiteflash.com/policies/preturn.asp?sitetype=acut so if we're all willing to offer such policies, why doesn't your local jeweler? We ask again, what is he afraid of?

Here's a fun idea... Tell him that you like the diamond but you want to have the diamond evaluated by David Atlas of Accredited Gemological Laboratories in Philadelphia or Bill Lieberman "RockDoc" of Consumers Gem Lab in Boca Raton, Florida or Mary Haske of Adamas Gemological Laboratories in Brookline, Massacheusetts as a "condition of sale". Those of us selling diamonds on-line frequently send diamonds to independent appraisers like these all the time on behalf of buyers who want a little peace of mind from a neutral third party prior to sending us the money... And quite often we send diamonds to independent gemologists like these even after a client has flown in to see the diamond for themselves and we have spent hours talking about the stone in person... People have a right to feel comfortable about their purchase, we understand this and so do most of the other on-line vendors, so should it be such a difficult concept for you r local jeweler to grasp?

Ask the jeweler how you can tell that the diamond you are looking at matches the diamond described on the GIA lab report, he should be able to show you how the inclusions within the diamond match those on the GIA lab report and he should be willing to take some clarity photographs of the inclusions for your records... Such photographs can prove to be invaluable in the event of loss or damage...

Ask the jeweler to provide you with a Sarin or OGI computerized proportions analysis on the diamond so that you can have a complete and accurate appraisal that will provide you with the proper documentation for your insurance company in the event of loss... You would receive this information from any of the on-line vendors you'll find here on Price Scope, so it can't be that difficult to obtain, right?

If you were buying this diamond from an on-line vendor, what questions would you be asking of that person? What guarantees would you expect? Those are the same things you should be asking and expecting of your local jeweler, the only thing that has changed is the location of your purchase.

 

[Ginaworld]

Thanks for all the info, NiceIce. I didn't think the questions posed should necessarily be any different from an on-line dealer to a B&M store; since this is my first major diamond purchase, I really wasn't sure what to ask either, but your links and comments will really help me out a great deal. Thank you!

G.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Your most important question would be "Do you offer a right-of-return period if I am not happy with how the stone appraises out with an independent appraiser?"