Buying Tips
Follow these proven tips to make the smartest jewelry purchase
1. Choose your jeweler carefully
A dishonest jeweler can cheat or overcharge you no
matter how MUCH you know about jewelry. They can sell you cheap imitations,
switch diamond certificates, exaggerate the quality using certificates from
inferior or affiliated laboratories, misrepresent laser-drilled or clarity-enhanced
diamonds, sell fake certificates, and attempt countless other scams.
In contrast, a reputable jeweler will treat you with respect and fairness, no
matter how LITTLE you know about jewelry. FindMyJeweler Certified Jewelers
go through rigorous
"secret shopper" tests and background checks and
will provide you with the highest level of integrity, customer service, selection,
quality, and product knowledge, all at competitive prices.
2. Avoid the 7 signs of an inferior jeweler
- They only sell diamonds with IGI certificates (best to stick with GIA or
AGS or at least EGL).
- They sell laser-drilled stones (GIA always labels stones with
laser drilling, but some other labs do not).
- They sell clarity-enhanced diamonds (GIA will not issue a report
on a clarity-enhanced diamond).
- They will not show your diamond under a scope.
- They sell poorly cut stones (poorly cut stones often trade at huge discounts)
- They push you to buy right away instead of educating you first
so you can make an intelligent choice.
- Their salespeople are part-time seasonal workers without years of
experience buying as well as selling diamonds and jewelry.
If a jeweler exhibits these traits, it is best to leave and find someone better.
3. First find the jeweler, then the jewelry
Look around and interview jewelers. Find someone you are comfortable with
and that comes to you with references, then stick with that expert and let them
work with you, so they can locate the right jewelry for you.
When shopping for diamonds, many people make the mistake of looking around at
many stores until they think they have found it -- only to find out later that
the dealer was not honest about the quality or treatments, and it was not such
a great deal after all.
4. Remain open to ordering what you want
Keep in mind that even the largest jeweler cannot stock the endless
possibility of jewelry pieces and diamond size/quality combinations. A good
jeweler will focus on ordering what you want if they need to, and not just on
selling whatever they have in stock that day.
Once you show a reasonable commitment to a reputable jeweler, they will
work very hard to find your exact dream jewelry.
5. Learn by holding actual jewelry and looking at actual diamonds
Once you find a reputable jeweler that you like and trust, learn everything
you can from them. Go in and learn by holding actual jewelry in your hands, and
looking at diamonds in their office under a microscope.
Learn by personal experience, not just by reading articles on web sites or
by looking at numbers on certificates. Go in to see how the piece feels in
your hand and looks on you. Learn how each of the details on a diamond grading
certificate actually affects beauty and value. Don't take anyone's opinion
about the numbers -- the numbers should never be more important than what you learn
with your own eyes. The numbers NEVER tell the whole story. The main reason to
buy from a local jeweler is to see jewelry and diamonds before you buy, so
take full advantage of that opportunity and learn by seeing and touching first.
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