Diamonds & Scams

When Buying Diamonds Be Aware of Frauds & Schemes

Most scams are minor, but there are some major ones that come up from time to time concerning the buying and selling of diamonds. With all of the potential for scams concerning diamonds, buying diamonds online seems unthinkable. However, you actually can purchase diamonds online without any problems, as long as you are careful.

Due to low overhead costs, online jewelers are able to offer you a lower price. However, you must be careful – sometimes a price that is too low is a sure indication of a potential scam.

One of the best things about purchasing online is the convenience in selection. Before shopping, learn as much as you can about diamonds – especially cut, color, clarity and carat weights - The 4 Cs of Diamonds.

Take Your Time & Save Money by Buying Diamonds Online
Don’t purchase the first diamond you see that interests you. Instead, look for similar diamonds for sale. Do some comparison-shopping to find the lowest and best prices. Once you have found the lowest price, start doing your research.

Investigate the seller’s credentials and qualifications, such as professional jewelry associations that they belong to. View and print the seller’s return, refund, and upgrade policies.

Also inquire about additional services, such as settings and mountings, sizing, and free shipping.

Do a search for customer reviews on this particular company around the web. Also check with the BBB Online to see if there have been any complaints. Ask for a diamond grading report from an independent laboratory such as GIA. You should see this before making a purchase.

Techniques To Make Any Stone Look Bigger Than It Truly Is:

Once you have the diamond you want, you can make it look better than it really is.

1. Consider buying a fancy shaped diamond. These diamonds usually look larger than ones of the same weight, especially elongated shapes such as the Marquise cut diamond.
2. Try a Pave Setting - this setting looks like a continuous surface of diamonds, but is really only made up of small diamond chips set along side each other, their surfaces nearly level with the setting. It’s illusory in that it makes you think the ring has a larger stone than it really does because of the reflection.
   
3. Another illusory setting is a Bezel Setting. The stone is embedded into the metal and a rim is formed to hold the diamond. White gold or platinum works best because these metals enhance the diamond making it appear to have a better quality.