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Diamond Buying Guide Buying a diamond is one of the most important purchases that you will make in your life, whether it is an engagement ring, wedding ring, loose diamond or jewelry for a loved one it is extremely important to put lots of thought into your purchase. Here are some tips on buying diamonds that will make sure you find the diamond that you want at a fair price. It is important to educate yourself on diamonds before ever stepping into a retail store. Learning about diamonds is the biggest advantage that you can have in the buying process. Not only will being educated about diamonds help you get a fair price and understand if the diamond is a good value, but knowing about diamonds will help you choose a diamond more to your liking. Start off learning the basics including the 5 C's which are carat, cut, color, clarity, and cost. These are truly the main foundation of good diamond knowledge. Since most consumers already know about the 5C's which are usually covered extensively, here are some tips on learning about the actual buying process in a retail or wholesale diamond environment. As in any industry, there are good establishments and bad establishments. While at the retail level fraud is rare, you might find people that are willing to take advantage of a situation. A good retailer will try to help you find the diamond that is right for you. A good retailer will also take their time with you and ask you lots of questions. Be aware of retailers that will immediately try to up-sell you on a diamond. They might not be interested in what you would like and automatically try to persuade you that a specific diamond is the diamond that you should look for. Beware of these types of retailers; they may be trying to get rid of hard to sell diamonds due to quality issues. A good retailer will also help educate you on what is a good diamond and the various traits of a diamond that are beneficial or decrease its value. When buying a diamond from a retailer it is also important that they disclose everything about the diamond, that they tell you what is guaranteed and what services are included. A shady retailer will usually give you as little information as possible, will not write anything down and will just nod his or her head saying, don't worry, everything is good. If you want to find a reputable diamond dealer contact organizations such as the Better Business Bureau to see if a retailer has had complaints in the past, there are also diamond organizations that can point you in the right direction such as GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and American Gem Trade Association. Once you find a good retailer and choose a stone, before purchasing it, ask to get it appraised by an independent appraiser. If the retailer says absolutely not, walk away from the sale. One of the strongest advantages that you have is having the stone independently appraised. A good retailer will give you the stone for it to be appraised by anyone you would like. You can have it appraised to see if the clarity, carat and color match what the retailer stated, and also to find out if there are any treatments such as fracture filling or color treatments that would decrease the value of the stone. It is important for you as a consumer to exercise your preference to have the stone independently appraised. Some retailers will demand that you have it appraised by a certain appraiser. This should not be acceptable; you should be able to bring it to any appraiser that you would like. Not only will an appraiser help you determine the quality of the stone, but will usually give you a dollar value for the stone. Some appraisers will give you both a retail and wholesale value for the stone (Retail prices are usually higher than the wholesale cost). Armed with this information will help you determine if you are getting a good deal on the stone or paying top dollar. This information will help you if you need to negotiate a fair price with the retailer. Buying a diamond is one of the most important decisions in your life, so make sure you put lots of thought into the purchase and protect yourself using your diamond knowledge, independent appraisal and consumer organizations. Purchase your diamond the right way and you and your loved one will enjoy the diamond for many years to come. About the Author: Kevin Lee has been in the jewelry for industry for over 15 years. He recently launched his own diamond education website Loose Diamonds
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