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General Advice on Buying
Diamonds
Question:
Should I buy a diamond on sale?
Answer:
You should think twice before you buy a diamond
"on sale." What they say is usually true - "You get what you pay for."
You probably will not be happy with it in the end. Why? Because,
a diamond "on sale" is usually a "promotional quality"
diamond which is another name for a "poor quality"
diamond.
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Question:
Should I buy the heaviest diamond I can
afford?
Answer:
Not always. Buying the heaviest diamond
you can afford does not mean you are getting something of greater worth.
Sometimes, a smaller, properly proportioned diamond
has a greater value than a larger, improperly proportioned diamond,
and it may even look better - more brilliant and
alive. To illustrate this, take a diamond that weighs 1.1 carats and
is well-
proportioned with a diameter of 6.7 millimeters,
and compare it to a diamond weighing 1.25 carats that is improperly
proportioned with the same diameter of 6.7 millimeters.
The proportions of the heavier diamond are not as balanced as
those of
the lighter diamond, hence its brilliance and overall beauty will be diminished
and its market value will be less.
You will
indeed
have a heavier diamond, but it will not be of the
quality you deserve or desire.
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Question:
How much should I pay for a diamond?
Answer:
Market conditions determine the per carat cost
of diamonds at any given time. You should first set a budget that meets
your
financial situation. A good rule of thumb
is from two to a maximum of three months salary.
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Question:
What should I look for when choosing a
diamond?
Answer:
Once you have established a budget, then you must
determine the characteristics of the gemstone that are most important
to you
and juggle one with the other to determine the optimum combination. These
gemological characteristics
are:
1) Carat
Weight,
2)
Color,
3)
Clarity, and
4) Cut
- proportion and shape |
Question:
From where should I buy my diamond?
Answer:
You can buy your diamond from a bricks and mortar
jeweler down the street or with the invention of the internet, you can
now buy
on-line from an internet jeweler. In any case, make sure the jeweler
is a member of the Better Business Bureau
and/or is
a
member of
the
BBBOnline Program, or customer satisfaction rating
companies such as Bizrate. |
Question:
How do I know the diamond I paid for and received
is what the seller promised?
Answer:
Once you have made your selection, make sure you
obtain a grading certificate from the seller that you can use for
insurance
purposes.
Furthermore, if you can, pay by credit card especially
if you do not know the seller personally. If for some reason, you are
not
satisfied
with the purchase, you can return the diamond without
difficulty due to the fact that the credit card company
has rules
for the
protection
of the consumer.
Secondly, since the jeweler is a member of the
Better Business Bureau, he
will be more inclined to accept the return.
This is
also true
for
internet jewelers who are on the BBBOnline
program.
To be certain that the quality of your gemstone
is as listed on the grading certificate, get a second appraisal. Do
not
show the
existing certificate to the appraiser.
If the second appraisal differs greatly in a negative way, you may
wish to
obtain a third appraisal to break
the tie.
If the
third
appraisal verifies the second, return the diamond
and get your money
back. If, however, the second appraisal verifies
the original grading certificate, then enjoy your diamond. |
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