How to Buy Diamonds Online

Do you dislike shopping at the mall for diamonds? Pushy salespeople make it hard sometimes to take the time to pick out the precious stones you desire. Learning how to buy diamonds online is an exceptional way of avoiding this unpleasant experience. In the comfort of your home you may compare the various stones and also check out comparable listings from other dealers. As an informed buyer, you may then settle on the diamonds that your budget can stomach and that please your eyes. Of course, since these gems are high-ticket items, it is wise to exercise extreme caution before making the purchase. Follow these steps, and you will not only learn how to buy diamonds online but also how to protect yourself if the deal goes awry.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access
• Basic knowledge about diamonds
• Credit card

Instructions

How to Buy Diamonds Online

1. Learn the abbreviations commonly used in the diamond trade. For example, you may find AGS and GIA certifications. AGS stands for the American Gem Society; it provides wholesalers and retailers with documentation attesting to a diamond’s quality. GIA refers to the Gemological Institute of America; it provides the same service. The quality attested to in the accompanying documentation determines the cost of the gems offered to you.

2. Log on to the Internet and conduct a basic search for diamond wholesalers and also retailers. Concentrate on those companies, which offer a sizeable inventory. After you narrow down your selection of such online businesses to a manageable four to six, check their reputation. For example, you may wish to research a diamond vendor’s reputation at the Better Business Bureau Website or by contacting professional trade organizations — such as the Jeweler’s Board of Trade — to which he belongs.

3. Compare and contrast the diamonds offered by your selected vendors. Pay special attention to the GIA or AGS documentation. You will find that you can group these gems by their carat weight, color, cut, and clarity.

4. Narrow down your choice of diamonds to those you are very interested in buying. Fact-check the AGS or GIA rating provided by the online vendor. You may do so when you log on to either organization’s Website and then enter the report number assigned to each diamond as well as its stated weight.

5. Determine the competitiveness of the price on each authenticated diamond. The easiest way to do so is by logging on to the Price Scope Website. There you may enter each gem’s description with respect to clarity, depth, shape, table, carat weight and color. After you submit the information, you receive a viable quote for the average cost associated with a diamond matching this report.

6. Get ready to make your purchase. Since you have verified the authenticity of the diamonds and also the reputation of the dealer, you are very likely going to have a good experience. Just to be on the safe side, inquire about the vendor’s return policy. Gem stones are usually sold with a right to return if an independent appraiser fails to verify the facts stated in either AGS or GIA documentation.

7. Wait for your diamonds to arrive. Take them to an appraiser who has a good reputation in the industry. The professional now verifies the accuracy of the gems’ grading reports.

8. Exercise your right to return if necessary. Follow the tenets of the return policy set forth by the online diamond retailer. It is also a good idea to notify your credit card company that you intend to reverse the charge if no refund is issued.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that if you cannot find what you are looking for yourself, you may use the Price Scope Website to solicit actual quotes from participating vendors.

• Remember that an appraiser cannot tell you if you got a good deal on the diamonds you purchased; instead, he only checks the grading reports the diamond received from the labs and then compares them to the actual gems. This is done to ensure that there were no mistakes made that artificially inflated the price.

• Never buy a diamond that does not come with a lab report attesting to its properties. Such diamonds might be stolen or may be misrepresented.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Get up to speed on diamond grading at the GIA.edu website.
• Learn more about the AGS procedures with the help of the AGSLab.com website.
• Fact-check any diamond listing using a GIA grading report by visiting the GIA.edu website.
• Fact check a diamond sold with an AGS product report at the AGSLab.com website.
• Log on to the PriceScope.com website to check a diamond vendor’s pricing or to invite vendors to bid on your business.