subject: Traps to Avoid while Buying Fine Diamond Jewelry [print this page] When buying fine diamond jewelry, it is easy to get confused and misled. Here are three bits of information that show you how you can avoid some of the traps encountered when buying diamonds. The Federal Trade Commission carefully regulates the diamond trade because of scams and wrongful usage in the past, but some jewelers either expect you will not know about the regulations or don't know about the regulations themselves.
The blue-white diamond scam
If a diamond is unclear and the jeweler tells you it is a "blue-white diamond", be suspicious. This is a term that is no longer used to describe diamonds that appear milky or filmy in natural lighting. The ultraviolet wavelengths in natural light cause a blue-white fluorescence in a diamond. Some jewelers may tell you this makes the diamond worth more, but in actuality the opposite is true. You may still appreciate the unique beauty of this slight discoloration, but you can also expect to pay less for the diamond.
However, if a jeweler calls this kind of diamond a "blue-white", it is either a sign of his ignorance or of a scam.
Insist on a diamond certificate from your jeweler
Certification by an independent laboratory is the only way of knowing your jeweler is not lying to you. If a jeweler will not put his claims in writing, or gives you a name of an appraiser to take your diamond to, walk out the door and don't look back.
Many buyers wanting to trust the jeweler will assume that since he recommends getting the ring appraised, then it must be legitimate. Others, not knowing a reliable appraiser themselves, will settle for the jeweler's recommendation. This appraiser may be one that the jeweler knows he can rely on to tell the customer what he wants him to hear.
You also have to beware of false certificates, and also be sure the laboratory issuing the certificate is a reputable one. Internet investigation will help you decide on the quality of the laboratory, and a phone call to the lab giving them the number and date on the certificate will allow them to verify the information on it.
The misleading information of total carat weight
The other detail that you should be aware of when purchasing fine diamond jewelry is that a diamond's value is determined by its size and weight, but one large diamond is worth much more than any number of smaller ones that equal the same total weight. This is because an uncut diamond usually contains many imperfections, and large, perfect cut diamonds are rare.
Therefore if the description of the diamond you wish to purchase only contains the total carat weight of all the diamonds in a ring, you cannot adequately compare the prices of several rings to each other. You must insist on knowing the weight and quality of the main diamond separate from the smaller ones.
If you can remember these three warning signs, you will avoid three of the worst scams found when buying fine diamond jewelry.
