By Carl Romaner
Being in the diamond business for over 25 years has shown the buyers who make the worst decisions are those who don't know what they are doing, or they learned just enough to be "dangerous". Likewise, those who have some basic understanding always make wiser decisions getting much greater value for their money.
The following is a list of the 4 most common mistakes.
1) Education
The number 1 mistake people make when buying a diamond is not getting a basic education. They end up buying a diamond of less beauty and value than they could have had for the same budget. With the Internet it is relatively easy to learn about the basics of diamonds so you aren't completely in the dark. Not knowing what you are doing can cost you dearly in dollars, quality, value and beauty.
Learning what you are doing will pay off in a big way. You will end up with a diamond of far more beauty and value... and appreciate your diamond more, especially when you notice that your diamond seems to have more spectacular fire and brilliance than most other people's diamonds. You will also get true value for your money. Most people pay far more for diamonds than they should!
There is far more to diamonds than just the 4 C's but most web sites only give you a paragraph or two on each and stop right there. Knowledge is power. Take the time to learn as much as you can.
2) False Advertising
The old adage, "if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is" definitely holds true when it comes to diamonds. Some of the ads are truly laughable to those who understand diamonds. For instance every city has a jewelry store who will run ads that sound like this. "Two carat diamond appraised for $38,000 on sale today for $5,000". This type of ad is totally ridiculous. It reveals an appraisal that is grossly inaccurate and inflated and a 2 carat diamond of extremely very low quality. Or you might see an ad for a 3 carat ring for $6000. This sounds great until you find out it is 3 carats "total weight" made up of small diamonds which are much less valuable than one large diamond.
Many people try to find a bargain on eBay or Craigslist. Many ads will look like this: "Diamond ring, paid $6,000 will sacrifice, selling for $4,500". Many times, the ring was appraised at $6,000 not bought for $6,000 and a selling price of $4,500 really is no bargain at all. Appraisals are always considerably higher than true market value. Also, many diamonds that look like they have a great price are really "clarity enhanced" diamonds. These are extremely low clarity diamonds with large inclusions that are filled with a silicon like substance making them appear cleaner. This is not good! They are never worth what you pay and the filler can come out leaving you with a diamond that looks like a shattered ice cube. My advice is to never, ever buy a "clarity enhanced" diamond.
It is very difficult to find a bargain on eBay or Craigslist because most people paid way too much for their diamonds and most of these diamonds are usually poorly cut diamonds giving you les brilliance than you could have.
3) Certifications and Appraisals
When it comes to diamonds, it's not just the size (or weight) but the quality also that determines the value. Just 1 or 2 grades difference in the clarity, color or cut makes a huge difference in the true value. Unless you are an expert you really don't know the true quality of a diamond, unless it has a "certification". This is different than an appraisal which any jewelry store can print up. A certification is a diamond grading report created by a gemological laboratory. The diamond is sent to the lab loose (not set into jewelry) and thoroughly examined. There is no is no monetary value put on the report, just a description of the weight, clarity, color and cut (proportions and quality of the cut) of the diamond. A certification is what you want! But... not all certifications are equal.
Let's review the 2 most popular labs that certify diamonds, GIA and EGL. The fact is GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is the most strict and reliable of all the certifications. GIA sets the standard in the industry and is the most authoritative and desired certification to have. Then there is EGL (European Gemological Laboratories), which is known to be much more lenient than GIA. If GIA grades a diamond as an H color, EGL will grade it as a G or F (higher). If GIA grades the clarity as an SI1, EGL will grade it as a VS2 (higher). Most jewelers and dealers sell diamonds with EGL certifications because the diamond will seem to be higher quality making it a better price.
You can compare 2 diamonds being offered for sale that supposedly have the same exact weight, color, clarity and cut the only difference being that one has a GIA cert and the other has an EGL cert. You will always notice that the EGL diamond is a much lower price. Is that one a better deal? NO, not at all. It really is a lower quality. You will have no idea what the true grade of that diamond is. To make matters worse, there are 10 EGL labs around the world and they all grade to different standards, some A LOT more leniently than others!
The solution? Simple....When you are buying a diamond, stay with a GIA certified diamond. Any diamond can be sent to GIA for certification for a relatively small fee. Many dealers will tell you that EGL is just as strict, but they will refuse to send the diamond to GIA even if you offer. It will get a lower grading. The main way to protect your investment is to stay with GIA certified diamonds only!
There are a few sites where you can get a very good basic diamond education quickly and easily. The more you know, the better decisions you will make.
4) The Cut
This is the least understood and absolutely the most important part of any diamond. The cut refers to how well a diamond is cut, not the shape of the diamond. The better the cut, the more fire and brilliance the diamond will have and the more valuable it will be. Most diamonds are intentionally cut too shallow or too deep in order to finish the diamond as heavy (or large) as possible. A diamond of perfect proportions will have the greatest fire and brilliance by far and will be noticeable by everyone. You want a spectacular, attention grabbing, head turning diamond with phenomenal fire. This is created by a diamond that was cut to perfect proportions. Never sacrifice the cut. If you do, you will end up with a diamond of less beauty and less value.
Remember, you will have your diamond for many, many years, maybe even generations. Learning to be an intelligent diamond buyer is a smart investment and will pay off in a big way!
Carl Romaner is one of the top diamond experts in the U.S. He has been in the diamond and jewelry industry for over 25 years as an importer of quality diamonds from the cutting factories or Israel and Antwerp and has owned a high-end jewelry store where diamonds were cut on the premises. Carl has made a career of educating his clients helping them to be intelligent diamond buyers. You can receive a Free Video Tutorial entitled "20 Essential Diamond Buying Tips" at http://bestdiamondsearch.com/
Carl may be contacted directly and will work with you personally, helping you to safely buy a diamond of greater beauty and value than anything you would ever find on your own... guaranteed! This will save you a ton of time, money, stress and risk.You will end up with a diamond more spectacular than you imagined possible while saving you quite a bit of money at the same time!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Romaner
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