Post # 1
Member
5 posts
Newbee
I recently put together an infographic with 12 tips to help consumers get better value for a diamond ring purchase. I figured that it would probably be helpful to fellow members who are currently looking around for one or intend to buy one in the future.
Do leave comments as I would love to hear what you think about the infographic. If you are interested to find out more tips on buying an engagement ring, feel free to check out Beyond 4Cs.
-
This topic was modified 3 years ago by paulg.
-
This topic was modified 3 years ago by paulg. Reason: image error
Post # 2
Member
2094 posts
Buzzing bee
I think saying buying diamonds online is the best is a little misleading. There are very few sites who actually show you the diamond you’re purchasing, so you’re basically having to take their word about something being eye clean.
Grading is great but can’t really give you a good idea on what a diamond looks like. SI can vary, so potentially if you can SEE what you’re purchasing, you could save money by choosing a lower graded diamond that is eye clean.
Post # 3
Member
2695 posts
Sugar bee
Kool by the way your layout is beautiful. I do design and stuff , I love the colors and its easy on the eye not over the top .
Post # 4
Member
591 posts
Busy bee
proportions can predict the way a diamond should look (brightness, fire scintillation) but you really need an idealscope or aset (for fancy shapes) to show leakage.
Post # 5
Member
684 posts
Busy bee
Great info graphic!
Should you add a dividing header between 7&8?
I would also change “skim” in cut to “skimp”.
If there is a way to add it: I would add a blurb about knowing what is important to your partner. For instance: I have an insane eye for color and can tell the difference between a D and F IRL. My boyfriend knows that color is very important to me and I would rather go with a smaller stone than hit the G/H color range. Some people also have been able to see imperfections in SI1s and they end up bugging them.
Post # 6
Member
123 posts
Blushing bee
10 Fluor not flour- wrong spelling
Post # 8
Member
805 posts
Busy bee
As an ex-jewelry salesperson (from a small local store, not a huge chain with premium prices for crappy merchandise), I would say this is pretty accurate. In terms of certification, I would also add EGL as a valid source for certification. EGL catches some flak because they sometimes grade diamonds differently than GIA would (usually an upgrade). HOWEVER, even with certification standards being in place, diamond grading is HIGHLY subjective. Remember that clarity ratings are done under 10x magnification.
Case in point: we received a 1.3 ct GIA certified diamond graded as SI2 with a visibly crystal inclusion. SI2 is supposed to be eye clean.
EGL certification is also less expensive and said savings is passed down to you the consumer. The cost of certification is added to the wholesale price of the diamond. For a 1 ct diamond for GIA cert, that is at least $100. Industry standard is that retail price is 2-3x whole sale price so certification is $200-$300+ of the cost of the stone.
I know this info graphic is about the stones themselves but don’t forget that the mounting is just as important as the stone. A poorly crafted mounting will not be durable and can potentially fail and lose your very expensive investment.
