For many diamond shoppers, buying a diamond ring can be one of the most confusing and intimidating experience as a consumer. Why is that so? Well, diamonds are expensive purchases and involve careful consideration of various factors like budget, setting design and the 4Cs (just to name a few).
Almost every day, I get emails from consumers seeking help and advice on their purchase. The majority of the questions usually revolve around the 4Cs and a second opinion about their diamond choices. And then it got me thinking…
Will someone with gemological knowledge or experience in the diamond business make their buying choices differently from the general public?
The Tables Have Turned This Time
Wouldn’t you like to know how the experts shopped for their diamonds? What might they do if they were in your shoes as a consumer? Would they utilize some special tools to make their selections or do they have some secret insights you didn’t know about.
That’s what I set out to discover.
And guess what? Some of their replies might come as a surprise to you.
Most Important Factors For a Purchase
(interview of 41 experts)
#1: Cut – 23 experts (56%)
#2: Lab Report – 12 experts (29%)
#3: Budget – 10 experts (24%)
#4: Jeweler Choice & Seeing Diamond in Person – Tied at 9 experts (22%)
#5: Carat & Color – Tied at 8 experts (20%)
To view more details of the results and how the study was performed, click here…
For a review of the compiled responses, click here...
Continue reading to find out each expert’s response on diamond shopping. The replies are posted as-is from email responses and are listed in a random order. Be warned though, this is going to be a long post. If you want to, you can skip directly to the response of a particular expert or grab a cup of warm coffee and start reading.
* Response from interviewee was added to this study in an update after results had been published.
Melissa Spivak, Jewellery Designer – Samuel Kleinberg Jewellers
If I was shopping for a diamond, the 3 most important factors for me would be a GIA Diamond Certificate, the Cut of the diamond and the craftsmanship of the setting. GIA is the most reputable diamond certificate that you can get, they are the laboratory that created the 4C’s and when you have a GIA certified diamond, you have the peace of mind knowing that the certificate is going to match the diamond.
With all the other certificates, in most cases, something is going to be off. It’s very important that the consumer understands the difference between the certificates. I always talk about the difference between certificates with my clients and make sure they understand that if they are going to price compare that they need to compare apples to apples. You can’t compare a GIA certified diamonds to an EGL or Gemscan etc.
The Cut is also very important as this is what creates the sparkle and the brilliance (diamonds are supposed to sparkle after all). I educate my clients on everything there is to know about diamonds and I explain which of the C’s is going to have the most impact on the beauty of the diamond.
Every client has different ingredients as to what will be the perfect diamond for them. Some want size over quality, some want quality over size and some want a balance between the two. And because I don’t stock loose diamonds I can find a stone with the right ingredients for them.
Often times people shopping for an engagement ring spend so much time focusing on the diamond and they forget that the setting is also extremely important. This ring is going to be worn everyday and the setting needs to stand up to a lot of wear and tear. Most consumers don’t understand the manufacturing process, and that there are different ways to create a ring and different levels of quality.
I explain the manufacturing process to my clients so that they can appreciate the quality of the ring they are going to be purchasing/wearing. Every single ring is custom made around the specs of the diamond that they pick. Every claw is going to be at the right height, every diamond is going to be set at the same level and we use fresh gold for every casting.
I believe it’s also important to go to a place where they aren’t pushing you on their stock. Most retailers/wholesalers keep stock and they need to move their inventory. Often times, they educate their clients based on what they have to move. It’s important to understand all the factors and be able to pick the diamond that is perfect for you. Make sure you go to someone who will educate you and give you full disclosure on what you are purchasing.
You want to feel good and confident with one of the most important purchases of your life.