Most of us are true novices
when it comes to shopping
for diamond rings and other
jewelry. There’s a lot
that goes into the process
of evaluating the relative
worth of diamonds, primarily
centered around what are called
the ‘4 C’s’
(clarity, cut, color, carat-weight).
Unless you’ve bought
a number of diamonds, chances
are you’re more or less
clueless. That’s certainly
a common occurrence, so don’t
feel bad!
Here are three easily remembered
tips for the next time diamond
ring shopping confronts you.
Print this out or jot them
down and keep in your wallet
or purse. Assuming you remember
you did so when the moment
arrives, you’ll be armed
with the basic knowledge necessary
to avoid being taken to the
cleaners by a clever jewelry
shop salesperson.
Tip #1 – Always Get
a Guarantee
This is a must. Never ever,
under any circumstances, take
the word of a diamond jewelry
“expert” in a
store on the value of a diamond
(loose or in a setting). The
shifty ones prey on excited
customers who are novices
and, thus, prone to making
impulse purchases. Even if
the seller offers official-looking
paperwork as proof of the
diamond’s quality, demand
an ironclad written guarantee.
If they balk, leave and shop
elsewhere.
Tip #2 – Don’t
Let Size Decide
If there’s one enduring
myth about buying diamond
rings and other jewelry, it’s
that big diamonds are always
worth more. In fact, the exact
opposite is often true! Remember
the ‘4 C’s’
mentioned earlier. Carat-weight
is just one of four. A simple
example will suffice to illustrate
this point. If you have the
choice between a large diamond
that rates lower on clarity
and color than one with the
same cut that’s smaller
but has a higher rating on
clarity and color, choose
the smaller option. The overall
quality of the smaller diamond
almost always makes it worth
more as a long-term investment
than the lesser quality big
one. The bottom line: only
let carat-weight decide if
the clarity and color of two
diamonds are identical (or
at least very close).
Tip #3 – Ignore the
Ring
This one trips up a lot of
impulse buyers who fall in
love with the ring setting,
to the point of virtually
ignoring the diamond it holds.
If you remember one simple
fact, you might be able to
keep a rein on your emotions:
diamonds are forever; settings
can be changed easily. Don’t
let the ring itself distract
you from the primary concern,
which is the quality and long-term
value of the diamond that
the ring merely holds in place.
Of course, at the end of
the day, you have to really
love what you’re buying.
If you see a diamond ring
you just have to have, you
can ignore all of this and
go for it. If you have the
monetary means, why not, right?
But, for the vast majority
of us, following the simple
tips outlined above will prevent
a disaster in the making.
Good luck!
