Diamonds are among the most valuable items in the world and these tiny rocks could cost more than most average cars. The demand for this precious stone is high all over the world. The high and mighty individuals buy them to display their wealth whereas the romantic prefer the diamond rings to show their love.
However, the high demand and the pricey nature of diamonds attract con artists into the trade. They take advantage of buyers by either selling counterfeit diamond or overpricing the item. Whenever you want to buy diamonds, you have to ask yourself: “Where are the best places to buy diamonds?” This will ensure that you get the value for your money.
The best place to buy diamonds is from reputable jeweler shops around the world. These shops have been in the trade for the longest time. They have a reputation to maintain so they cannot jeopardize on quality. They follow the correct licensing procedures and have credible sources of diamond. You don’t want your money to fund conflicts in countries such as Sierra Leone by buying blood diamonds from unverified shops, therefore, the reputable shops are highly preferred.
Secondly, you can buy diamonds from online jewelry shops that deal with diamonds as well as other precious items. They also have a reputation to keep so they have to sell the specified carats, shapes, and quality. The reviews that are often written should guide you to the right shops and the consistent negative reviews should prevent you from making a terrible mistake.
It is always advisable to buy Canadian diamonds from reputable Canadian jewelers. There is no perfect guarantee that they are error-proof but you can be sure that these diamonds are conflict-free.
What to look out for when buying diamonds in various jewelers’ shops?
- Blood diamonds
- Laboratory produced high-quality diamonds which may look real
- Fractures that are filled with shiny material that looks like diamond
- Forged reports that attest to the quality of the diamond
- Diamonds that are exposed to high temperature and pressure which chip easily
How to ensure that you are buying the right diamonds from the best places?
There is no way of proving that your diamond is conflict free. The Kimberly Process has reduced this vice but the certificates and laser inscriptions are forged using sophisticated technology making it difficult to distinguish the diamonds.
You cannot always trust the jeweler since they are in business and may not even know if they are buying from a credible source.
However, there are good practices that will ensure that you buy high-quality diamonds from the best places. They include:
- Take the diamond to certified independent gemologist appraisers and check if the appraisal agrees with the one on the receipt. If a gemologist appraiser is recommended by the shop you purchased from by wary that they may not be trusted to come up with a true report. Also, avoid an appraiser who sells diamonds due to conflict of interest.
- Consider AGS and GIA certified diamonds. You cannot rely on the IGI, HRD or EGL Certified diamonds since their results tend to have inconsistency in grading.