Buying a Diamond

Buying a diamond can be confusing with all the different grading systems out there. In fact it is probably one of the blindest decisions you will ever make. When you buy a house, you can have an inspector report its condition. When you buy a car or some other product, you can check with consumer reports. But when it comes to buying a diamond, not many customers walk around with a gemologist in their back pocket. So when buying a diamond, you need to know more then just the four C's: CARAT, COLOR, CLARITY, AND CUT- you need to know what these words mean. I've always said that there is a fifth "C" and that is CONFIDENCE! If you don't have confidence in the jeweler, then the other C's don't mean a thing. If you stop in at Mitchell's Jewelers Ltd. we take the time to show you under a microscope what to look for in a quality diamond.

Things to look out for when buying a diamond

Ask if the jeweler has a microscope to view the diamond. Never buy a diamond without looking at it under a microscope!

Make sure that the jewelry store has a qualified person to explain diamond grading to you.

See if the quality grades are marked right on the price tags, and ask what type of grading method the use (GIA or otherwise).

When buying a marquise, oval, pear, or a heart shape cut diamond look to see if you can see a bow-tie effect. This is a dark area that looks like a bow-tie in the middle of the diamond that is not reflecting light. An obvious bow-tie effect is a sign of a poor cut.

When buying a loose diamond, always look at it under a microscope before and after it is set into prongs.

See how much time a jeweler is willing to spend educating you on diamond grades.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The more informed you are the better customer you are.

Ask what the return policy is (refund or exchanged).

Remember when it comes to buying anything, there are always going to be honest companies and there will be dishonest companies. The sad part is that the old rule of buyer beware will always be true.