How Diamond Prices Are Determined

Pricing most products is quite easy.
Determine how much it costs to make the
item, how much it costs to market that item,
and then mark it up by 15 – 30% or more.
Simple, right? Well, pricing diamonds isn’t
quite that simple. There are many factors
that are considered when diamonds are
priced.

Diamond prices are determined first by
adding the cost of the rough diamond, the
cost of cutting the diamond, and all other
costs necessary to turn the rough diamond
into a marketable diamond. Depending on
the importance of the diamond, an
independent company may be called in to
certify the grade of the diamond based on
color, cut, clarity, and weight.

At this point, the diamond becomes more
expensive each time it changes hands, until
it finally reaches a retailer, where the price is
raised a bit more. Before reaching the
retailer, however, the diamond must travel
from the mine, to the cutter and polisher, to
the independent grading company, and
then to the Primary market. Once it has
reached the primary market, it will be
purchased by diamond dealers and
wholesalers, and from there it will be sold
to retailers.

As you can see, the earlier you can purchase
a diamond in the process, the lower the cost
of the diamond will be – but not the value.
The value is based on what the diamond will
sell for in the market place – through a retailer.

If you own a diamond, and you have no idea
how much it is worth, you can have it
appraised, but the appraisal may not be
accurate. You will be better off obtaining a
certificate through GIA – Gemological Institute
of America. With the information on this
certificate, you can use a cutter’s guide to
accurately determine what your diamond is
worth.

There are also many diamond price
calculators available. These can be found
on the Internet, and many diamond dealers
use these as well. You must realize, however,
that before you can accurately price a
diamond, without a Diamond Grade Report,
you need to know quite a bit about diamonds,
such as different cuts, clarity, color, and weight
– and how each of those aspects adds to the
value of a diamond, or decreases the value of
the diamond as the case may be.

Again, you will be better off if you get a
Diamond Grading Report on the diamond,
and use that information to look up the price
in one of the guides that the diamond cutting
industry uses. This will give you the most
accurate value of the diamond in your
possession, or of the diamond you are
considering purchasing.

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

There is much to consider when purchasing
a diamond – especially diamond
engagement rings! The tradition of
presenting a woman with a diamond
engagement ring when proposing began in
1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented
a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and
in most cases, the woman you plan to
propose to will expect a ring to accompany
that proposal!

First, determine how much ring you can
afford. Most people use the ‘two months
salary’ rule. This means that the ring should
cost the equivalent of two months of your
current salary. Because you have other bills
to pay, saving up this amount of money may
take quite a bit of time. You should consider
financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your
choice and tell them that you plan to buy an
engagement ring, and that financing will be
necessary. Go ahead and get the credit
check out of the way, find out what your
payments will be, and how much of a down
payment is required.

Now, have your mother, sister, or your
girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend
shopping, and make sure that they gaze at
the engagement rings to get an idea of what
she might like. Make sure that the jewelry
store you buy the ring from will allow you to
return the ring, if that is required, or allow
your girlfriend to exchange it for another if
she isn’t happy with it!

How to Care for Your Diamond

Caring for a diamond takes more than
occasional cleanings. Diamonds are forever,
but they can be damaged if you are not
careful. By learning how to properly care for
your diamond, you will ensure that your
diamond is indeed forever.

First, you should take your diamond jewelry
to a jeweler once a year. Have him check the
mountings and prongs that hold your
diamond in place. Have him make any
needed repairs. This will prevent your
diamond from falling out of its setting and
becoming lost.

Diamond jewelry that is not being worn, or
diamonds that are loose should be stored in
a fabric lined jewel case, or in a jewelry box
where it can be kept separate from other
jewelry. Each piece should have its own
compartment. This will keep diamonds from
becoming scratched, and it will also keep
your diamond from scratching other jewelry
as well.

Remove your diamond jewelry when doing
physical work. Diamonds can be chipped
and scratched easily. Also avoid allowing
your diamond to come into contact with
bleach or other household cleansers – this
can damage or change the color of the
settings and mountings, and it may even
irreversibly change the color of the
diamond!

How to Clean your Diamonds

Through our day to day movements our
diamonds get smudged and soiled.  Even
when we are not wearing them, they collect
dust.  Lotions, soaps, our natural skin oils,
can cause film and grime on diamonds
and inhibit their brilliance.

Want to keep that Brilliance and Shine?
Diamonds require cleaning so that maximum
amounts of light can refract fiery brilliance.
Remember that all it takes is a few minutes
and a little care to keep that diamond as fiery
as the day you first saw it.

You can use an small soft brush such as an
eyebrow or lip stick brush and soap and
water to clean your jewelry.  Simply make a
bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild
detergent and place your pieces in the
mixture.  Then brush the diamonds with the
soft bristles of the brush while they are in
the suds.  You will need to make certain that
you rinse them clear of the suds after
cleaning them.  You can use a small kitchen
strainer such as a tea strainer to contain
them while rinsing under warm water.  Use
a lint free cloth, or a jewelry polish cloth to
pat them dry.

If your diamonds are in need of a stronger
cleansing, you may want to soak them for 30
minutes in a solution of half and half water and
ammonia.  Once they have soaked for 30
minutes, remove them and gently brush the
mountings with a small brush.  Then replace
the pieces to the solution and swish them
around in the mixture before removing them
to rinse and pat dry.

If you find your self too busy to be mixing
soaps and ammonias, many department
stores sell liquid jewelry cleaners.  Most are
kits, with everything you need included.  You
need to read the labels to determine the one
that is right for your diamonds and other
jewelry. Read the complete directions and
follow all the precautions.

And if you find yourself more the
“high-tech type”, even in your diamond
cleaning routine, there are multiple ultrasonic
cleansers on the market.  These machines
use high-frequency to create a cleaning motion.
All machines are not the same, so please read
the instructions before using.

Only you can choose the cleaning method
right for you.   But, it is essential to keep
your jewelry clean to keep it brilliant and
sparkling.  Between cleaning, try not to touch
your clean diamonds with your fingers or
handle your jewelry by its edges. This will
help maintain its shine and brilliance for
longer periods.

How to Sell A Diamond

There are many reasons why you may want
to sell a diamond that you own. Perhaps
you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped
for cash. The reasons why don’t really matter
– getting the best possible price is what
counts! The way to obtain the best price
for the diamond is to not be in a rush. Slow
down, and carefully consider all of your
options – there are many.

First, have the diamond appraised. In fact,
have it appraised by two or three jewelers to
get an accurate idea of the diamonds value.
Tell the appraiser that you want the Rapaport
Value. This is the wholesale value of the
diamond, and it basically tells you the highest
price that you can sell your diamond for. If your
diamond has no certificate, you should
consider getting a certificate from GIA. This
may help you get a better price for the
diamond as well.

First, try to sell the diamond yourself, to
people you know. Friends and family
members may be interested. If you don’t have
any luck with friends or family members, you
should turn to outside sources. Absolutely
avoid pawn shops! A pawn shop will only offer
you about 10% of what the diamond is worth!
Also avoid offers of selling the ring on
consignment. There are many things that
can go wrong, and there is no shortage of
diamond scams – even in well known
jewelry stores.

If the diamond is important, you should
strongly consider auctioning it off through
one of the famous auction houses, such as
Christie’s or Sotheby’s. If it isn’t what is
considered an ‘important’ diamond or a
high-end diamond, you should try to sell it
to an individual using classified ads, or even
eBay. However, selling to an individual that
you do not know could put you in danger –
especially if the diamond is worth a lot of
money.

Your final option should be a jewelry store. It
is vital that you not let your diamond out of
your sight while in the jewelry store – you
might find that the diamond you walked in
with is not the same diamond that you walk
out with! The jeweler will try to tell you that
your diamond is of poor quality or low
weight. Inevitably, there will be some
problem with the diamond. This is where
your appraisal and/or certificate will come
in handy.

If the jeweler is fair, they will offer you
between 60% and 80% of the value of the
Rapaport Value. Do not accept anything less
than this. Again, do not let the diamond out of
your sight until you have been paid for it.

Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought,
planning, and shopping around. Diamond
insurance isn’t like purchasing car insurance.
It is quite different. Depending on the state
that you live in, there are basically three
different types of policies that will cover
diamonds, and all insurance policies that
cover diamonds are considered Marine
type policies.

The first type of insurance policies for
diamonds is an Actual Cash Value policy.
If the diamond is lost or damaged beyond
repair, the insurance company will replace
the diamond at today’s market value, no
matter how much you paid for the diamond
to begin with. This type of insurance policy
for diamonds actually is not that common.

The most common type of insurance for
diamonds is Replacement Value insurance.
The insurance company will only pay up to a
fixed amount to replace the diamond that was
lost or damaged beyond repair. This does not
mean that they will pay that amount – it means
that they will pay up to that amount. In most
cases, the diamond can be replaced at a
lower cost.

The third type of coverage offered for
diamonds is Agreed Value. This is
sometimes called ‘Valued At.’ This type of
coverage is very rare. In the event that the
diamond is lost or damaged beyond repair,
the insurance company simply pays you the
amount that you and the company agreed
upon. This is the best type of insurance to
have, but it is rarely offered. If you can’t get
Agreed Value coverage, Actual Cash Value
coverage should be your next choice.

Your rates will be determined by the value of
the diamond, the type of coverage that you
select, and the area that you live in. If you live
in an area with a high crime rate, you can
expect to pay more for your diamond
insurance coverage. It is important to
remember that insurance agents are not
qualified jewelers, and jewelers are not
qualified insurance agents. It is best to get
a certificate for your diamond, and to
provide the insurance company with a copy
of that certificate. This leaves the insurance
company less room for arguments over the
actual value of the diamond.

Don’t rely on separate coverage to cover
your diamond. For instance, if you diamond
is stolen from your home, it is probably
covered on your home owner’s insurance
policy – but the diamond probably won’t
always be in your home, and once it leaves
your home, there is no coverage.

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

In this world of advanced technology it is
almost impossible to simply look at a
diamond and determine whether it is real or
not – especially if you don’t know much
about diamonds. There are some steps that
you can take to avoid buying a fake diamond,
however.

First, only deal with reputable jewelers, and
when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with
them. Avoid buying diamonds or other
jewelry from jewelers that you have never
dealt with before in the past. Ask to see the
certificate for the stone. If no certificate exists,
walk away.

Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake
diamonds, such as zirconias, are usually set
in low quality metals. Take a close look at the
stone. Fake diamonds are not durable –
natural diamonds, on the other hand, are the
most durable stone on the planet. Look for
scratches or nicks.

After purchasing a diamond, take it to
another jeweler for appraisal. In fact, take it
to two or three other jewelers for an appraisal
to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly
close. If you find that you have purchased a
fake diamond, you may be accused of
making a switch when you return to the store
of your purchase; therefore, it is important to
have a certificate for the diamond. No two
stones are alike.

Selecting Diamonds

Diamonds are graded for certification by
laboratories using grading criteria. Four of
these criteria are critical to understand when
making a diamond purchase or investment.
Known as the “Four C’s” these criteria are:
color, cut, clarity and carat.

Color is the result of the composition of a
diamond and it does not change. When a
jeweler is describing the color of a diamond
they are referring to the presence or absence
of color in white diamonds. Because a
diamond with no color allows maximum light
to pass through, colorless diamonds are
preferred for their sparkle.

Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality.
Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The
brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent
on the cut. The different angles and the finish
of a diamond determine its ability to reflect
light and cause its brilliance and fire.
Remember that the cut of a diamond can
have an impact on its durability as well as its
beauty. Some cutting faults can make a
diamond prone to breakage. A diamond
that is cut too thin can also cause light to
leak out of the back and the diamond will
lose some of the sparkle and appear not
to shine. So, as you can see the Cut is
probably the most important of the Four C’s.

During the formation process, inner flaws, or
inclusions occur in most diamonds. The
number and size of these inclusions
determine what is referred to as the clarity
of a diamond. Diamonds that are clear
create more brilliance and therefore are rarer
and highly priced. To be considered
“flawless”, a diamond must have no surface
or internal imperfections visible upon being
viewed by a skilled diamond grader using
10 power magnifications.

Carat is the unit of weight by which diamonds
are measured. One carat is equal to 200
milligrams. A carat is divided into 100
segments called points. 150 points would
equal one and a half carats.

When you go to the store to make that all
important diamond purchase, do not be shy!
Ask questions, get the answers needed to
make an informed purchase. Shopping for
certified diamonds enables you to make an
informed selection. Knowing the “four C’s”
allows you to comparison shop and purchase
the best diamond at a fair price.  But, before
making a purchase, shop around and decide
what shapes and styles really appeal to you.
Enjoy your diamond for years to come!

Some people are concerned at buying expensive purchases online. However, the trend in purchasing is by far toward more online purchasing and less in-house buys. We believe this is a good thing for most consumers.

Of course there are potential for scams concerning diamonds, and buying diamonds online is not something some people even consider. But yes, in fact many many thousands of people do actually acquire diamonds online without any problem whatsoever. But we also want to make sure you’re careful. So beware of simple things like sizing in addition to other issues such as worrying about reputable sites.

Here is one of the major perks to online buying – due to low overhead costs, online jewelers can offer lower prices. Be careful, though. Sometimes
a price that is too low is a sure indication of a scam. Remember the old adage: if it sounds too good to be true, it might just be.

Diamonds are forever, so don’t be afraid to pay a little more than you might want. You will thank yourself later! It will save you a lot in buying an embarrassing replacement!

One of the best things about purchasing online is the unlimited selection. This is why we developed our site like a storefront window for many purchasers. It is fun!

When you shop offline in the ‘real world’, you are limited to the selection in the stores in your area.

Online, there are very few limits. What a delight!

So enjoy our site and take your time. Find a diamond that you love, and don’t fuss about finding the lowest price – the market has a way of equating itself without you needing to barter.

If you’d like, you could always ask for a diamond grading report from an independent laboratory such as GIA, HRD, EGL or AGS. You should see this before
making a purchase. Finally, use a reputable escrow service for high dollar diamonds – preferably one that will appraise the diamond.

Here’s how that works: The seller sends the diamond to the escrow service, and you send the money to pay for the diamond to the escrow service. The escrow service has the diamond appraised, sends the diamond to you, and sends the money to the seller. This is the surest way to protect yourself…again, make sure that you use a reputable escrow service. All of the dealers we provide links to are highly successful and very reputable.

Synthetic Diamonds

The first synthetic diamonds were produced
by General Electric in 1954. A synthetic
diamond is basically a rock that has the
durability, refractive index and hardness of
a natural diamond – but it is made by man.
A synthetic diamond should not be
confused with stimulant diamonds, such as
glass, cubic zirconia, or moissanite.

Although the technology for synthetic
diamonds came into play in 1954, no
synthetic diamonds were ever seen on the
market until the 1990’s. This was due to the
fact that it took many years for General
Electric to produce a synthetic diamond that
could compare with the quality of a natural
diamond – and when they figured out how to
do it, they found that it cost more to produce
a synthetic diamond than it did to mine and
cut natural diamonds.

Finally, a small company by the name of
Gemesis Corporation figured out a way to
produce synthetic diamonds that were of the
same quality as natural diamonds, at a
cheaper price. Today, Gemesis produces
synthetic white diamonds, and colored
diamonds as well. These diamonds sell for
about 1/3 of the cost of a natural diamond,
but there is a shortage of them, and they are
hard to find. In fact, it seems that synthetic
diamonds are rarer than natural diamonds!