diamond buying guidelines

Buying a diamond ring online doesn’t need to be a daunting task! But it’s important to follow a few steps to make sure you get a great diamond from a reputable seller. 

  • Reputable Jeweller
    Make sure that you are buying from a jeweller that is a member of the Jewellers Association of Australia. This is a regulating body that binds all its members to moral selling regulations.
  • Know Your Budget
    Think about how much money you can spend before you start looking. This will help you find a ring you like and can afford.
  • Buy based in the 4 C’s
    There are lots of things to think about when you pick out a diamond, like how big it is, what shape it is, and what colour and how clear it is. Learn about the 4C’s of diamonds and decide which ones are most important to you.
  • Take Your Time
    Start looking at diamond rings that fit your budget and the diamond you want. There are lots of options, so take your time to find the perfect one for you.
  • GIA Certified
    Make sure the diamond you like has a certificate from GIA. That means experts checked it out and graded it.
  • Quality Control
    When the ring gets to you, look at it really carefully to make sure it’s just like the seller said. If you notice any problems, contact the seller right away to start the return process.

Are you buying a genuine diamond?

Take heed of these obvious signs and take your business elsewhere if:

  • the salesperson offers you a huge discount on the stated value of the stone.
  • their diamonds are being offered at prices that are just too cheap to be true.
  • they can’t produce reliable certification when asked.
  • they could not produce what’s promised in their advertising material in the shop.

Are they conflict diamonds?

In 2006, a movie called “Blood Diamond” starring Leonardo DiCaprio brought to the public conscience, how diamonds have been used to fund wars and human rights abuses in countries like Angola, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sadly, about 3.7 million people died in those wars. Today, conflict diamonds from Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire are still being sold on the international diamond market.

Conflict-free diamonds are defined as diamonds that are ethically sourced and mined in a way that does not involve human rights abuses, child labour, or funding of armed conflicts.

A certification system called the Kimberly Process was created in 2003 to prevent conflict diamonds from being sold. It ensures that diamonds are tracked from their origin to the market to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds. Fortunately, Australia participates in this scheme. So when Australians buy diamonds, they can be sure they are not supporting human rights abuses and wars and are supporting ethical and sustainable diamond mining practices

What are the four Cs in buying a diamond?

The “Four Cs” is a fancy name that people use when they talk about buying diamonds. It’s like a secret code that can help you decide if the diamond you want to buy is really worth the money you’re paying for it.

Carat

Do you know what a “carat” means when it comes to diamonds? Well, it’s actually a unit of weight used to measure precious stones and pearls. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams and is divided into 100 points. Even the tiniest difference in weight, like 0.99 carat compared to 1 carat, can make a huge difference in the value of the diamond – even though you can’t see the difference with your eyes!

But, you should know that the size of the diamond isn’t the only thing that determines its value. Sometimes, a smaller diamond of higher quality can actually be worth more than a larger diamond of lesser quality. So, don’t just focus on the size of the diamond, okay?

Cut

When people talk about the “cut” of a diamond, they are talking about the shape that the diamond has been cut into. There are lots of different shapes, but the three most popular are round brilliant, oval, and emerald. When you’re shopping for a diamond online make sure that you watch the video of the diamonds so that you see it from all angles. The way a diamond is cut affects how sparkly it is, so you should look for a high-quality cut and a smooth finish to get the most brilliant sparkle possible.

Clarity

Diamonds are an extremely special stone because they were formed in the earth under extreme pressure and heat for millions of years. But because of that, most diamonds have “birthmarks” or tiny flaws and foreign materials called “inclusions”. Clarity is the word used to describe how clear a diamond is and if it has any inclusions. Don’t worry though, most of these inclusions are so tiny you can’t even see them without a microscope!

Diamonds are graded on their clarity, and there are different systems for this. The highest grade is flawless, which means no inclusions at all. The grading goes down from there to VS1 (very slightly included) and then to inclusions that you can see with your naked eye, which are called I3 or P3. The fewer the inclusions, the higher the grade and the more expensive the diamond will be.

Colour

Diamonds can be found in different colours, but the most valuable ones are colourless. If a diamond has a yellow tint, it’s not as valuable and might be cheaper. The more clear and colourless the diamond is, the more valuable it is.

To determine the colour of a diamond, the diamond industry uses the GIA diamond colour scale. The scale starts with D, which means exceptional white and goes up to Z, which means tinted, usually yellow and sometimes brown. Any diamond on this scale from D to Z is considered white.