Pitfalls of Buying Diamonds Online

The virtual world has opened up an abundance of options and opportunities for jewelry connoisseurs. When shopping jewelries or gemstones online, you will be spoiled with choices as well as the best available bargains and cheapest deals. The Internet has turned out to be a windfall for buyers who want to combine the best of both worlds – superior quality and incredibly discounted deals.

Unfortunately, crooks of the world have understood this buyer sentiment and have cast their net online to bait the unsuspecting consumers. There are numerous instances of online jewelry scams where the customer has been duped with substandard jewelries or loose diamonds costing them in thousands.

No shortcut with Diamonds

If you are buying diamond jewelry and especially loose diamonds – the realm of internet has been promising the best of deals. Diamonds are actually available online at an economical rate compared to offline retailers. However, diamonds can never be too cheap online when compared to the universally approved wholesale cost for each diamond. If you come across any diamond that is drastically cheaper than the market rate, stay away.

Diamond engagement rings and sensational online scams

Now that you have decided to pop the big question, the hunt for that exquisite diamond engagement ring has begun. Obviously, the online diamond sellers are your go to option in contrast with traditional jewelry showrooms. You have to read the fine print when buying diamond online. There are many diamonds which are labeled ‘100 per cent natural genuine diamond’, certifying the fact that these diamonds have not been crafted in a laboratory – but they are ‘clarity enhanced’. Please note that clarity enhancement is a superficial technique where a diamond undergoes laser treatment followed by a filling of clear polymers to remove the darker ugly imperfections from its surface and create a completely flawless diamond.

The entire process of clarity enhancement may not be termed as synthetic and lab-created, but it stands testament to the fact that the original diamond when was not of superior quality.

Unreliable diamond certification

In the jewelry and particularly in diamond industry, there are only few trustworthy grading laboratories. Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most respected and oldest gemological lab in the world. American Gemological Society (AGS) comes a close second as a grading lab. International Gemological Institute (IGI) is little less strict than these two labs, but has a reputation for its relative integrity and consistency.

There are hundreds of other grading labs in the market that solely exist for the purpose of making money. They ultimately swindle customers by offering diamond jewelers and dealers inflated grading as every single upgrade in clarity and color translates into thousands of dollars in a particular diamond. A no-name certificate provided by your online jeweler is merely used to imitate a mark of credibility for an otherwise counterfeit diamond listing.

The online scammers thrive because most buyers refrain from doing requisite research. Researching your options and educating yourself about the 4Cs will stand you in good stead when buying jewelry and diamond online.