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Purchasing Diamonds Online |
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Considering the abundant potential for fraud concerning diamonds,
purchasing a diamond online seems so risky as to be nearly unthinkable.
However, given enough knowledge and caution it is entirely possible to
purchase diamonds online without significant risk.
The first thing
to think about is the reason for wanting to purchase the diamond online
rather than making the purchase from a local jewelry store. Price is the
most common reason. Online jewelers and wholesalers are able to offer
lower prices because the lack of a storefront lowers overhead costs. It
is, however, important to be careful--a price that is too good to be true
is likely to be.
The big advantage of shopping for diamonds online
is the nearly unlimited selection. When shopping offline, the selection
within the local stores represents a significant limitation. But to
reiterate, a great deal of care and consideration must be taken before
handing money over to someone that cannot be seen, met, or verified.
It
is critical to learn as much as possible about diamonds before shopping,
especially cut, color, clarity and carat weights. Con artists find it far
more difficult to rip off someone knowledgeable about diamonds. Once
knowledgeable about diamonds, it will be safe to start shopping.
Equally
important is to maintain patience while shopping. Don't purchase the first
diamond that seems right or interesting. Instead, look for comparable
diamonds for sale. This permits each deal to be examined, weighed, and
analyzed in comparison to the others to find the lowest price, or best
deal. Once the best deal is found the investigation can begin. Simply
having learned about diamonds and finding a diamond that fits the bill at
the best deal isn't enough.
Check out the seller's credentials,
looking for details such as which (if any) professional jewelry
associations they belong to. Read and print out a hardcopy the seller's
refund, return, and upgrade policies. Also inquire about additional
services, such as settings and mountings, sizing, and free shipping.
Conduct a thorough Internet search for customer reviews on this particular
company. Especially make sure to check with the Better Business Bureau
Online to determine if there have been any complaints filed against the
company.
Always request a diamond grading report from an
independent laboratory such as GIA, EGL, HRD, or AGS. It's important to
get this verification before making a purchase. Finally, if there is any
doubt or the purchase will involve a high dollar amount, use a reputable
escrow service, ideally one that will have the diamond appraised while it
is in their possession. This way the diamond and the payment are sent to
the escrow service, who then verifies the diamond matches the claims the
online seller made before sending the diamond to the buyer and the money
to the seller. This is the surest way to guarantee the financial safety of
both parties. It should go without saying to be certain that a reputable
escrow service is used.
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