The diamond market is tricky, competitive and complex. Why is that so? Simply because you may just have bought a large, sparkling pure grown diamond which is certified and authenticated, but there are chances that you ended up buying a blood diamond, one with a poor cut quality and from an unauthorized dealer.
Buying lab manufactured diamonds is a big investment. It is therefore an exciting occasion. While some of us have the basic knowledge about diamonds, majority of consumers know little about how to purchase diamonds. There are a lot of aspects that one should consider when buying diamonds: its physical appearance, intrinsic properties, the seller, the origin, the supply chain and certifications. Here are the most common mistakes that consumers make when buying lab diamonds.
Having the basic understanding of the 4 Cs of diamonds is an advantage when buying your pure grown diamonds. The 4 Cs are important features of the diamond that give it its quality, sparkle and radiance. You will further understand the importance of having knowledge about the 4 Cs when it comes to the grading certification that comes with your pure grown diamonds. Diamonds differ in cut, color, carat and clarity, the 4 Cs, which determines its price among other features. Here’s how the 4 Cs are important in a diamond:
Cut: Every diamond is a pattern of light. Cut is the most important factor in diamonds, because that is what gives it the ability to disperse light. The cut is what reflects luminous light, brightness, dispersion, contrast and scintillation.
Clarity: A diamond’s radiance is the result of its flawlessness. Clarity measures diamond flaws, called inclusions, which might appear as tiny spots, clouds, or cavities. Diamonds that are free of inclusions are categorized as FL or flawless.
Color: Colorlessness is a quality. Color is graded by letters ranging from D to Z, starting with D for most rare and colorless diamonds, which are considered the best.
Carat: Carat is a weight and size measurement. A 1-carat diamond weighs 200 milligrams. But there’s no ideal size for a diamond. It depends on budget and taste. Small diamonds are less expensive than larger diamonds.
Every lab manufactured diamond should be graded and certified by certification institutes. IGI (International Gemological Institute) is one such institution.
These certificates protect buyers and sellers of lab manufactured diamonds by setting and maintaining the standards used to evaluate the quality of the diamonds. Consumers can be assured and confident about their purchase when certificates accompany their diamonds. The certificates carry accurate grading of the lab diamonds based on the 4 Cs.
Consumers must insist on the certification when buying their diamonds. Sellers must make sure that they provide a certificate when selling a diamond. Obtaining a certificate enables transparency, confidence and trust between buyers and sellers and authentication. In many cases, even if the lab diamond has a certificate, it is important to buy the diamond from an accredited seller who can verify the accuracy of the certificate.
One of the biggest mistakes that consumers make is buying diamonds without doing research. Buyers should first research and make a note of their requirements. They should have some idea about the size, shape and carat weight that they are looking for. Rushing into buying the first diamond that you like is a wrong approach of buying diamonds. Mark out some clear parameters such as your budget and style of diamond that you would like to buy. For example, you can buy a slightly larger pure grown diamond for a given amount in exchange for a slight reduction in color or clarity of the stone, if color and clarity aren’t priorities for you, but size is.
But why is it important to do enough research? Doing research is more important because there are a number of lab manufactured diamond sellers; the market is competitive, as well as there are different kinds of lab manufactured diamonds available in the market. If you are a socially and environmentally conscious consumer, you sure do not want to end up with a conflict diamond on your finger ring. Your chances of getting cheated are higher if you do not do your research.
By now consumers are aware of the unethical practices surrounding the diamond industry. Blood diamonds and conflict diamonds came to light in the late 1990s with theconflict in Sierra Leone. It is only since 2000 that NGOs and governments have worked to eradicate conflict diamonds totally.
Reports reveal that 99% of mined diamonds are blood-free diamonds. However, even 1% conflict diamonds in the market account for a large number. Conscious consumers want to make sure that they aren’t buying unethical diamonds and want to know the origin of the diamonds. Most consumers prefer to buy pure-grown diamonds. All pure-grown diamonds are certified real diamonds and are marked as Lab Grown. When buying diamonds, it is important to make sure that the origin of the diamonds is known to you.
A well-established diamond seller, a company that has been in the business for a decent number of years, a diamond seller who is experienced and knows the stones are definitely better choices compared to buying your sparklers from a seller who is totally new in the market.
Check the credentials and history of the lab diamond seller that you’re considering to buy your diamond from. Buying from unethical diamond sellers and brands can be dangerous. You could be cheated, misguided and mislead. A number of lab manufactured diamond sellers are opting to produce and sell lab diamonds. Hence, there are no middlemen. When you purchase pure-grown diamonds from the producer itself, you can be assured of the real source and authenticity.
When you go to a jewelry store, most probably the store will be brightly lit with yellow or white lights. This bright light will make your pure grown diamond sparkle because it is reflecting that light. The best thing to do is to look at your diamond in natural light and examine if it is sparkling enough for your choice.
Different diamond grading laboratories set their own standards for grading diamonds. There are certain reputed diamond grading institutes such as the International Gemological Institution (IGI) and Gem andGem Certification & Assurance Lab, Inc (GCAL), that are certified and qualified and use the true value for grading diamonds. It is advisable to buy lab grown diamonds only if they carry certificates from these reputed agencies. These institutes certify both mined and lab manufactured diamonds.
It is rarely possible to sell real diamonds at big discounts. The value of diamonds cannot go down with seasonal sales, festivals, or a different place. If you are thinking of buying diamonds at discounted rates, you probably are buying poor quality diamonds. The market for fake diamonds is huge and chances are that unethical diamond sellers will try to sell fake diamonds at the price of real diamonds, but with a discount. You do not want to fall into that trap, hence avoid such diamonds.
Now that you have read these common mistakes, you might feel that buying diamonds is scary and complex, but you also know what mistakes to avoid and what things to keep in mind.
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