How to Buy a Better Diamond for Less

This is a guest post by Randall Wagner. Randall is the Founder and President of GemEx Systems, Inc., a diamond grading system available at select diamond retailers nationwide.

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We’ve all heard the slogans: “Every Kiss Begins with Kay” and “He Got It at Jared” and many more. With so many stores and advertisements, buying a diamond can be confusing.

We’re entering the busiest diamond buying season of the year, so it’s more important now than ever to know what to look for when hitting the stores this season.

Here’s a list of five quick tips that can help you get a better diamond for less. These tips hold true whether you’re shopping for yourself, a friend, or even if you’re weighing in on the ring decision of someone popping the big question.

1. Know what’s important to you. Keep in mind bigger is not always better – 92% of people would rather have a diamond that sparkles than a larger duller diamond! Purchasing a .95 carat ring instead of a 1 carat ring can save someone nearly $1,000!
2. Do your research and learn about different diamond grading systems before going into the jewelry store. You might know that the 4Cs stand for color, cut, clarity and carat weight. But they only measure the rarity of a diamond, and do not tell how well a diamond will sparkle. Many stores use an additional grading system that measures a diamond’s brilliance.
3. Don’t base your decision on the way the diamond looks in the store case. Jewelry stores are designed to be extremely well lit, any diamond can shine and sparkle in this artificial setting. But what will a diamond look like in everyday situations?
4. When you’re buying a diamond, ask to see a copy of the report on the diamond’s light performance. Don’t be fooled when you’re shopping. Just because a diamond is considered rare, does not mean that it is brilliant.
5. Make sure you are buying a quality diamond from a reputable jeweler with independent beauty certification. There are many different retail outlets for buying a diamond. Anyone can offer a low price on a dull diamond, so shop at a store you know and trust. This will most likely place you in the store of a national chain, but there are some local reliable family run jewelry stores too.

Overall, look for the beauty of the diamond, not the rarity or color, clarity and etc. Shop by the light performance, you can ensure that you’ll go home with a beautiful, perfect diamond.