Thanks to the internet, those looking to buy diamonds and other gemstones have more options than ever before. No longer do customers have to go out to a physical jewelry store and face smooth-talking sales folk who may not have their best interests at heart. Instead, they can easily buy online from ecommerce or auction sites on their computer, tablet, or even their smartphone.
There tend to be many more jewelry styles available online too, but the trade-off for all these benefits is that the risk of a bad deal is greater. Diamond shopping online requires buyers to be a lot more informed about what they are purchasing in order to get what they really want and to avoid getting ripped off.
This guide offers some tips to help you purchase diamonds online safely.
- Learn the basics
There is a lot of money changing hands in the diamond market, and like any market where this is the case it attracts ambitious but ignorant types looking for a get-rich-quick deal as well as unscrupulous individuals who love to prey on them. Avoid falling into the former camp by learning your diamond basics before you begin.
Most people start with the four Cs – color, cut, clarity, and carat. This simple method of looking at four key numbers gives you an overview of a diamond’s quality. The clarity and carat indicate how rare it is, while the color and cut give you an idea of how beautiful it looks. However, it is generally recommended that you avoid buying “off the numbers” alone. There is much more to learn.
- Know where to look
Without being able to physically see and feel the diamond you are interested in, you are heavily reliant on the photographs and information the seller provides when shopping online. It is a waste of time to spend hours seeking out the perfect diamond only to find out that the seller is unreliable.
To get an idea of a seller’s trustworthiness and reliability, some things to look at are how long they have been in business, reviews they’ve received, where they are located, their returns policy, shipping method, and generally how helpful and responsive they are.
There is something else that you should look out for when choosing a retailer or diamond auction online – Jewelers Manufacturers Association. This is an organization which was formed in 2018 to cut down on scams and fake gems being sold online. It does this by accrediting trustworthy sellers and helping jewelry manufacturers sell their goods directly to consumers with no middleman in between.
- Use a credit card
Retailers and auction sites choose their own payment methods. If there is no option to pay via credit card, this is a strong red flag. If the option is available, then use it. Most credit card companies will help you to claim your money back if there is a problem with your purchase.
Conclusion
The breadth of choice and sheer convenience of shopping online is hard to beat, but with expensive purchases, it always pays to take precautions and find out all you can about what you are buying first.
Photo by Leah Newhouse:
