If you are looking for discount diamonds, then you are probably looking for loose diamonds. In order to get the best deal on a stone, you should shop online and look through the inventory of buyers, like Abazias, who can offer a large inventory while cutting out the middleman. By buying a loose diamond, you can easily save money on the stone while getting it set at a later date. If you pay in cash, you can raise the savings on your discount diamonds.
The same is true for the ring settings. When you buy the loose stone, you have time to purchase and compare from a wide selection of stones, the same as when you shop for ring settings. You will want to be clear that the ring setting you choose can support and hold your stone securely. You should have a better inventory of settings to look at and the price will also be less without the stone.
At some point, you will have to have the stone and setting put together. You can visit a local jeweler or have it done online. There’s nothing that says you have to set the discount diamonds right away and this allows you time to research and design the perfect diamond engagement ring for your bride. Many people today are opting to buy loose discount diamonds online to make their own custom jewelry. They are finding good deals and getting unique pieces of jewelry too.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Great advice from expert Barry Gutwein
Certification
It is very important that when choosing from a selection of loose diamonds to review the diamond certificate, referred to by diamond grading laboratories as a grading report. This is your assurance that you are getting a diamond that has been graded for color and clarity from an experienced gemologist. Never buy a diamond that does not have this report or has a certificate from a lab with lower color and clarity grading standards.
Some diamond merchants will offer what they term “In house appraisals/certificates” in an attempt to justify the color/clarity grade, as well as the dimensions and characteristics of their loose diamonds. These reports are analogous to the fox guarding the hen-house and will not provide you with any guarantees on the accuracy of the purported diamond color or clarity grades. Additionally,this type of an “appraisal” may very well be inflated causing you to pay higher premiums than is justified.
Independent Grading Laboratories
You should always insist on certified diamonds that have been graded by an independent and unbiased grading lab. This kind of certification is the only way to confirm that you are getting what you paid for with the size, color, clarity, dimensions, and properties of the loose diamonds.
Are all Independent Grading Laboratories Created Equal?
The answer is an emphatic NO!
There are Independent Diamond Grading Laboratories out there whose grading standards, criterion, and competence are lacking. These laboratories are known for routinely grading diamonds at 1-2 Color/Clarity grades higher than actually warranted. You are paying “more” for “less”.