Buying Diamonds Online

Shopping for diamonds on the Internet can be quite confusing for the lay person. It is not always easy to know if you aregetting the quality that you desire for the price that you are paying.

To begin with look for a jeweler who has a good inventory of certified diamonds. The next step would be to compare your certified diamonds by using the 4C’s grading system – carat, cut, color and clarity. The better each of those four characteristics, the more expensive the diamond will be. If you're on a limited budget, you'll have to prioritize. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) EGL and the Stuller certified diamonds are among the most impressive and well known in the industry and the diamond certified by these bodies is an imperative.

Dig deeply for details – The most important feature about a diamond is its cut – as it determines how brilliant the stone is. A near-colorless diamond is better than a completely colorless one. Be clear about the clarity of the diamond. The most expensive diamonds are almost flawless. When you're buying a diamond across the table, it's relatively easy to compare one diamond with another. But online, all you have to judge a stone's brilliance are its table depth percentage, crown angle, pavilion depth percentage and such features. For this information, ask an experienced jeweler who will give you a fairly good idea of a diamond's cut just by looking at these numbers.

Before you order, ensure that you are dealing with a reputable and reliable merchant. He should have a good return policy with the guarantees and diamond certifications. Although a good online retailer will answer all your queries, the customer support may not necessarily be the same as a conventional retailer. Use a Credit Card to pay as with it you will have some protection there if it isn’t what the dealer says it is. Once you receive the diamond take to a GIA graduate gemologist to have it appraised.