Diamond Buying Mistakes: What & How to Avoid

There are different levels of expertise among diamond shoppers, and we know that.

You should conduct sufficient research before buying diamonds to ensure that you get the best value, and if you aren't careful, you can fall into one or more pitfalls.

One of the biggest mistakes when buying diamonds is to be misled about the quality of the cut. Because cut is more difficult to define than color or clarity, it is often overlooked or misrepresented. What else should you be looking for when making such an investment?

Listed below are some common diamond buying mistakes and how to avoid them on your quest for the perfect one.

It is valuable to have a basic understanding of diamonds before making a purchase. Neglecting diamond education is typically your first diamond buying mistake.

To get a good idea, you can become familiar with the same grading systems as professional jewelers and gemologists. You should choose a diamond that has been certified by a reliable and highly accurate grading laboratory, in order to ensure that the diamond lives up to the grades it has obtained.

Ask to see a copy of the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or AGSL (American Gem Society Laboratories) Grading Report for any diamond you are considering.

There are many labs operating in the market but they are not all created equal. Accuracy and trust are essential for an important diamond purchase. Inflated grades make the retailer look good, and only gives you the impression you're getting a deal. In addition, synthetics and treated diamonds are common in the market so it is crucial that you know exactly what you are buying.

For more information on specific gem labs please see our page on diamond certification laboratories. Do not purchase from a jeweler who is unwilling or unable to show you the certificate for a diamond prior to purchase.

Provided that you are looking at a certified diamond, your next step is applying The Four C’s. This is where personal preference and budget will come into play, but here is our advice for conducting your inspection.

In order to determine the value of a diamond, there are four main factors to consider. To make an accurate diamond assessment and avoid buying something not worth your emotion or money, you have to know all four C's: Clarity, Color, Carat Weight, and Cut. GIA states that the quality of the Cut is the most important factor determining diamond beauty.

In-depth laboratory analyses of diamonds are carried out by organizations like the American Gemological Society (AGS) and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), while even the novice can easily understand the importance of 4C’s.

Most buyers are influenced to select diamonds of the highest color or clarity grade. When it comes to diamonds, diamonds ranging from D-F are considered “colorless”. The next grouping from G-J are considered “near colorless” and will generally appear white to the naked eye. So as long as you stay between these grades, color is optional depending on your taste and budget.

Mounted diamonds can often conceal flaws, cracks, and chips. Additionally, mountings usually reflect light into the diamond, which makes it difficult for anyone but a reputable jeweler to determine the stone's true clarity or color.

Unless the diamond is certified by the GIA, always inspect it loose (preferably with a magnifier) before buying it.

Due to their higher price per carat, precision cut diamonds are seldom found in traditional brick-and-mortar jewelry stores. As a result of their lower cost, easier inventory management, and ability to sell for a lower price, less well-cut diamonds have a great deal of incentive to be carried by jewelers.

Deep cut diamonds carry more carat weight in their depth rather than their width. It is possible to purchase a 1.00 carat diamond that appears to be .90 carat due to its excessively deep cut, if you’re not vigilant.

Two or three diamonds with various cutting qualities will likely be shown to you by an in store salesperson so that the ‘best’ diamond can be sold. Even though you may choose the most attractive option, it does not necessarily mean it is a well-cut diamond. Basically, it's the best of what's available there right now.

Do not be swayed by promises of icy diamonds or superior clarity - this is something you can easily compromise on. Prioritizing the diamond's cut is always the best choice.

A CUT ABOVE® is our signature line of Super Ideal diamonds. Among them are Princess cut and Round Hearts & Arrows diamonds with optimal alignment of all facets for unparalleled light performance, fire and brilliance. A CUT ABOVE® diamonds are internationally recognized as among the finest diamonds available anywhere.

Their ultra-strict specifications and qualifications ensure only the highest quality diamonds achieve this renowned brand.

If you have never done this before, we understand it might feel more familiar to head to a physical store. But this is not necessarily your best option. Traditional jewelry stores carry a much higher mark-up on diamonds than do online retailers. It is common to find poorly cut diamonds in jewelry stores since they are less expensive per carat.

Lights in jewelry stores are designed to make diamonds look their best (for instance, specialized lighting emitting a blue spectrum makes yellow diamonds appear whiter).

It is a good idea to ask to see any diamond in normal lighting, meaning out of the spotlights, before making a decision.

There are several options for showcasing diamonds outside the showroom area, including skylights, atriums, windows or direct sunlight. Seeing how your diamond appears under these conditions is crucial since this will be the norm once you own it. The stone is not considered eye-clean if there are any inclusions visible without magnification.

If you prefer an in-store experience, we welcome you to visit our Houston jewelry store, just 15 minutes southwest of the Galleria shopping center in nearby Sugar Land.

The same personal service is available on our Chat Now feature, over the phone, and by email as well.

Make sure you choose the right diamond based on your budget and preferences by working with one of our qualified diamond specialists. As part of each free consultation, we'll show you diamonds based on your priorities and budgets. We can help you choose a fabulous diamond and create the ring of your dreams.

You should always be wary of offers that seem too good to be true - they usually are - especially with diamonds. Diamonds are priced that way for a reason. They are valuable commodities and no high quality diamond is cheap.

There should be no drastic difference in price between diamonds of the same grading in different countries or stores. Some jewelers markup prices just to create the appearance of a great deal by slashing them.

Anybody can sell a diamond. No qualifications are required. It is not necessarily true that people working in jewelers are truly knowledgeable about their products. It is possible for a salesperson to be trained in sales, but not in gemology.

Make sure that you have your questions answered by an expert and ensure you choose a jeweler you can trust, and whose products and assurances you can be confident in.

With our industry-leading ISO 9000 certification, Whiteflash performs full evaluations and quality controls on every diamond and jewelry item we sell. We have direct access to the diamonds, unlike other online retailers who pull from vast inventories they do not directly control.

With our network of manufacturers and dealers, we are able to provide access to more than 30,000 diamonds through our Virtual Selection category. No diamond will ever be drop- shipped to a Whiteflash customer, that’s a certainty. Every product we sell undergoes rigorous quality control by Whiteflash experts.

Before we deliver any sourced diamond to you, we verify, analyze, and approve it at Whiteflash headquarters. Our complete satisfaction guarantee and these services will give you total confidence in Whiteflash purchases.

Most jewelers offer a set of warranties and/or guarantees with every purchase. While return and trade-in guarantees are valuable (provided there is no fine print), other offers may be of less value than they first appear.

Ensure that any warranty or guarantee is in writing before making a purchase. It is surprising to find out how many jewelers don't actually have written guarantees.

Make sure you know what your warranty covers in addition to the standard free cleanings and inspections. A diamond buying mistake is assuming it will have all the bells and whistles. The majority of guarantees do not cover damage, loss, or theft, despite the fact that they may appear to.

Jeweler's warranties are rarely a substitute for insurance. As part of the Whiteflash Guarantee, all purchases are covered by our One Year Service Policy.

While Whiteflash does not sell jewelry insurance, our partners at Jewelers Mutual Group can help protect your new Whiteflash jewelry by offering affordable personal jewelry insurance.

Our shopping cart now incorporates Jewelers Mutual®, allowing you to get an accurate quote and bind coverage at the same time you make a purchase with Whiteflash.

Engagement rings - and wedding bands - are more than just picking a gorgeous diamond. In order to get the best results, you want the stone to be the right size and proportions - not too big or too small, and perfectly set for security.

The placement and setting should complement the diamond, so that they work together harmoniously on the ring finger. Whiteflash jewelers are experts at matching stones with settings and styles to enhance the beauty of your ring in every way.

Our jewelry experts can help you choose the ideal band, and we know exactly how to combine all those crucial elements into a timeless piece.

In addition, Whiteflash is also a full-scale jewelry manufacturer and an authorized distributor of some of the finest national jewelry designers, including Tacori, Verragio, Simon G, Ritani, Vatche, Danhov, A Jaffe, and Benchmark.

Why pay more than you have to for a diamond that isn’t as impressive? This is usually the case when you only consider the typical mall jewelers.

Selecting a trusted jeweler is vital, regardless of their in-person presence. Check their online reviews and ask the tough questions. Besides providing you with information about your diamond, online retailers can also offer a relaxed purchasing experience where you can explore education and options at your own pace and in your own space.

High-quality 360-degree videos, light-performance images and certification from the experts will enable you to understand the diamond fully. You can experience diamonds in a holistic way at Whiteflash thanks to our comprehensive information and advanced imaging.

ASET, Ideal-Scope, and Hearts and Arrows Viewer are tools that can provide critical information about the way in which a diamond is interacting with light. Modern shoppers are taking advantage of tools such as diamond imaging and HD video to closely examine a diamond's quality and beauty, especially as they shop online, giving them a magnified and dynamic view of it.

We at Whiteflash adhere to a set of core values that guide all of our activities and policies. Each and every one of them is important to us, and we are proud to hold ourselves accountable to them. Having the privilege of playing a role in an important occasion in our customers’ lives is an honor and a responsibility.

While diamonds themselves are important, finding a jeweler who you can trust, and who provides education and relevant guarantees when you buy, is equally valuable. You should be able to count on them not only to help you select something beautiful, but also to ensure its quality and value.

If you live in the Houston area or travel to our city, we wholeheartedly welcome you to visit our jewelry store:

It's easy to lose sight of what really matters when you spend so much time delving into the details of diamonds and quality. A big rock with a slightly lower grade might be appealing to one person, but a smaller stone in a higher grade with a perfect cut might be appealing to another. Ultimately, it is about selecting the diamond that is perfect for you or your loved one. It is important to remember that everyone is different.

One way Whiteflash simplifies your diamond purchase is by providing you with all the details you need to be informed, empowered, and educated. All of our A CUT ABOVE® super ideal diamonds are posted to our website with a full set of the most thorough evaluations and light performance images.

Our goal is to ensure that the diamond you purchase meets your expectations, as well as exceeding ours.

Our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and an unbroken string of BBB Awards is driven by our commitment to customer care, as well as our commitment to social responsibility.

In order to ensure that you end up with a diamond that is perfect for you, we ensure that every diamond is verified and tested. With Whiteflash, you will always receive the full benefit of careful inspection, analysis, and professional advice, regardless of whether you choose an in-house diamond or one that we source on your behalf.

All of our consultants are AGS and GIA credentialed, and they do not get paid on commission. As a result, they are customer advocates and focus solely on providing you a great diamond buying experience.

Don't aim too high and spend too much for the sake of it - but allocate your budget appropriately to avoid any domino effect diamond buying mistakes. It is possible to compromise somewhat on clarity, for example, in order to achieve a high cut and color grade.

It may also be necessary to compromise the size of your diamond in order to make it brighter and more beautiful, rather than poorly cut and uninspiring.

Our team will guide and advise you and help you avoid any diamond buying mistakes or oversights, and match you to the best possible options for your important purchase. So please have a look at our loose diamond offerings, with all the fuss of diamond inspection taken care of and risks eliminated.

If you need any help at all, our expert team is just a message or call away and are happy to support you in finding the perfect diamond.