Diamond Buying Secrets
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Diamond Price Secrets
I understand how confusing and overwhelming it can be to find the perfect diamond. I hear this every day from my clients when they tell me about their ring search so far. Your first thought is probably to look online to get a ballpark figure for what a nice diamond should cost, right? Many people think they can get a better deal online in comparison to a traditional jewelry store, but we’re not comparing toilet paper here. The big problem with buying internet diamonds is that you can’t see the actual diamonds side-by-side, or you don’t have anyone to look at them in person on your behalf. Those online diamond retailers don’t actually stock diamonds – they simply list information. So when you click to buy, they ship it in from the supplier.
You’ll see a long virtual list of price options that often vary by thousands of dollars for a diamond with very similar (sometimes the exact same) specifications, which makes it impossible to know why one costs what it does, and whether or not it really is better than the next option listed below it. And if you do take the risk of purchasing an internet diamond, it’s common that when you finally do see it in person after the purchase, it may not be what you thought. This is why Vanessa Nicole Jewels looks at all diamond options side-by-side on your behalf prior to showing you the very best ones to choose from within your desired budget.
Here Are 4 Secrets to Getting a Fantastic Diamond
Secret #1
Why One Diamond Looks Bigger Than Another Diamond With The Same Carat Weight
Let’s say you have two 2.50ct diamonds side-by-side. Both have the same color & clarity, but you notice that one of them looks smaller than the other. This is likely because the GIRDLE thickness is causing one of the stones to look small. The “girdle” is the widest point of the diamond when looking at it from the top.
In the diamond shaping process prior to a stone hitting the market, Diamond Cutters often cut a diamond to hit a certain carat weight because this makes the price jump significantly higher. However, just because it weighs in at 2.50ct, doesn’t mean it LOOKS like a 2.5ct.
Here’s a Video Explaining Face-Up Size Comparison:
If you choose a girdle thickness that is too chunky, you’re just paying for extra carat weight and it will look like an iceberg where the majority of it is visible underneath. Let’s say your budget only allows for the 2.50ct that looks smaller. In this case, the better scenario would be to get around a 2.25ct that is cut to the same proportions as that 2.50ct and you’ll end up paying less for the same size.
The 2.25ct will likely sparkle a lot more, too, since the overall cut will be better. If you go with the small 2.50ct, you’ll just be paying for excess carat weight without visually seeing the benefit of the larger stone.
Secret #2
Consider “SI” Clarity Diamonds in Addition to “VS” Clarity
Diamond inclusions come in many sizes and colors, which greatly affect the diamond’s price. (The “Clarity” grade on the 4C’s refers to the degree in which these imperfections are present and visible on the diamond.) Unless you get a “Flawless” diamond, there will be some form of inclusion in your stone.
The great thing about this is that it becomes the birthmark of your diamond! The benefit is that you can always identify this as YOUR diamond in case you need a jeweler to resize it (under extreme magnification, of course).
One thing I would suggest is that you consider SI clarity diamonds in addition to VS clarity. I wouldn’t suggest this if you are picking a stone blindly off an internet list solely based on the certificate since in that case you can’t see the location and size of the inclusion.
However, if someone is personally choosing a selection of diamonds for you (like here at Vanessa Nicole Jewels) we would select only the very best SI options. Inclusions come in a variety of shapes and colors and if we’re able to find one where the inclusion is white, or can be hidden by a prong, or it’s barely perceptible to the naked eye, you would be able to get a bigger size while still staying within budget. Many people think they need VS clarity or above because they are fixated on a paper grade, but the truth is this: She won’t be wearing the grading certificate on her finger.
When I show clients SI clarity options in addition to VS clarity options, quite often they see that they can get a bigger diamond by going with SI clarity while still staying near their budget.
This doesn’t mean that VS clarity options aren’t worth looking at – they absolutely are. My point is to keep your options open if someone is looking at diamonds on your behalf in person since the inclusions on a diamond can be all sorts of colors and shapes.
In many cases, you could pay the same price for a diamond where the inclusion is not visible as you would for a diamond where it is visible. Crazy, right? Obviously you would likely go with the SI clarity diamond where the inclusions are not visible if it allows you to also get a bigger or brighter stone for the same budget.
I’m not saying the biggest size is most important, BUT let’s be real here. When it comes to diamonds, in my experience, nearly 10 out of 10 women would choose the bigger diamond if given the option (even if she’s not materialistic elsewhere in life.)
Secret #3
Fluctuating Diamond Prices Can Benefit You
The diamond market changes every day (similar to how the stock market varies daily). This means if a diamond dealer buys stones when the market is lower, those diamonds often reflect the lower cost, which means the markup doesn’t change. They will make the same profit, but YOU get a better deal than current market prices. It allows dealers to stay competitive with pricing and move stock quickly.
This is one of the reasons Vanessa Nicole Jewels doesn’t own inventory of diamonds. It allows me to go in search of the exact stones you’re looking for rather than trying to push an inventory of stones. Plus, I can get excellent deals on great diamonds for clients because when a client is ready to choose their diamond, I utilize my network of diamond dealers to source only the BEST available stones on the market at the BEST prices.
In the end, it allows you to get a larger diamond for the same price, which makes YOU look like the best fiancé ever once you open that ring box. Win-Win for everyone.
Secret #4
She’ll Be Wearing The Diamond, Not The Grading Certificate.
Don’t get too hung up on what’s stated on the Diamond Certificate. (This is hard for most analytical-types.) The certificate is only a piece of paper and it DOESN’T grade “Most Beautiful.”
Keep this in mind: She’ll be wearing the diamond, not the certificate. Diamonds are typically accompanied by a grade report, which is issued by an independent gemological association such as the GIA. This will formally list all the characteristics of your chosen diamond.
It is important for customers to know that the purpose of a diamond certificate is to identify and describe the diamond… That’s all! Many customers feel that the certificate is a guarantee or warranty – It is not. Even the disclosure on certificates states: “This certificate is NOT an appraisal, guarantee, or warranty”.
Color and clarity results can differ based on when or who grades the diamond. It’s not done by a machine, it’s done by a human. This is why the same diamond can go to the same lab and receive different grades. Color and clarity are the OPINION of the lab at that time, which is why colors D-J all fall into “Colorless” & “Near Colorless” categories rather than each in their own specific category. It’s a sliding scale. The sweet spot is being in the D-J color category though – this will ensure that she doesn’t see any major color on her diamond. If she’s very sensitive to seeing color, stick to D-H colors.
Dimensions alone will not tell you if a diamond is bright or pretty. This is why you cannot rely solely on the certificate to determine how gorgeous a diamond is. We actually have many clients who are engineers who ask us the most detailed of questions one could ever think of, but eventually they simply trust that we have their back… we have satisfied every single engineer client.
Each one of the rings I create takes a great deal of planning, work and meticulous labor. In this extremely competitive and sometimes scary internet world where consumers make decisions based on what they see on a screen, I confidently decided to go a different route by creating the Ultimate Engagement Ring Experience no one can compete with. We guarantee that the investment will be well worth it in the end, as shown by a 100% enthusiastic 5-star client rating online.
What I Tell Clients About Getting the Perfect Diamond
This is a lot of information to digest, so feel free to read through it again during your search for the perfect diamond.
In the end, below is what I tell all of my clients when it comes to getting the perfect diamond:
The price of the ring completely depends on the quality of the center diamond you choose (carat/color/clarity/cut). The setting is pretty much a fixed price, whereas the main diamond is what makes the ring price fluctuate.
While we don’t put ALL the focus on a specific diamond grade, my company does have specific guidelines that we stick within when it comes to the diamonds I select for client to choose from. Our process works, so we stick to it. (As shown from a 100% 5 star client rating online).
We show clients diamonds between D-J color (Colorless & Near Colorless). Also, if we show any SI clarity diamonds, the inclusions won’t be visible to the naked eye. If a client specifically requests a visible inclusion in order to get a bigger diamond, I always point out the inclusions upfront so you can be fully aware of where they are.
When I ask clients whether or not they want a specific color/clarity vs. “bright, white & sparkly”, basically that means I want to know if I can look for the most amazing diamond that sparkles like crazy, or if I have to stick within a specific color/clarity despite whatever looks the best in person.
Certification grades given to diamonds are not an exact science, they are simply guidelines. That’s why I source from different places to get you the highest value for your dollar. Prices vary based on several factors such as where we get them from, what’s currently most popular, how much they were originally bought for, etc. I’ve never heard of anyone asking a woman, “Ooh, is that a D, VVS, with xy depth & xy width?” No, they simply gush over how sparkly it is. If they ask anything specific, it’s what the carat size is.
I know it can be confusing for clients since diamond pricing with relation to their grades has so many variables, however my job is to make it easy for you by doing all the hard work sifting through dozens of options to provide you with an awesome selection to choose from.
Here’s Some Insight on the Way We Source Diamonds for Clients
What I always ask clients is, “Do you have a max number that you prefer not to exceed for the entire ring?” The reason I ask this upfront is because it’s important not to show you a diamond that will put the ring outside of your budget. Whether the ring is 10K or 100K, everyone has a budget and I am very sensitive to my clients’ financial situations.
The price of a diamond is based on many factors and I source the best/largest diamond that fits within your desired number. Vanessa Nicole Jewels doesn’t keep an inventory of diamonds because this allows me to seek out the best possible diamond based on your desires rather than be forced to just sell what I own. Fire & brilliance are absolutely #1 when it comes to searching for the perfect selection.
We first look through a large database of hundreds of options to cull it down to our favorite twelve, then talk to each dealer about the unique qualities of the diamonds in order to determine which ones to ship in. Then I personally select the ones for you to make your selection from. It’s why we’ve never had a client dissatisfied with their choice because we provide you with the very best quality diamonds to choose from at the best prices possible.
Knowing your desired max investment for the ring, we’ll show you several diamonds in a range below and up to this number. I personally sift through dozens of diamonds to seek out an elite selection that will be *gorgeous* options. Our #1 factor in finding a diamond is the fire/brilliance.
I hope this information is helpful in your search for the PERFECT diamond. Please feel comfortable reaching out if I can answer any additional questions – I’m always here for you.
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