Common Diamond Buying Mistakes When Shopping Jewelry Stores – Phoenix
Other jewelry stores Phoenix may not care that you get the best diamond available. They may not even have the best diamonds available. At E.D. Marshall Jewelers we have Arizona’s largest selection of GIA certified diamonds for you to choose from. It is easy to make mistakes as you are choosing diamond jewelry. Here are just a few mistakes to avoid.
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Color and Clarity
You should always know the clarity and color of a stone prior to it being placed into a setting. Because a setting can be used to help hide flaws such as inclusions or nicks on the surface a diamond cannot be accurately judged once it is in a setting.
The GIA takes great care in standardizing the environment in which diamonds are graded. Do not accept a jeweler’s opinion of what color a stone is. Beware of jewelers who try to tell you the color or clarity grade of a stone as a range of numbers or letters. If they do you can be sure that the diamond was not graded by GIA standards. The FTC allows a seller to state a clarity or color grade that is within 1 grade of what an independent appraisal would state. Unfortunately this allows the seller to up-grade color and clarity by one level. At E.D. Marshall Jewelers we will only give you the GIA stated color and clarity grades.
Is a Carat always a Carat?
Be aware that many times diamond carat weights are rounded up. A 0.69 carat diamond could be described as a ¾ carat diamond. You should always know the exact carat of the diamond you are purchasing even if you decide to call it a ¾ carat diamond to friends.
Stick to a Quality Cut
It is easy to be misled as to the quality of the diamond’s cut because the definition of cut quality is not as well regulated as clarity and color. There is no organization like the GIA to specify cut grade. It is determined by the jeweler. When comparing across different jewelry stores in Phoenix be sure to have a definition of what each cut grade means from each store.
While it is important that a stone looks good to you, you still want to know the cut quality. A poor cut can bring down the value of the jewelry item which is not in your best interest long term. Well cut diamonds are expensive to purchase and harder to sell so most stores will only have a few on hand.
Jewelry Store Guarantees and Warranties
Always look carefully at return and trade-in guarantees offered by jewelry stores in the Phoenix valley or online. Read all the fine print so that you will know the rules if you decide to take advantage of these types of guarantees. Many warranties are voided if another jeweler works on the piece, or even just cleans the piece. Missing a free cleaning and inspection could also void the warranty. And keep in mind that store warranties cannot replace true insurance by a reputable company that will cover theft, damage, or loss.
Protecting Your Diamond
A diamond purchased at E.D. Marshall Jewelers will have a GIA certificate number inscribed on the stone. Be sure to know where it is located. And be sure to mention this to any jeweler where you might have the jewelry piece resized, repaired or cleaned. It can be ‘insurance’ against switching your diamond out for one of lesser value. Also know where any inclusions are located in your diamond. Consider drawing a sketch of where the inclusions are. Store your GIA certificate and the inclusion ‘map’ in a safe place. It will aid in identifying your diamond if it is ever lost or stolen.
When looking for jewelry stores-Phoenix be sure to look to E. D. Marshall’s in Scottsdale or to one of our many other locations throughout the valley. We offer only top quality jewelry at the very best price.