Common Myths about Diamonds and Gemstones Dispelled
There are a lot of common misunderstandings about gemstones and in particular diamonds that abound. The internet has not helped this as inaccuraces and misconceptions can spread from site to site making it hard to distinguish between truth and fiction.
Here are a few common misunderstandings that we have come across over the years and hopefully an explanation of the real story.
A Diamond Certificate doesn't tell the full story
You may think that when buying a diamond you must get a certficate. This is only true if you are buying from a source that you are not sure about - eg on the internet or oversees. If you buy from an established company (ie one with a shop and a reputation at the very least!) a certificate isn't really necessary as their receipt will state that stone's grading and that will be guarantee enough that you have what you paid for! Actually, its worth remembering also that a certificated stone will always be a little more expensive that the equivalent non-certificated stone because the retailer has to cover the cost of the independent certification process. Remember, a certificate doesn't tell the full story about a stone.
Find out more about certificated diamonds
A diamond isn't just a piece of carbon and one H SI 0.5ct stone isn't the same as another
Every diamond is unique - you only have to sit down with an expert and view a selection of diamonds for your engagement ring to find this out! The internationally recognised grading system for diamonds goes a long way in defining a diamonds' characterists but there is much about a stone's beauty that cannot be scientifically measured. We would suggest you take what you read from online loose diamond retailers with a pinch of salt - you really need to look at a selection of diamonds, with an expert (such as we have here at Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design) to find the perfect diamond for your engagement ring - you just can't do that unseen over the internet. The industry magazines refer to this point all the time and recently we saw an article by a jeweller who tells his customers that you probably wouldn't choose your girlfriend from a list of specifications on the internet - there's a bit more to it than that, and much the same applies to diamonds.
Loose diamonds bought over the internet are not necessarily cheaper
There is a preconceived notion that by buying your diamond from the internet you are somehow buying 'direct' at trade prices - this is not really true. Harriet can safely say, hand on heart, that she has never set a diamond, bought from the internet, that she couldn't have matched or bettered the price on. She remembers once setting a diamond that was around £30 cheaper than we would have charged for the same specifications on the certificate, but this diamond did not have the 'X factor' that we would always look for in a diamond - certficated or otherwise.
Loose stones bought at tourist locations across the world are not necessarily cheaper
Harriet remembers visiting a government run gem shop in the far east full of western tourists buying loose stones at what they thought were good prices. Of course they were really receiving the tourist price and she was quite surprised that she could have matched or bettered the price if they had bought from her in the UK. She also saw topaz being passed off as aquamarine.
Other gemstones aren't graded like diamonds
Only diamonds can be graded in an internationally recognised way. Online gemstone retailers sometimes imply that stones such as sapphires can have meaningful colour and clarity values. While this may be a way of comparing the different stones in one retailer's stock, it has no meaning when comparing with another retailer's stock or any internationally recognised value whatsoever.
The 'value' of an engagement ring isn't just in the diamond
We sometimes meet customers who are hung up on the 'investment value' of the diamond or gemstone they are buying. While it is of course possible to pay too much for a diamond, the resale value of your engagement ring will always be less than the price you paid because (for obvious reasons) a second hand engagement ring is not necessarily the most desired of objects. If the investment value of your engagement ring is important to you then we suggest you invest in great design and outstanding craftsmanship - both of which we have here at Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design - you only have to watch the Antiques Road Show to realise that is what is important. You can invest in diamonds, but an investment diamond shouldn't really be set into a ring and kept in its sealed pouch with associated paperwork.
If you have bought your stone elsewhere, do remember to leave an adequate budget for the setting's design and craftsmanship otherwise you will have not spent wisely. Do contact us and we can advise you on how much it might cost to set your diamond.
Read more about buying your own stone.
Related blog articles
- Read Harriet's blog article on diamond certification.