Cost

Perception VS.  Reality

Which Came First: The Markdown Or The Markup? If you’ve been looking for a diamond, you’ve probably been a bit confused by all the gimmicks and 50% OFF SALES. Today it seems almost every jeweler is offering huge discounts below retail. What is retail anyway? For a lot of jewelers, it’s merely a fictitiously inflated price they can drastically discount. They do this simply to lure you into thinking you’re saving money.

Two diamonds of identical cut and weight could each have over 230 different combinations of colors and clarities alone. Each of these combinations has a distinct value. If two jewelers were given the same diamond to sell, odds are they would not sell it for the same price. Why? Does the price you pay for a diamond always relate to its quality? Absolutely Not! Higher quality demands a higher price, but paying a higher price does not guarantee you’re getting higher quality!
 Nearly every jeweler claims to have the finest quality at the best price. Everyone knows that is impossible. The bottom line to buying a diamond is this: no matter where you purchase, demand a LABORATORY CERTIFICATE.

Never rely on the accuracy of an appraisal, regardless of the jeweler’s reputation. If the diamond is accurately graded, jewelers should not object to providing a laboratory certificate. If it is not accurately graded, they will certainly refuse.
Today as never before, consumers have at their disposal all the information needed to eliminate the guesswork, gimmicks, and unreasonable profits from buying a diamond.