You know who you are. You call up a Jewelry Store looking for the price of a
One Carat Certified Diamond,
SI1 Clarity,
G Color.
We give you the price. You thank us. Hang up. And we never hear from you again!
Why is this so bad? For 3 reasons:
1) Because you're mainly shopping for PRICE!
2) You don't care what the Diamond looks like!
3) You don't care who Certifies it!
It's true! Let's tackle them one at a time...
1) Because you're mainly shopping for PRICE!
If all you care about is finding the Cheapest Price, then you're not going to be happy with the results!
Most Jewelry of similar quality is going to be pretty similar in price as well. Usually within 10% of each other. Competition is too stiff to vary by much more than that. Usually the differences are going to be in their Warranties, Policies and Service. So most Jewelers will be pretty consistent in their pricing structures.
Which means, if you do find a Jeweler that undercuts everyone else, then there's usually a very good reason for this. Prices of Diamonds are what they are. And if one place is selling them for Half-Off, then BEWARE! Proceed with Caution!
Jumping at these Discounted Diamonds could get you taken. Half-Off generally means there is something wrong with the Diamonds. And that something is normally the CUT! If you want a Cheap Diamond, you're going to get a Cheap Diamond. Inferior Cuts of Diamond will drop the price big time. And this generally works too, because people are never concerned with the CUT. And that's a sad thing!
If you're only Shopping for Price over the phone, then you're not going to get very much info about the Diamond. Plus, you could be talking to the Office Clerk who knows very little about Diamonds... What facts are you really going to get?
And even if you do talk to a Salesperson, guess what? Salespeople don't like to sell over the phone. It's too difficult to even get rapport going. You can't get into any sales pitch. You can't discuss Diamonds in depth. You can't justify the Price of the stone without viewing it. Plus, people on the phone are always in such a hurry. There are too many distractions... The other line is Ringing, Your Dog is barking, The Baby is crying... It's crazy! Shopping by phone is a waste! You're not going to get the attention needed or desired to properly make a good buying decision.
If all you want to do is relax on the sofa and shop by Price, then good luck! I could sell you a stone for Thousands less if that's what you want. But you know what? You're not going to like the Diamond!
Why?
Because you haven't seen the stone. Which brings us to number 2!
2) You don't care what the Diamond looks like!
When all you care about is that a Diamond must be SI1, G (in this instance), then you're pretty much saying "I don't care what the CUT looks like!"
It's true! You don't care if the stone is Shallow or Deep (Losing Light). You don't care if the stone has Fluorescence or looks Foggy. You don't care if the Diamond has Brilliance or Sparkle or Life (All SI1, G Diamonds do NOT look the same). You don't care if the Diamond has a thick Girdle, large Culet, poor Symmetry, or Extra Facets! Naturals (Trigons), Cavities, Chips, Clouds... You're pretty much saying none of these things matter.
SI1, G with the Cheapest Price! That's all you want. If the Diamond looks like crap, so be it. Who cares, right? You saved time, money and effort, what more could you ask for?
I'll tell you what... Certification!
Which brings us to our number 3!
3) You don't care who Certifies it!
Just because you're comparing "Certified Diamonds" to "Certified Diamonds" doesn't mean squat! What truly matters is "Who Certifies it?" There really is a difference!
I always recommend my customers to buy G.I.A. Certified Diamonds above all else.
G.I.A. (The Gemological Institute of America) are the leaders in the Jewelry Industry. They devised the 4 C's and the Grading Systems that are in place today. They wrote the book on Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. They set the standards! G.I.A. is the most respected and most highly recommended Independent Diamond Appraiser in the Country. This is why I admire G.I.A. This is why I push them! They are the best in the Industry! No doubt about it.
If you compare any other Certified Diamonds (Certified by companies OTHER than G.I.A.) then you're not comparing apples to apples. Which also means an SI1 could really be an SI2. Or an SI2 could be an SI3 or even an I1. You just don't know if you don't buy the most accurate Certificate there is... G.I.A.
So this is what you should do: Call around. Find out what Jewelers have what Diamonds. (Don't worry about price yet!) Find out who has similar qualities (Color and Clarity) to the one you're interested in and make a note to see them.
Do keep in mind that every Diamond is different. An SI1, G Diamond could look better than a VS2, F. Really! You just have to see them to compare them! This is why shopping over the phone is a bad idea. You can't see the Diamonds. You can't compare them. You don't know how it's Cut. Diamonds must be looked at and scoped to be truly appreciated!
When you go to the local Jewelry Store, take a notepad with you. Jot down all the important facts about the Diamond. Write down Color and Clarity, Certification and Cut. That way you can go back to them later and compare them in more detail.
Once you get it narrowed down to a select few, then it's time to negotiate Price. Price should be the last thing on your list. The beauty of the Diamond comes first! This is not something you want to rush into. Take your time. Take your friends in with you to get second opinions. Plus, this way you'll also get a better feel for the Jeweler and see how they interact with customers. You want to do business with a Jeweler that's going to take care of you.
Shopping over the phone gives you none of this. You'll miss out on all the wonderful microscopic details. You'll miss out on their Warranties and Rapport with the people. You won't see the beauty of the Diamond. And the Beauty of the Diamond is what makes your eyes sparkle. It's what brings the Diamond to life! You can't neglect this!
So put the phone down, get your car keys out, and head to the Jewelry Store. There's a Diamond waiting for you...
SI1 Clarity, G Color? You bet! G.I.A. Certified? Of course! And the Beauty... Well, that's just simply stunning! Maybe then, you'll really be SOLD!
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