$1,000 DIFFERENCE? WHY????

Here’s a scenario…

You’re out shopping for a diamond solitaire, you want a 1.00 carat (the dream carat weight).

You are looking at SI1 clarity diamonds (the most popular clarity in the world), and pure white diamonds (E color). You also want an excellent cut as well (like these diamonds here at James Allen).

The first store you go to sells this diamond quality for $5,900.

But the second store you visit sells the exact same quality for $4,900.

Both are certified by GIA, but there’s $1,000 difference.

WHY?

• Did the first store overcharge?
• Did the second store sell low to steal from the competitor or make less profit?
• Is the second store hiding something? Selling an inferior stone somehow?

And just so you don’t think I’m making this scenario up…

Shown below are two identical loose diamonds selling at James Allen right now. They have the exact same carat weight (1.00), the same clarity (SI1), the same color (E), are GIA certified, and have excellent grades in cut, polish, and symmetry.

Take a peek:

CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM	PRICE	VIEW
1.00, SI1, E, EX, EX, EX	$4,900	VIEW
1.00, SI1, E, EX, EX, EX	$5,900	VIEW

(Prices good at the time of this post.)

So I ask again…

Are you being ripped off?

NO!

No, because there is still one more thing that alters price:

Fluorescence

The first stone ($5,900) has NO fluorescence. While the second stone ($4,900) has Medium fluorescence.

That my friends is the only difference between these stones. And this is a $1,000 difference.

And what’s even more concerning if this…

Fluorescence is a topic that rarely gets discussed in jewelry stores. In fact, you could probably shop at 50 different stores and never even have the attribute mentioned.

But it should be brought up… Because as you can see, there is a big difference in price.

What this means to you is that a jewelry store could sell you a fluorescent diamond, sell it to you for much cheaper than the competitor, and you would walk away thinking that you got a really great deal.

And all the while, you’d have no clue as to the real reason why (there’s always something). You’d think the first store was scamming you, but instead, they were just holding back information.

Crazy, eh?

This is why it’s crucial to shop with stores that tell you EVERYTHING there is to know about a particular diamond (because everything affects price). Often, on many leading nationwide jeweler’s websites, you’ll see no mention of fluorescence (and some don’t even mention what the real cut grade is, or even show you real images of the actual diamond). All of this affects your wallet (you get what you pay for).

So get in the habit of buying a loose certified diamond (like the GIA diamond report below):

Fluorescence can make a diamond look odd, or different (regardless of color or clarity). It can make a diamond appear foggy or hazy. This is why I always advise to steer clear of fluorescence, just to be safe.

This is also why I advise shopping with James Allen or Blue Nile. They have the best prices online, and are way cheaper than any mall store. And yes, they do tell you if the stone has fluorescence or not.

So head over to these diamond retailers today:

• James Allen
• Blue Nile

Cheers! :)