DIAMOND GUARANTEES DON’T MATTER

3 Diamond Guarantees

There are Basically 3 Different Types of Diamond Guarantees in the Jewelry Industry that I’ve run across.

They are:

1. The Diamond is Genuine
2. The Quality is Accurate
3. It’s Covered for a Lifetime

What does this all mean?

I’m Happy you Asked…

Let’s take a look…

1) The Diamond is Genuine

The Paperwork states that the Diamond you Buy is a Genuine Diamond, and Not a Diamond Simulant or Fake. It’s the Real Deal!

2) The Quality is Accurate

This Document Verifies that the Quality of Diamond Listed, Shown or Stated, is in Fact the Quality of Diamond you’re Buying.

If they say that the Diamond is VS2, H, then the Diamond Guarantee will Confirm that VS2, H is what you are getting… Pretty much the same thing as a Jewelry Appraisal!

3) It Covers the Diamond for a Lifetime

Many Large Corporate Jewelers (like Kay Jewelers, Zales, Helzberg, and Fred Meyer Jewelers) Guarantee their Diamonds for Life against Loss, Chipping or Breaking.

So anytime in the Life of the Original Owner (Do Note that these Warranties are Not Transferable), if your Diamond Cracks or Falls out of the Mounting, they’ll Cover the Cost of Replacing that Stone (Minus Labor and Parts) FREE for a Lifetime… as long as Certain Criteria is upheld. Each Store may have slightly Different Policies, Guidelines and Requirements. Read the Fine Print on their Diamond Guarantees!

That’s Good, Right?

While these all Sound like a Good Guarantees, I’m here to say, they’re Not Needed or Necessary!

Diamond Guarantees Don’t Matter!

Why do I say this?

For Many Reasons:

1) A FREE Jewelry Appraisal also says that the Diamond is Real and lists the Quality of the Stone (the 4C’s) on the Report. You don’t need an Official Sounding Guarantee to tell you that.

2) Diamonds with really Good Diamond Guarantees (Like Lifetime Replacements) usually COST MORE than a Diamond without one.

Want me to Prove this?

My Pleasure!

As a Comparison, I went to Kay Jewelers Website (Who does have a Lifetime Diamond Guarantee on their Diamonds) and Located a Princess Cut Diamond, 1.02 Carat, GIA Certified with No Fluorescence.

I did the same thing from James Allen Website (All of their Diamonds are Certified). They had a 1.03 Princess Cut Diamond, GIA Certified with No Fluorescence.

Both Stones are almost Cut Identical.. (James Allens did have a Better Polish)

What were the Results?

Kay Jewelers Price – $9,099.99

And then we have…

James Allen Price – $4,930

Take a Peek…

See these Diamonds and Compare them here…

STORE, CT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, CERTIFIED	PRICE	VIEW
Kays, 1.02, SI1, G, IDEAL, GIA	$9,099	VIEW
JA, 1.03, SI1, G, IDEAL, GIA	$4,930	VIEW

Is it Worth it?

I ask you again, is a Diamond Guarantee Worth that much more?

It’s Double the Price!

(Not all Stores will be this Drastic) But here, you ARE Paying Twice as much to get a Stone with a Lifetime Diamond Guarantee than without. That’s a lot.

Now I’m sure some Stores may Charge the Same Price for their Stones, with or without a Guarantee, but usually, it’s more!

I decided to look…

Zales had a Similar Stone (at the Time of this Post), SI1, G, for $6,314.00.

Helzberg had 1 Carat, Princess Cut, SI1, H, for $6,499.00.

Ultra Diamonds (who is now Merged into Kays) had a Similar Quality Stone set in a Solitaire Mounting for $6,999.00.

And Fred Meyer had a Similar Stone, but with E Color for $7,520.00 (Compared to this Pure White Diamond from James Allen: Princess Cut, 1.02, SI1, E, for just $5,000).

So are these Diamond Guarantees really FREE?

3) Diamond Guarantees Don’t Cover Everything!

No, They Don’t!

They only Cover your Diamond under Certain Restrictions, like; the Prongs Must Be Intact!

I always Laugh at this because if the Prongs were still Intact, you wouldn’t Lose your Stone (unless you Crushed it out of the Mounting).

That’s the Reason why Diamonds come out in the First Place, the Prongs get Caught, Bent, Pulled, Lifted, Broken…

It makes me Scratch my Head!

4) Miss a Date, you’re Void!

If you Miss just ONE of your Scheduled Check Ups (Cleaning and Inspections), they will VOID your Diamond Guarantee!

That’s Right! Miss just one 6 Month Inspection and your Diamond Guarantee is No Good. Even if you Miss it by One Day, They will NOT Cover your Stone if it comes out of the Mounting.

I will also say that if you Miss a Check up and take your Ring in later, they will Normally Restart your Diamond Guarantee back up again. So, as long as you get Lucky and don’t Lose it in the Lapse Time, you’re okay…

Otherwise, you’re SOL!

5) Diamond Guarantees Don’t Cover Repairs

For the Diamond Guarantees to Stay Active, you’ll have to Pay for any and all Repairs or Service Needed to your Ring at the Time of Inspection. So if the Store Representative says that your Rings needs 8 Prongs Retipped at a Cost of $350.00, then you’ll have No Choice but to Send your Ring out (Usually for 2 Weeks) and have the Work done if you want to Keep the Diamond Covered.

6) Guarantees Don’t Cover Ring Loss or Theft!

If you Lose your Ring, or get Robbed:

You Get Nothing!

So if you Accidentally Leave your Ring on the Sink while you Wash your Hands, it’s GONE! They Won’t Cover a Thing!

Still Sound Good to You?

See, having a Diamond Guarantee doesn’t always Help you out. It doesn’t Guarantee that the Stone will be Replaced in the Least… And, as you Read, it usually Costs you More Money up Front for that Protection.

Can Diamond Guarantees Work?

SURE!

They can, and have.

I’ve seen People get a 1 Carat Diamond replaced for FREE! And that was a $5,000 Diamond!

So they can work…

But, I’ve also seen Plenty of Claims get Turned Down and Denied as well.

“You Missed your Last Inspection by a Month!”

“You Snagged your Prong and Broke it off!”

“Your Ring Shows too Much Abuse to be Covered under our Warranty!”

The Bottom Line is…

It’s their Discretion whether or Not to Replace your Stone. If they think that you’re up to something, or Taking Advantage of their Replacement Plan (Replacing too many Stones), you won’t get Squat.

You could be Paying Way More for that Diamond, and going through all the Hassle of 6 Month Inspections for Zilch!

So what do I Advise?

Don’t Worry so much if a Diamond has a so-called “Guarantee” or not.

Buy a Certified Diamond (Certified by GIA or AGS), and get your Ring and Diamond Fully Insured! (Check with your Home Owners Policy, or Contact your Agent)

That way your Entire Ring AND Diamond is Covered!

If you Lose or Break your Stone, it will be Replaced.

If your Ring gets Lost or Stolen or Damaged, Insurance will Cover it!

People usually get Insurance on their Engagement Rings and Wedding Sets anyway, who wouldn’t?

This is the only way to Protect your Valuables 100%.

Don’t Pay more for a “Free – Wink, Wink” Guarantee! Just

Get it Insured and Rest Easy

I would still take it in a Couple of Times a Year and get your Ring Cleaned and Inspected. This is a FREE Service that any Jeweler will do.

It Doesn’t Hurt to Check those Prongs…

Just in Case! :)