6 Handy Tips On Buying The Right Diamond
By Kelvin Ong, Sat Dec 10th

b>1. Learn about diamonds

Sometimes, I just can't help myself but to keep on emphasizingthis to anyone who wants to buy a diamond online: LEARNSOMETHING ABOUT DIAMONDS! Sorry, I don't mean to shout. But inreality, many people are still very ignorant about diamond.

Believe it a not, there are jewelers who are unable todifferentiate a diamond cut from a diamond shape. Everyone is sohyped up about the carat weight and has totally forgotten aboutthe other 3 characteristics of a diamond.

It won't take you years or months to learn something aboutdiamond. There are plenty of articles and information on the 4Cof a diamond. Spend some useful time in the library or internetand learn about diamonds. Who knows, you may become an expert indiamonds.

2. Prioritize the 4 characteristics

There are much more about diamonds than just the 4Cs. But at theend of the day, the 4Cs are still the major factors influencingthe quality and price of a diamond.

Before you start prioritizing the 4Cs, you got to know what yourgirl actually likes about a diamond. If she like big one, go fora diamond with big carat weight but with poorer quality in termsof color, cut or clarity. If she likes the brilliance of adiamond and doesn't mind the size, choose one with excellent cutand clarity. Whichever the case is, prioritizing the 4Cs willgive you a better idea of what diamonds will suit her taste aswell as your budget.

3. Do a price research

With your list, do some price research at some of the onlinejewelry stores (Here are some of the top online jewelry stores).Based on your list, you should have a rough estimate of themarket price of the diamond you are looking for. If the price isout of your budget, try going for a grade lower than yourexpectation and you may eventually find one that suits you well.

4. Do some background research on the jewelry stores

If you have been doing researching, you would have come acrossinformation on cubic zirconium diamonds. These syntheticdiamonds are D-color graded, flawless and cut to perfection. Inshort, a CZ diamond is a 'perfect' diamond. It is brilliant,flawless and yet cheap. Their prices do not increaseexponentially with their quality unlike diamonds.

And there are also some natural diamonds which have undergonetreatments to reduce its blemishes thus enhanced its appearance.It is still a low grade diamond and dishonest dealers may try topass it off as a good graded diamond and sell you at a higherprice.

So, before you start swiping your hard-earned money away, dosome research about the jeweler as well. Ask your family,relatives or friend who have purchased from the dealer. Onlineforum is a good place to ask around and there are plenty ofsites that provide reviews on jewelry store online.

Give the jewelry store a call, talk to their staffs and decidefor yourself if you are comfortable with the store.

5. Always ask for a money back guarantee

There are risks in very form of transactions, so do buyingdiamonds. Protect yourself and minimize any risks by making surethat the store has the complete details about their returnpolicy. It should include information about the validity period,what to do if you wish to return your purchase and their address.

As a rule of thumb, online stores should offer you no less than21 days return policy. In fact, most of them have a returnpolicy of 30 days.

6. Choose jewelers who provide grading reports

Certified diamonds will come along with a grading report byreputable gemology organizations such as GIA or AGS. Some onlinejewelry stores certified their diamond by in-house gemologistsand they may be using different grading standards from GIA orAGS, while others may not provide the grading reports. Diamondsfrom top online jewelry stores generally comes accompanied witha grading report.

After you have purchased your diamond, you should get itappraised again with the grading report by a trained gemologist.The grading report will be very helpful in ascertaining whetherthe diamond you have bought is up to the specifications shown onthe report.

About the author:About The Author: Kelvin Ong is the owner of The PerfectEngagement, a website that offers reviews on online jewelrystores selling engagement rings and on books about marriageproposals and diamond engagement rings. The PerfectEngagement is info-packed with free marriage proposal ideasand other articles on diamonds.