How to Avoid Common Diamond Scams

Knowing how to avoid common diamond scams, can help you get a fair price and avoid buying a low-quality diamond by mistake. At Ziva Jewels, we know that there are a lot of unscrupulous jewelers out there that prey on uneducated consumers. We want to make sure that your diamond buying experience is a good one, even if you don’t choose ZIVA, so we’re going to show you what to watch out for when you’re buying a diamond so you’ll know what you’re doing.

Your friend, the Federal Trade Commission

We can’t start this post without first introducing you to the FTC. Whether you’re buying a diamond online or at a jewelry store, the FTC has outlined a set of laws to protect the consumer from dishonest jewelers.

According to the law outlined by the FTC, a jeweler must disclose the quality of the diamond you are purchasing and if the diamond or gemstone has had any treatements, or requires any special care. The FTC also requires that a jeweler use the appropriate terms outlined by them.

When purchasing a diamond, ask that the jeweler disclose the diamond’s grade on the receipt. Unlike verbally disclosing something, once it’s written down, the jeweler won’t be able to deny it later.

If you feel that a jeweler has been dishonest, speak with the jeweler first and make sure you tell them that you know the law. That should make them give in or fix the problem if it was an honest mistake. If the problem is not resolved, contact your local Better Business Bureau or the FTC, they should be able to help you.

In case you were wondering, Ziva Jewels has an outstanding reputation with the Jewelers Board of Trade and the Better Business Bureau.

Watch Out for ‘Blue-White’ Diamonds

Just what is a ‘blue-white’ diamond? In the past, the term was used to describe fluorescent diamonds whose fluorescence was thought to improve the diamonds’ appearance. The term is now banned by the FTC because some jewelers were using the confusion the term caused to their advantage and were charging more for blue-white diamonds.

The thing about fluorescence is that most members of the general population cannot detect a positive change in the diamond’s appearance due to fluorescence. Even diamond professionals that do have a trained eye, cannot come to a general conclusion about whether or not florescence positively impacts a diamond’s color. What diamond professionals do know is that fluorescent diamonds are ALWAYS worth less than their non-fluorescent counterparts, so don’t get tricked into paying more for them.

Learn more about diamond fluorescence

Another thing to watch out for when it comes to fluorescent diamonds is lighting. Some jewelry stores use bulbs with a subtle blue tint that makes yellow diamonds with fluorescence appear to have a better color. To make sure that you’re not being tricked, ask to see the diamond in a another part of the store with different lighting (or if you’re really careful, why not bring your own light bulb) to see if the lighting makes a difference.

Watch out for Exaggerated Grades

When you were a kid, did you ever try to make an F grade look like an A? Dishonest jewelers can do something similar with a diamond’s certification. Changing a diamond’s grades can be a way for a jeweler to make some extra money, while you lose on value.

Since most reputable diamond grading agencies such as the GIA laminate their certificates, you can check for tampering to make sure the certificate hasn’t been altered. Look around the edges to see if they have been peeled back. If the ‘official’ certificate isn’t laminated at all, that is definitely not a good sign.

Asking to see the diamond’s certification is also great because the FTC dictates that jewelers need to be accurate within one letter grade. Unfortunately for the consumer, the difference between two grades in any category can be several hundred dollars. Ask to see the diamond’s certificate and make sure that its grades reflect what the jeweler was telling you about the diamond to begin with.

You can learn how to verify a diamond grading report

Watch out for Fake Labs

So you’ve heard that the GIA, AGS and EGL certify diamonds, but do you know what those acronyms stand for? Don’t be led to believe that a diamond certified by the Gemstone International Association is the same as the Gemological Institute of America. One is trying to confuse you but having the same letters as the real GIA.

These are the real diamond grading agencies:

GIA – The Gemological Institute of America
www.gia.edu
AGS – The American Gem Society
www.americangemsociety.org
EGL – The European Gemological Laboratory
www.eglusa.com

Watch out for Fake Diamonds

Chances are, jewelers in the United States won’t try to sell you a fake diamond, but outside the US, anything goes. I’m sure you’ve heard horror stories about people that go overseas for cosmetic surgery to cut the cost and live to regret it. Going overseas to buy a diamond can be just as risky. The truth is, diamonds are prized internationally so there is not a place in the world where you can find a diamond for a ridiculously low price.

If you do find such a place, chances are the diamond isn’t real. It probably is a Cubic Zirconia or Moissanite posing as a diamond. Even if the ‘diamond’ has certification, if you buy it outside of the United States, you do not have the consumer protection that the FTC provides if the diamond turns out to be a fake.