Buying a Diamond without a 3^rd party certificate is the biggest mistake we commit.
What we can do?: Always buy a Diamond or Diamond jewelry that is accompanied with a 3^rd party, genuine, laboratory grading report.
Why?
Because Diamonds that are even one quality lower than what is sold can be comparatively very cheap. Simply speaking, you might be paying much higher for something that should be cheaper!
Unfortunately, many sellers around the globe take advantage of this fact and sell us Diamonds that might be 1 or 2 grade’s lower than what is being declared, duping us with their 'brand hype', and at the same time, earning a healthy, but dishonest profit!


Questions asked by our shoppers:

"But if the big brands and other sellers select their own Diamonds, wouldn’t they know what they are selecting?” “And so how is a laboratory certificate better than a brand’s own certificate?"
If someone themselves certify their product, how can we testify the authenticity of their certificate?
You see, a seller knows exactly what he is selling, but most of the time a customer does not know what he is buying! And unfortunately many sellers might take advantage of this lack of knowledge, selling us cheap, low quality Diamonds. (especially by using creative words like 'deluxe diamonds', 'super deluxe quality diamonds', etc.)

Now, when you do insist for a laboratory certificate of your Diamond jewelry, the seller cannot sell these cheap, low quality Diamonds, as they would be easily identifiable by seeing the report.
Secondly, a laboratory report is more accurate than a 'brand' certifying its own Diamonds because…
...a state-of-the-art Diamond Grading Laboratory is many times better equipped than most brands to accurately grade diamonds and gemstones. This is because they have extremely accurate instruments (High-Power Microscopes, Spectrometers, Refractometers, U.V testers, etc.) needed to grade gemstones, and highly trained personnel, working only for grading Gemstones.
Due to this, they can undoubtedly grade Diamonds far more accurately!

"We got an 'Authenticity & Guarantee card' when we bought a pair of Diamond Earrings... isn’t that valid? Doesn't it assure us of the diamond quality?"
"Diamond Authenticity Certificate" is a common offering from many sellers. This certificate usually displays the product photo, Diamond and Metal specifications, and a "Product Guarantee or Warranty".
But then, why cannot they offer a genuine, 3^rd party Diamond report??
This is why we have the following unanswered questions:
  How can we be 100% sure that the Diamonds are in fact, of the said grade?
  How can we know that there was no partiality while selecting the Diamonds?
  Does simply a "brand name" qualify authority in declaring the Diamond quality?
  Were the Diamonds graded on highly sophisticated instruments?
Unfortunately, no brand can answer these questions satisfactorily. And it is because of the above unanswered questions that we say the following:

"One of the only ways to be sure that the Diamonds you buy are in fact of the declared grade is to buy them only when they are accompanied with a reputed laboratory certificate."
Hence we advise shoppers to be extremely alert while buying Diamonds or Diamond Jewelry, insist for and check the certificate for the Diamond quality, and only then assess the price of the Jewel!

Need more information on Diamond Certification?
Go to our:
Gemological Institute Of America’s information (G.I.A)page
Gemmological Institute Of India’s information (G.I.I) page
Start making your Diamond ring with a G.I.A. Certified Diamond

The above terms, commonly used by many Diamond sellers; theorotically do not exist! These are only promotion terms, which may be used to sell low quality Diamonds at a premium price. Now, here is the clarification of these vague terms:

  Super Deluxe: Scientifically, there is no such term while grading Diamonds.
  Eye-clean Diamond: Again, there is no such term for a Diamond’s clarity. See what ‘clarity’ scientifically means here.
  J or K White Diamonds: J and K are not even White Diamonds! See what diamond color scientifically means here.


In Short,
The next time you encounter these vague, marketing terms at any Diamond store, ask the seller for the proper scientific grade, and only evaluate a Diamond based on this grade.


Questions asked by our shoppers:

"But the seller assured that his 'super deluxe diamonds' are of the VVS quality, what is wrong in that then?"
Nothing ‘wrong’ in that, but the problem is not with what the seller declares, but with the following:   Some sellers might call VVS clarity grade as ‘super deluxe’
  Some sellers might call VS clarity grade as ‘super deluxe’
  Some sellers might call E-F color grade as ‘super deluxe’
  Some sellers might call H-I color grade as ‘super deluxe’

Get the point?
Since these vague terms are not scientific terms, they are prone to get misinterpreted, ultimately proving costly for the buyer! And that is why we advise our shoppers to stay away from sellers using these bogus terms to mislead genuine buyers.

"I saw a big J color Diamond on a website, but it was called as white, should I buy it?"
Buying or not buying is a personal choice, but the truth is if you hold the same Diamond besides a true E or F color diamond, you will simply say "Wow, this E color Diamond looks so white & awesome!" On a more serious note, a J color Diamond is not a White Diamond, it has a slightly yellowish color, and if it is kept besides a similar sized E or F color Diamond, the difference is easily noticeable.
Also, if that Diamond is being sold at a rate at which you should get an E or F color diamond, aren’t you being cheated??
However, if it is priced at a right price, it is up to you to decide whether you would like to buy a poor color Diamond or not...

The 3rd and one of the most casual mistake is to buy Diamonds of low quality and pay an amount at which you should get Diamonds of better quality!
This happens because of 1 single reason: Lack Of Awareness! So let’s get aware!

But how can a casual shopper know which are the low quality Diamonds? And add to it, there is no offical demarcation between ‘low’ and ‘high’ quality Diamonds.
But fear not, because the universal acceptance among laboratories, shoppers, auction houses and regular sellers regarding Diamond quality is as follows:
       Low grade Diamonds include:
       Diamonds below the color grade H
       Diamond below the clarity grade: VS2 or SI1

Any Diamond below these grades is considered as a low quality, non-premium Diamond. No matter how hard a seller tries to market such low quality Diamonds, it will never match the beauty of a higher grade Diamond.


Questions asked by our shoppers:

"So what are the top quality diamonds?"
Globally, the following Diamonds are accepted as being the 'higher' quality Diamonds:
      1. Diamonds with FL or IF clarity grade, D Color, with an Ideal cut.
      Unfortunately, diamonds of this quality are extremely rare, and hence very costly.)

      2. Diamonds with VVS clarity grade, E or F color, with a ‘Good to Very Good’ cut.
      (This is the best diamond deal! Not only are these diamonds priced lower than the top grade, but they are also exceptionally beautiful, and the difference between the two is almost negligible.)

      3. Diamonds with VS clarity grade, F-G or G-H color, with a Good cut.
      These Diamonds strike the perfect balance. They are fair to good quality Diamonds, cheaper than both the above grades, and offer the best value for money!

CAUTION: Many sellers might try to sell low, poor grade Diamonds as VS, G-H diamonds. Be more careful if there is no Diamond grade certification along with such Diamonds!


"A seller was willing to sell me a 1 carat, SI2 clarity, J color diamond at a very cheap price, should I buy it?"
Well, it is completely your choice… our job is to make you aware! On our part, we would say if you are buying a Diamond of 1 carat or bigger, definitely go for a better grade! A higher grade 1 carat diamond will look many times better than the above mentioned one. Secondly, if you can even get a slightly smaller but higher grade Diamond at the same price, go for it! It will literally ‘outshine’ the former!

For now...
...lets take a digital turn towards the next mistake...

Everyone at Light of Venus believes that it is only when...
...a Diamond Jewel is actually made by expert hands, with close detail to its design and delicacy does it become a masterpiece!
And that simply cannot be accomplished by mass produced Diamond jewels.

Problems with mass produced Diamond Jewels:
  Thin, flimsy Rings.
  Hollow Ring Shanks.
  Porosity and Casting Spots in Rings since the metal is poured in a cast.
  Diamond settings are made in minimum Gold to reduce costs.
  Since they are mass produced, Diamonds setting is generally uneven and haphazard.

Due to the above reasons, the ring wears away very quickly and Diamonds in you ring are most likely to fall off before even a few years.

The Solution?
   Always buy Diamond Jewelry that is made brand new, and not mass-made, that way you can avoid the above mentioned problems.
   Customize the new jewelry according to your requirement, ask the seller to make a strong Diamond setting.
   Also, you can select your Diamonds, metal type, and request the seller to create a piece of art that is strong, durable and one that lasts a lifetime!


Questions asked by our shoppers:

"What is a ring shank?"
A ring shank is the ‘inside’ part of your ring. You can see it by removing your ring and inverting it, if it is a mass produced ring, chances are it will have few ‘hollow’ spots or gaps, this is done by many brands to reduce the costs!
Click here to see an example of a hollow shank.
This ‘hollow’ shank can prove costly to you in both ways, while paying for the ring, and a possibility of getting the ring broken due to the hollow shank.
Click here to see how our Solid Ring Shank looks.

"What are casting spots?"
Since most of the mass produced jewels are made by pouring them in a cast, and not made by hand, over time as their surface metal gets worn-off, these rings show small holes, what we call ‘casting spots’, you can click here to see how they look.

"But what if I like thin rings!?"
No problem if you like thin rings, just that over time, there wouldn’t be much left on your finger to be called a ‘ring’. What we mean is rings are prone to get worn-out faster than any other jewel. Due to which we would suggest you to make your rings slightly stronger by making them solid, but at the same time, preserving their delicacy.
Remember, there is a very thin line between a ‘thin, flimsy’ ring and a ‘delicate, beautiful’ ring.

Which brings us to the next mistake...

Recently there is a trend of ‘light weight’ Diamond jewelry. This jewelry is made in minimum metal, and cleverly marketed as being ‘in fashion’.
Well, we simply don’t believe the hype! Why?

Because a Diamond Ring cannot last long if the construction is sacrificed for the ‘light weight’ trend hype! For e.g. if the metal prongs of a ring are made in this ‘light weight’ category, after a few years of wear-tear, there wouldn’t be much left on your ring to hold your Diamonds in place, except for luck!

Every Diamond ornament needs sufficient metal to:
  Securely hold the Diamonds.
  Last a long time without bending.
  Avoid getting the prongs chipped or broken.
  Avoid getting the ornament broken if caught in some fabric.
  Sustain daily wear and tear (rings are the biggest victims).

In short, avoid ‘light weight’ jewelry if it has Diamonds, and make sure that your jewels have enough metal to hold the Diamonds!


Questions asked by our shoppers:

"Which Diamond jewels are made in ‘light weight’? How do I identify them?"
Generally mass produced Diamond ornaments are made in lighter weight to reduce their cost, and hence appeal to the masses. If you observe the metal weight of such jewels carefully, you will notice that they are made in minimum metal; this is done by the manufacturer to reduce its cost! (But the funny thing is this cost reduction doesn’t affect its final price!)
For e.g. light-weight earrings will have very flimsy screws, light-weight rings will have hollow shanks, and appear very thin.

"But what’s wrong if a jewel, my ring is delicate? I do not like jewels, rings that are gaudy and loud."
There’s a thin line between a ‘light weight’ jewel and a delicate, beautiful one. What we advise is to be careful of the following things while buying diamond jewelry:
  The bottom part of a ring should not be hollow, or have holes, gaps in it.
  The screws of the earrings should be strong enough to sustain daily wear-tear.
  Rings should have solid shanks.
  Diamonds should be protected by precise and perfectly built prongs.
  Preferably, Solitaire Diamond Rings should have Strong Platinum Prongs.
  The hooks of Pendants should not be too flimsy.
  iamond bangles, bracelets should have sufficient metal to prevent bending.
  iamond bangles, bracelets should have sufficient metal to prevent bending.

Once these things are taken care of, a jewel can be easily made delicate and beautiful!

This brings us to the end of the ‘5 Diamond Buying Mistakes’ article and we honestly hope that you have learnt some very useful and practical tips!
Happy and Safe Diamond Shopping.
If you have any unanswered questions, do not hesitate to contact us on support@lightofvenus.com to get a quick reply!