A diamond certificate does not tell you the whole story

You may think that when buying a diamond you must get a certificate. This is only true if you are buying from a source that you are not sure about – eg on the internet or oversees. If you buy from an established company, a certificate isn’t really necessary as their receipt will state that stone’s grading and that will be guarantee enough that you have what you paid for. It’s worth remembering that a certificated stone will always be a little more expensive than the equivalent non-certificated stone because the retailer has to cover the cost of the independent certification process.

Find out more about certificated diamonds.

One H SI 0.5CT stone is not the same as another of the same spec

Every diamond is unique – you only have to sit down with an expert and view a selection of diamonds for your engagement ring to find this out. The internationally recognised grading system for diamonds goes a long way in defining a diamonds’ characteristics but there is much about a stone’s beauty that cannot be scientifically measured. We would suggest you take what you read from online loose diamond retailers with a pinch of salt – you really need to look at a selection of diamonds with an expert to find the perfect diamond for your engagement ring – you just can’t do that unseen over the internet.

Loose diamonds bought online are not necessarily cheaper

There is a preconceived notion that by buying your diamond from the internet you are somehow buying ‘direct’ at trade prices – this is not really true. Harriet can safely say, hand on heart, that she has never set a diamond, bought from the internet, that she couldn’t have matched or bettered the price on. She remembers once setting a diamond that was around £30 cheaper than we would have charged for the same specifications on the certificate, but this diamond did not have the qualities that we would always look for in a diamond – certificated or otherwise
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Diamonds bought at tourist locations across the world are not necessarily cheaper

Harriet remembers visiting a government-run gem shop in the far-east full of western tourists buying loose stones at what they thought were good prices. Of course they were really receiving the tourist price and she was quite surprised that she could have matched or bettered the price if they had bought from her in the UK. She also saw topaz being passed off as aquamarine.

Other gemstones are not graded like diamonds

Only diamonds can be graded in an internationally recognised way. Online gemstone retailers sometimes imply that stones such as sapphires can have meaningful colour and clarity values. While this may be a way of comparing the different stones in one retailer’s stock, it has no meaning when comparing with another retailer’s stock or any internationally recognised value whatsoever.

the “value” of an engagement ring is not just in the diamond

While it is of course possible to pay too much for a diamond, the resale value of your engagement ring will always be less than the price you paid because (for obvious reasons) a second hand engagement ring is not necessarily the most desired of objects. If the investment value of your engagement ring is important to you then we suggest you invest in great design and outstanding craftsmanship – both of which we have here at Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery. You can invest in diamonds, but an investment diamond shouldn’t really be set into a ring but kept in its sealed pouch with associated paperwork.

If you have bought your stone elsewhere, do remember to leave an adequate budget for the setting and craftsmanship, as these elements can be just as important as your diamond.