Shopping for Diamonds Online
How to shop for jewelry online
A few years ago, everything we bought was in person shopping. If I needed to purchase something, that meant a drive, a walk, talking to sales - people, going home, and obviously, the dreaded going back for returns and exchanges.
Now, the majority of purchases made, are all done online. We shop for clothing, food, entertainment and housewares all online. The accessibility of shopping from the comfort of your couch, is hard to beat.
Is it safe to buy jewelry online?
Buying a pair of shoes online is vastly different from making a large expense without seeing the product in person. When buying an item of not such large expense online, should the purchase not go as planned the loss isn’t so great. So obviously you could feel wary making a purchase on diamonds or gemstones without seeing the stones in person. Here is how to make purchasing online feel as secure as shopping in a store front from the comfort of your own home.
As online shopping is relatively ‘new’, its not so common right now to purchase your fine jewelry online. But at the rate of progression, in a few years the majority of fine jewelry purchases will be done virtually. The majority of jewelers online are reputable, and here is how to avoid the ones that are a little more suspicious.
How to safely purchase jewelry online?
Firstly, to filter out websites that aren’t reputable, check reviews. All reputable websites should have customer pictures and reviews. Check out our review page here. Some blogs recommend asking to speak to a past customer and while that is a sweet idea, the major problem is, you don’t know who you are talking to, and they could be dishonest about their supposed experience for dubious reasons.
Additionally, and most importantly, ensure that the stones or pieces you are purchasing has a reputable gemologist certificate. Because you can’t see the piece you are interested in in-person, having an unbiased and outsider who has seen and evaluated the piece, ensures that all the details and the value of the jewelry that is written on the certificate will be what you receive.
Lastly, when purchasing jewelry online, reputable jewelers should be available and open to schedule virtual meetings to discuss and perhaps help you design your piece. Since you aren’t there in person, they should involve you in every step of the way. From designing (if relevant), to sizing, to pictures of the final product, and pictures of the final package. If your initial contact with a jeweler doesn’t feel right with you, or they are not consistent with their communication, find another jeweler who provides the communication and information that is necessary to ensure your purchase is done without anxiety and with full transparency.
Still not convinced?
If despite all this you would still like final confirmation that your purchase is authentic and you are fully informed, reputable jewelers can provide you with one last thing, should you request it. Since you aren’t seeing your diamond in person, the most secure thing to do is request laser inscription on your diamond. GIA provides a service to all their diamonds they evaluate, which is the numerical code laser inscribed on the girdle of the diamond. This means, that when taking an eye loop to the side of the diamond (barring that the side of the diamond isn’t covered by the setting), you can see the number of the diamond and match it to the certificate you received for that gemstone. I recommend this service to anyone who feels extra wary, so they can confirm their purchase when they receive their item. Reach out to us if this is a service you are interested in and would like to hear more about it!