In todays world, it is more important than ever to be a smart buyer.  Why then do some people believe that the more they pay, the better the product?  The idea that the only way to insure that you are receiving quality when buying diamond jewelry, is to buy a heavily advertised designer name, or from a grossly over-priced “celebrity jewelry store,” is simply ridiculous.  To be willing to pay a lot more than needed for the color of a box, or the name on the inside of a ring is absurd, and unnecessary.  In most cases it is equivalent to throwing your money in the garbage!

The facts are that with todays advanced technology, all designs can be duplicated to near perfection.  When you are dealing with a reputable, qualified dealer that has a history of consistently providing quality, they will explain how gold is gold, platinum is platinum, and specific quality diamonds are diamonds.  Stamping a designer name on the inside, or delivering the product in a fancy box does not add to the value of a piece of jewelry.

The building of a brand costs a tremendous amount of money.  Every television, radio, and magazine add produced in order to enhance product recognition is ultimately going to be paid for by the consumer.  Ask yourself if you are willing to pay double or more to simply satisfy your ego.

   The truth is that large discounts are only possible when huge excessive markups are applied to any given merchandise.  If an item costs a store $100, and is marked up to $1,000, or more, a profit can still be made, while giving the impression that the customer is receiving a phenomenal bargain.  In truth if a legitimate markup is applied, no store could survive on offering absurd discounts.  Most of those practicing these sales tactics are attempting to convince the public that an item has a perceived value far greater than its true value.  Offering an inferior product that visually looks better than it is, is a common way to accomplish irresponsible discounting.

    Everyone in the jewelry industry understands that in today’s world, consumers are out shopping for the best value their dollar can buy.  If common sense is applied, the attraction to high overhead stores offering huge discounts should be avoided.  Instead seeking out a seller with very low costs of doing business (i.e. No fancy names, name brands, elaborate show rooms, numerous high paid employees etc.) and who simply offers a legitimate, firm, low price will prove to be a far smarter buying experience.  In other words, find a reputable, legitimate distributor of diamonds who simply will not play misconception games.

]]> http://www.coolbluediamond.com/diamondretailsalesgames-80percentoffwhat/feed/ 1 http://www.coolbluediamond.com/free-diamond-buyers-guide/ http://www.coolbluediamond.com/free-diamond-buyers-guide/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:45:34 +0000 RichardMark http://www.coolbluediamond.com/?p=360 ]]>

The reason why these diamonds are more affordable is not because they are defective. The reason is actually that color enhanced diamonds are created from slightly off color diamonds generally yellow or brown tint in nature, and therefor are not in as high of demand as clear stones which results in a lower cost. Color enhanced diamonds are not made to cover up or hide deficiencies in the stone, but rather to make high quality off tinted diamonds more attractive, like their rare relatives (Naturally occurring colored diamonds.)

The difference is that these diamonds go through an additional heat treating process that actually changes the diamonds color. This has opened up a new market for color enhanced diamonds since the beginning of the 20th century at a lower cost than the naturally occurring rare colored diamonds. It is really the best of both worlds, because you not only get a colored diamond, but a lower cost. The color is 100% permanent, and the stone is still as hard as diamond meaning you do not have to worry about wear as you would with other colored gems. Labs have also perfected the enhancing process to produce diamonds of any color on the palette. Many non-diamond gemstones go through a color enhancing process as well. You could point out that it is a general practice to enhance gemstones to create more abundance than what is naturally occurring in nature, or to just improve appearance.

    The diamond buying experience is a big thing to most people.  It involves the spending of a considerable amount of money on an item that no matter how much education one receives the elements of fear and mystery still exist.  No question that the internet, and the need to educate the consumer on the part of retail jewelers has provided diamond buyers with a more secure feeling when beginning the process.  The fact that there are so many elements that go into determining the cost of each individual diamond can be confusing, sometimes overwhelming; Therefor, it is necessary for each person to find as much knowledge as possible.  However, even after absorbing the facts about diamonds, the actual will to purchase simply comes down to trusting the person you are dealing with.

Many buyers begin with an attitude of mistrust, and take on a defensive posture when first sitting down to look at diamonds.  Based upon a historical misconception of huge mark ups at all levels in the jewelry industry, and that most everyone in the business are attempting to get rich on every transaction.  The fear of being taken advantage of often persists.  The truth is that because of the internet and the vast sea of information that exists, diamonds have become like any other commodity, transparent in it’s properties, and therefor driven to much smaller margins than the consumer can imagine.  Someone shopping for a diamond can easily figure out exactly what they are looking for, in terms of cut, color, clarity, and carat size, and then simply begin shopping for the best price.  The problem occurs in the shopping process when the buyer receives 20 different stories after talking to 20 different jewelers.  Each store stresses different priorities, and often push a variety of in stock stones, including “designer cuts” (increased faceted cut diamonds) leaving a person in a state of confusion and anxiety.

   The only way to find comfort, and assurance is to purchase your diamond from someone you trust.  A person who has been in the industry for a great length of time, and has no hidden agendas like pushing costly inventory.  Go with a person who makes you feel comfortable , and sincerely appears to have your happiness, and best interest as their top priorities while displaying complete honesty and transparency.  Bottom line to eliminating fear and removing the mystery in the diamond buying process is to maximize your knowledge to conclude exactly what you want, and most importantly find someone through testimonials, of simply your gut, that you can trust.

I have been in the diamond industry my whole life, and one of the first questions I always hear is, “when buying a diamond, what are the things I need to look for?”

Number one and most important is always buy a premium or ideal cut stone. It is the cut that determines the brilliance and scintillation. Without a proper cut diamond, the other characteristics mean nothing.

The second most important factor when buying a diamond is color. When you come to us we will make sure that you understand the diamond color scale, and how that affects the value of the diamond.