Welcome to the DiamondAvenue Mall

DiamondAvenue Mall - Online Buyer's Guide

Buying diamonds and fine jewelry online can offer important advantages, including a broad selection, convenient comparison shopping and access to merchants beyond your local area. The internet can make it easier to compare styles, prices, diamond characteristics, precious metals and seller policies before making a decision.

At the same time, diamonds and fine jewelry can represent a substantial purchase. A photograph and an advertised price do not tell the entire story. Buyers should also consider the seller's reputation, product documentation, return policy, warranty, shipping procedures, payment method and the exact characteristics of the item being purchased.

The DiamondAvenue Mall is designed to help shoppers discover and compare diamond and gemstone jewelry categories and merchants. Before purchasing from any seller, take the time to independently review the merchandise and the merchant's terms and policies.

Broader Selection

Online shopping can provide access to a much larger selection than may be available from a single local jewelry store. Shoppers can compare loose diamonds, engagement rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, wedding bands and other jewelry in many styles and price ranges.

For loose diamonds, online inventories may include a wide range of shapes, carat weights, colors, clarity grades and cut qualities.

Easy Comparison Shopping

One of the strongest advantages of buying online is the ability to compare several similar items without traveling from store to store.

When comparing diamonds, look beyond the advertised price. Compare the Four C's, millimeter measurements, grading information, fluorescence, proportions and other characteristics that may affect appearance and value.

Convenience

Online merchants may provide photographs, magnified images, 360-degree videos, grading information and detailed specifications that can be reviewed from home and revisited before making a decision.

This can give buyers more time to research a purchase rather than feeling pressured to make an immediate decision at a sales counter.

Competitive Pricing

Online jewelry sellers may sometimes offer competitive prices because their inventory, staffing and operating structures differ from those of traditional retail stores.

However, price alone should not determine which diamond or piece of jewelry to purchase. Two items that appear similar may differ in diamond quality, metal weight, craftsmanship, grading documentation, warranty coverage and included services.

Compare the Total Cost

Compare the complete cost of the purchase rather than only the advertised item price. Depending on the transaction, the total may include the diamond or jewelry item, setting, sizing, engraving, shipping, insurance, sales or use tax and additional service charges.

A lower initial price may not represent the better overall value if another seller includes services, documentation or warranty coverage that you would otherwise have to purchase separately.

Know Who You Are Buying From

Before making a substantial online jewelry purchase, investigate the seller. Look for a clear business name, physical address, telephone number and accessible customer-service information.

Review customer feedback from more than one independent source. Consider how long the seller has been in business and whether buyers report satisfactory experiences involving product quality, shipping, returns, refunds, repairs and warranty service.

Do not rely solely on testimonials displayed on the seller's own website. Trade memberships, business ratings and industry affiliations may provide useful information, but they do not replace your own review of the merchandise, sales terms and return policy.

Read the Product Description Carefully

Make sure the description clearly identifies what is included in the sale. Determine whether a ring price includes both the center diamond and setting, whether a necklace or pendant includes the chain and whether an advertised carat weight refers to one diamond or the combined weight of several stones.

For jewelry containing many diamonds, look for the total carat weight, represented color and clarity ranges, metal type, metal purity, dimensions and setting details.

Natural, Lab-Created, Treated or Simulated?

Determine whether the product contains natural diamonds, laboratory-created diamonds, enhanced or treated natural diamonds, or diamond simulants.

A lab-created diamond is a diamond produced in a laboratory. A simulant such as cubic zirconia or moissanite is a different material that may resemble a diamond. Treatments and enhancements should also be clearly disclosed where applicable.

The seller's description and documentation should accurately identify what you are buying.

Diamond Grading Reports

For a significant loose diamond or important center stone, ask whether the diamond is accompanied by an independent laboratory grading report.

A grading report may describe characteristics such as carat weight, color, clarity, measurements, proportions, polish, symmetry, fluorescence and identifying features.

Verify the report number through the issuing laboratory's official report-check service whenever that service is available. If the diamond carries a laser-inscribed report number, the inscription may also help confirm that the stone corresponds with the report.

Report vs. Appraisal

A diamond grading report and a jewelry appraisal are not the same thing.

A grading report describes characteristics of a diamond. An appraisal generally assigns a monetary value to jewelry for a particular purpose, such as insurance.

An appraisal value should not automatically be interpreted as the price for which the jewelry could be resold.

Use Photos and Videos Wisely

High-resolution photographs and videos can be very useful when comparing jewelry online, but screen images can be affected by lighting, magnification, camera settings and display calibration.

When possible, review multiple views of the item and pay attention to measurements. A photograph enlarged on a computer screen can make a diamond or piece of jewelry appear much larger than it will appear in person.

Carat Weight Is Not the Same as Visible Size

Carat is a measure of weight, not diameter. Two diamonds of the same carat weight can have different face-up dimensions because of differences in shape and proportions.

For loose diamonds and center stones, compare millimeter measurements in addition to carat weight. For finished jewelry, review the dimensions of the complete piece whenever they are provided.

Read the Return and Refund Policy Before Paying

A reasonable inspection and return period is especially valuable when buying jewelry online because the buyer does not physically handle the item before purchase.

Determine how many days you have to return the item and whether the return period begins on the shipment date or delivery date. Check whether return shipping, insurance or restocking charges apply.

Also determine whether engraving, ring sizing, custom manufacturing, special orders or other modifications make the item nonreturnable. Do not assume that every online jewelry purchase can be returned under the same terms.

Warranty and Repair Service

Review the written warranty before purchasing. Find out what is covered and what is excluded, including manufacturing defects, loose stones, worn prongs, clasps, sizing and routine maintenance.

Some warranties may require periodic inspections or may exclude damage caused by normal wear, accidents or work performed by another jeweler.

Sizing and Alterations

If purchasing a ring, confirm the correct size before ordering and determine whether resizing is available.

Some designs, including certain full eternity rings and highly detailed bands, may be difficult or impractical to resize. Ask about sizing limitations before completing the purchase.

Use a Secure and Traceable Payment Method

Use a payment method that creates a clear transaction record. Credit cards may provide billing-dispute protections, although those protections do not replace the seller's written return and refund policies.

Be especially cautious when an unfamiliar seller insists on payment methods that are difficult to reverse or trace.

Protect Your Personal Information

Before entering payment information, make sure you are on the intended merchant's website and that the checkout page uses a secure encrypted connection.

Be cautious of links in unexpected emails, text messages or online advertisements that imitate jewelry retailers. When in doubt, navigate directly to the merchant's official website rather than following an unfamiliar link.

Insured Shipping

Valuable diamonds and jewelry should be shipped by a secure method with appropriate insurance. Confirm who bears the risk if the package is lost or damaged before delivery.

For expensive purchases, signature confirmation is an important consideration so the package is not simply left unattended at a door.

Inspect the Package Promptly

Inspect the shipment as soon as practical after delivery. Confirm that the item received matches the order and review the jewelry carefully during the seller's return period.

Keep packaging, receipts, grading reports and other documents until you are certain that you intend to keep the purchase.

Online Purchases and Taxes

Buying from an online or out-of-state seller does not necessarily eliminate sales or use tax. Depending on the transaction and applicable law, the seller may collect tax at checkout or the buyer may have a separate use-tax obligation.

Consider applicable taxes when comparing the total cost of competing offers rather than assuming that an online purchase will automatically be tax-free.

Consider an Independent Inspection

For an expensive diamond or piece of jewelry, consider having the item examined during the return period by a qualified independent gemologist or appraiser who does not sell the item and has no financial interest in the transaction.

An independent examination may help confirm that the diamond corresponds with its grading documentation and may identify damage, treatments, setting concerns or other conditions that were not obvious in online photographs.

Insurance

For valuable jewelry, consider arranging appropriate insurance after you decide to keep the item.

Keep the purchase receipt, photographs, grading documentation and any appraisal in a safe place. Your insurer can explain what documentation is required and what types of loss are covered.

DiamondAvenue Online Jewelry Buying Checklist

• Establish a comfortable total budget.
• Compare several genuinely similar items rather than comparing price alone.
• Review the Four C's when diamonds are an important part of the purchase.
• Compare millimeter measurements as well as carat weight for significant diamonds.
• Determine whether diamonds are natural, laboratory-created, treated or simulated.
• Review the seller's business identity, reputation and customer-service information.
• Read the complete product description and specifications.
• Request appropriate grading documentation for significant diamonds.
• Verify grading-report information through the issuing laboratory when possible.
• Review photographs and videos, but remember that images may be enlarged.
• Read the return and refund policy before paying.
• Determine whether sizing, engraving or customization affects return rights.
• Review the warranty and repair policy.
• Use a secure and traceable payment method.
• Confirm insured shipping and signature requirements.
• Consider taxes and other charges when comparing the total cost.
• Inspect the jewelry promptly after delivery.
• Consider an independent examination for a high-value purchase.
• Arrange appropriate insurance for valuable jewelry that you decide to keep.

The Advantage of Being an Informed Online Buyer

Buying diamonds and jewelry online can combine selection, convenience and the ability to compare many products and merchants. Those advantages are most useful when the buyer also takes the time to understand exactly what is being offered and the terms under which it is being sold.

A strong online purchase decision considers the complete picture: the quality and appearance of the jewelry, the accuracy of the description, the reputation of the seller, the documentation provided, the total price, the return policy, warranty protection, secure payment and shipping, and the opportunity to inspect the item after delivery.

The goal is not simply to find the lowest advertised price. It is to find a diamond or piece of jewelry that meets your expectations and is purchased from a seller whose policies give you confidence in the transaction.

Learn Before You Buy

DiamondAvenue.com provides additional educational information to help shoppers understand diamonds, diamond jewelry and the characteristics that influence appearance and value.

Diamond Buying Guide   |   The Four C's   |   Carat Weight   |   Clarity   |   Color   |   Cut

Diamond Shapes   |   Lab-Created Diamonds   |   Enhanced Natural Diamonds   |   Diamond Simulants   |   Diamond Care