Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they may also be a guy’s worst enemy. There’s so much information out there and so many diamond retailers today that it’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused. This is not how you want to feel when you’re ready to pop the question. Take a deep breath! I am here to help!

The process of buying a diamond need not be agonizing. Instead, educate yourself as to your options. Do your research both about the 4 C’s and where you want to buy your diamond. We are going to focus now on the latter and help narrow down your search for when you’re in the market for a radiant rock.

Where should you start your search? At the local jeweler in your mall or main street? Or at home on the Internet? While it’s important to do some live window shopping to figure out what styles you like, your actual shopping experience can and should take place right in front of your computer. There are many reasons why I encourage shoppers to take advantage of what e-retailers have to offer.

First, bricks and mortar stores have significant overhead costs that online vendors don’t. The mom-and-pop shop has to pay utilities, insurance, employee salaries, and rent, and as you can guess, that added cost is factored into the price of the diamond you are buying. By virtue of the Internet’s “virtual” reality, the cost of upkeep is considerably less.

Second, online diamond dealers have a serious advantage when it comes to inventory. Traditional stores cannot afford to stock as many diamonds as e-vendors. Why? Private vendors all over the world can showcase their diamonds as part of a virtual inventory without the online retailer paying for the diamond upfront. This is unlike local jewelers — even large franchise chains — who must put up huge amounts of money to stock their display cases.

And finally, not only is the selection better but the quality is better. In local stores you often only see diamonds with EGL or IGI certifications whereas online you can find AGS and GIA certified diamonds, both superior rating systems with the highest standards in gemology.

Now you might not be too keen on the idea of buying a diamond without picking it up in your hand. The good news is that some diamond e-vendors have a fabulous feature called a virtual loupe, which allows shoppers to have a closer look at the diamond — thus not relying on the specs of the certificate alone.

 

Ira Weissman+ is a diamond industry veteran with a decade of experience at one of the world’s largest diamond polishers. He has traveled the world buying and selling diamonds and now dedicates his time to helping consumers make the most of their diamond buying decisions. He has been featured on Anderson Cooper, CNBC, The Huffington Post, and has been quoted by MarketWatch, The Village Voice, and BankRate. Visit Truth About Diamonds to educate yourself about diamonds.