| ho choose to acquire an expensive luxury | | | | diamond, but if all is well they will then be able to |
| commodity are more demanding about | | | | use the grading report and whatever knowledge |
| assurances given as to the quality and value of | | | | they can gain regarding diamond price |
| what they are buying. Diamond consumers are no | | | | comparisons in order to help them know how |
| exception, and today they are more cautious | | | | much their diamond is worth, and whether they |
| about their purchases than they may have been | | | | are paying a reasonable price for it. A diamond, |
| in the past, especially with the economic recession | | | | once bought, generally has a 30 day warranty on |
| and tightening of purse strings. | | | | it, and a customer has only to take it to a |
| The diamond industry has long had difficulty | | | | trustworthy appraiser in order to be sure that the |
| regulating the comparative worth of gemstone | | | | diamond which they have bought is the same |
| quality diamonds because, like most decadent | | | | diamond referenced in the grading report. |
| luxury items, they are devoid of any true | | | | Diamond price guides now exist for retailers and |
| practical use. In the past, our love of this sparkling | | | | wholesalers who buy and sell diamonds to be able |
| gemstone has had to be priced in an irregular | | | | to evaluate the worth of one diamond against |
| fashion based mainly on popularity of design, | | | | another in order for them to determine |
| personal choice, and one's access (or lack of | | | | comparative retail pricing on diamonds of similar |
| access) to a variety of diamond retailers. Because | | | | quality. However, most of these lists are not |
| there are now more ways of comparing the | | | | available for consumer use, and would be |
| physical characteristics of diamonds to one | | | | impossible for the average customer to interpret |
| another, some standardization of comparative | | | | even if they were available. What exists for the |
| diamond pricing has helped make the industry | | | | skeptical consumer who wishes to know as much |
| more stable, and make buying a diamond a more | | | | as possible before attempting to purchase a |
| assured experience for the individual consumer. | | | | diamond either in-person or online, websites like |
| These days when a consumer buys a diamond | | | | and diamonds.info offer a wealth of knowledge. |
| from a reasonable establishment, they can expect | | | | Those who are conscious of these changes in the |
| the diamond to come with a grading report. A | | | | diamond industry, and want the most up-to-date |
| grading report is an unbiased assessment of the | | | | information available to consumers in order to find |
| diamond's qualities, performed by a laboratory | | | | the best price for the diamond of their dreams, |
| which has no relationship with diamond sellers. The | | | | should be encouraged to use these and other |
| analysis is done based on the 4c's (carat weight, | | | | sites which house information that is independent |
| cut, color and clarity), which describe the quality | | | | from specific diamond retailers or commercially |
| of those natural properties for which diamonds | | | | involved sources. These websites are a great |
| are valued. The grading report is so important | | | | resource for those wishing to know more about |
| because it is the basis on which all comparisons in | | | | grading reports, comparative pricing, and anything |
| diamond pricing are made. If there has been some | | | | else to help them make a decision about their |
| fraudulence, the customer is free to return the | | | | diamond purchases. |