Online Jewelry stores are the latest of the “retail dominoes” to fall, and a god-send for the time-and cash strapped modern citizen. There’s no need to hassle with the driver, the parking or the snooty jewelry store salesman anymore, when you can now check out your favorite gemstone or diamond right there at a click of the mouse. Of course, if you are a harassed fiancé with absolutely no clue of how to buy a diamond or even what the real McCoy looks like, you need a lot of education. But for the rest of us, who want to benefit from the vast price differences between brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce shopping, these are only a few tips.
First off, browse and browse like there’s no tomorrow (there is, but it’s hard to believe). Most online jewelry stores offer discounts and giveaways, all year round, so the more you browse, the better the deals you’ll dig up. The choices are unlimited, so if you’re really unsure, walk into a brick-and-mortar near your area and look around. If a style or design attracts you make a note of it, i.e., the cut, stone setting etc., and look for something similar online. You may not get the exact same thing but it will be close.
Diamond RIngsNext up, how genuine is the piece of jewelry you want to buy? There are several institutes and organizations that value your diamonds and gemstones. Nowadays, most online jewelry stores whether they’re the big conglomerates or the mom-and-pop variety offer certificates along with genuine gemstones. The most well-known are the GIA (Gemological Institute Of America), AGS (The American Gem Society), EGL (EGL (European Gemological Laboratory) International), IGI (International Gemological Institute), etc. Thelist goes on but the ones named in this article are popular in the United States.
Most online jewelry stores include a diamond certification with the product. You can view the certificate online and also except to get one when you buy the diamond. You can also get an independent appraisal from a (GG) graduate gemologist. This will give you the monetary value of the gemstone. If you’re looking at buying a diamond ring or a necklace as an heirloom or keepsake to pass onto your children and grandchildren, then ensure the diamond has substantial monetary value. A certification tells you the genuineness of the gemstone, usually a diamond. An appraisal gives you an idea of the monetary value of the gemstone at that time. In general, a gemstone’s value doesn’t dip drastically, so they’re a safe bet to invest in.
And lastly, do you want a large gemstone that’s not very expensive, which means the gem’s not so valuable after all. Or would you rather have a smaller but better quality gemstone? Remember an online jewelry store isn’t very different to a brick-and-mortar one. They’re looking at their profits as well as the word-of-mouth advertisement a happy customer is likely to generate. So do look around for customer reviews about online jewelry stores, and you’ll get a good idea of which ones to choose.
