Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The Benefits of Buying Diamonds on eBay



You love diamonds, but don’t want to pay retail. Have you considered buying from an online auction site? Of the many online sellers of diamonds, whom can you trust? Adina Jewelers is proud of our long-standing relationship with eBay. Here’s why.

1. Average of 50% off retail. When buying a diamond, paying retail can be cost prohibitive, both in-store or online. Purchasing a comparable, pre-owned, diamond through an online auction on eBay is the smart way to get what you want without paying fullprice. Diamonds on Empire Jewelers’ eBay site, for example, typically average 50% less than retail.

2. Consumer protection policies. In addition to costsavings, a smart consumer also must know that their purchase is protected, should they be dissatisfied for some reason. eBay has a number of consumer-friendly safeguards in place. One of the most telling is the “positive feedback” rating. This numbered rating is based on various buyer’s feedback on the seller regarding their purchase transaction. Criteria include “item as described,” “communication,” shipping time,” and “shipping and handling charges.” Obviously, the more positive feedback a seller has, the better you should feel about buying from them. If a seller has a less than 98% positive feedback score you may want to avoid that seller. Empire Jewelers’ eBay store has a 100% positive approval rating in the last 12 months.

eBay also has a no-risk policy: If you do end up buying a diamond you are not pleased with due to the seller or quality of the diamond, or other reason, eBay has a 100% money-back guarantee. If your purchase was covered by eBay Buyer Protection, and you contacted the seller and they did not satisfy your request, eBay’s customer support specialists will work with the seller to resolve the issue on your behalf. If you still do not get satisfaction, eBay will refund your full purchase price plus original shipping.

3. You can refine searches. When searching on eBay for diamonds or other items, there are multiple ways to refine your search, which helps narrow down results and increases your chances of finding exactly what you want. In the “advanced search” option, use the “exclude these words” function. Enter words like “zircon, “enhanced,” and “lab” to make sure you’re only searching for real diamonds. You can also view results as a list or in gallery form. Be sure to use the “sort by” functions to narrow down auction time and price options.

Understand the 4 Cs
Before buying a diamond on eBay or anywhere else, make sure you buy only a “certified diamond” that has been appraised by a reputable GIA-trained or certified appraiser.

In the ‘40s and ’50s, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), an educational and research non-profit organization founded in 1931, developed the “4Cs” and the GIA International Diamond Grading System™ to objectively compare and evaluate diamonds. Today, even if you buy or sell a diamond in another part of the world, the jeweler will likely use the same GIA grading systems.
  • Color: Most diamonds run from colorless to near-colorless, with slight hints of yellow or brown. “Color” is not how much color a diamond has, but the degree to which it is colorless. The GIA set the industry standard with its D-Z scale (D is colorless while Z means the diamond has the most yellow.) The exception to this rule are fancy colored diamonds which aren’t included in the GIA’s D-Z scale. Colors beyond the Z color are considered fancy colored diamonds.
  • Clarity: Most diamonds have tiny crystals, feathers, or clouds within them, called “inclusions.” Surface imperfections are called “blemishes.” The rarest diamonds are flawless and have no internal inclusions or external blemishes. The GIA uses a Clarity Scale of 11 grades that are measured using 10X magnifications.
  • Carat: Signifies the weight—not the size—of the diamond. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams. Since heavier diamonds are rarer than smaller diamonds, the heavier the carat weight, the higher the value.
  • Cut: The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions, symmetry, and polish. When evaluating cut, two aspects are assessed: shape (round, marquise, square cut, etc.), and how well the cutting was executed. It must be geometrically precise, since it will affect a diamond’s fire (the flash of rainbow colors from within) and brilliance (its sparkle). The cut was historically the most subjective and difficult to standardize during appraisal, but due to advances in technology, the GIA introduced its cut grading system in 2005.