Is it safe to buy a diamond off the internet? Is it safe to buy a diamond from your local jeweler? We suppose that the answer to these questions depends on the ethical standards and reputation of the vendor you are thinking about buying the diamond from. Diamond and jewelry companies with excellent reputations for quality, service and integrity exist both on the internet and in traditional brick and mortar retail environments... And there are a few real flakes out there too, so be careful! Regardless of whether you are considering buying a diamond off of the internet or from a local retailer, we recommend conducting your own due diligence before completing your purchase.

The best way to determine whether a company is reliable is to ask a friend or relative for a recommendation to a jeweler who they have done business with in the past. Review customer testimonials and contact consumer watch dog organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, The Public Eye, Epinions, and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee to determine whether any unresolved complaints have been issued against the company. If complaints have been filed against the company, take a look at the reports to determine whether the issues have been resolved in a manner which seems satisfactory.

Note that a company does not have to be a member of a consumer watch dog organization to have positive or negative information submitted to their file by consumers. Membership generally means that the company has agreed to adhere to a general standard of ethics as deemed appropriate by each organization and to be subject to mediation by members of that organization in the event of a dispute. Realize that it is practically impossible to go through life without making any mistakes, but it is how those mistakes are handled that reflect upon the integrity of a company.

Regardless of whether you purchase your diamond from a traditional brick and mortar retail store or from a reliable internet dealer like ourselves, we recommend that you consult the services of an independent Graduate Gemologist to verify the characteristics of the diamond as advertised and/or indicated by the lab report and to obtain a retail appraisal for insurance purposes.