How to Buy a Diamond

Buying a diamond for an engagement ring is one of the most exciting and emotional purchases you will ever make. When shopping for a jeweller here are a few important questions to keep in mind:

  • What are the credentials of the salesperson? GIA trained Gemologist, an actual jewellery designer that can show a live portfolio?
  • If selecting a white metal what are the benefits of platinum over white gold? (see The Platinum Guild’s website)
  • What is the after sales service offered on the jewellery?
  • Where is the jewellery made?
  • Is the store accredited? (see Accredited Appraisal Program) Did you know that there are only 53 Accredited Appraiser in Canada, and only 2 in Western Canada?

We at the Diamond Gallery are proud to have the expertise, combined 75 years of jewellery design and diamond experience. Trained from the world’s leading educator in gems; The Gemological Institute of America – GIA (www.gia.edu), we have the credentials to back up what we have to say. There is a significant difference between a jeweller who has trained and graduated from GIA and a jeweller who only provides diamonds with GIA certification papers. The average person can navigate gemmological papers, but a trained GIA trained gemologist has the credentials properly explain diamonds.

Diamond Gallery designs are recognized as some of the finest quality craftsmanship in Canada. In an industry where most jewellery is now manufactured overseas, Canadian crafted designs is the main focus in our studio.

Specializing in platinum and premium alloyed white and yellow gold, we are able to offer our clients a wide variety of unique designs that are not available in other stores. If a patron has a specific style in mind that is not found in our collection, we will provide custom design services and work within that individual’s budget.

Each precious gemstone selected by the Diamond Gallery is carefully reviewed by our in-house gemmologists and Accredited Appraiser. In addition, independent gem lab reports accompany most diamonds found in our inventory. Sadly, there are many other grading organizations out there who do not share this same respect for integrity. When a jeweller uses a non-accredited grading system, the exact same diamond can be graded incorrectly. This incorrect grading often results in individuals paying the same price (or more) for a diamond, but receiving an inferior gem. At the Diamond Gallery, ultimate acceptance of a diamond is determined by the skilled eye of the Accredited gemmologist. While the 5 C’s are useful parameters for measuring quality, it is a complex combination of these characteristics to determine if a stone meets the Diamond Gallery standard of excellence. Once a diamond meets our rigorous tests, we certify each diamond with our trademark and a serial number as our seal of integrity.

Some jewellery stores love the idea of a “sale”. Buyers, too, love to save money on diamonds. However, given our current global economy, this faulty logic begs the following question: if a store is willing to sell you a diamond at a lower price one day, why wouldn’t they sell you that diamond at that price any other day? Shouldn’t the price be this low all the time? Clearly, the answer is yes. Why, then, is this rarely the case?

Too often, jewellery store managers appraise their diamonds inaccurately, thereby allowing them to apply inflated, unrealistic prices to their products. This inflation then affords managers the option to lower the price of a piece during a “sale” or have you “negotiate” a lower price while shopping. Your ability to barter, however, should not dictate the final price. Nor should you have to wait for a “sale” in order to pay a just (and accurate) price. Diamond Gallery prices are set at a fair, globally competitive price every day. No special “sales” or “negotiating” required. You get our best price every day. That’s the way it should be. We are often told we have WINNIPEG’S BEST DIAMOND PRICES! Be sure to check out our diamond prices online.