Finding Reputable Jewelers

A good piece of advice offered up by those experienced in buying jewelry or frequent visitors to the diamond district NY is to first find some reputable jewelers, then find the jewelry. The worst thing you can do is find a piece of jewelry you want, have your mind set on it, turn yourself off to all other options, and be cursed with having to deal with an untrustworthy jeweler. Even if you do have the willpower to turn down the piece you desire even after picking it out, the fact remains that you'll continue shopping with the image of your first piece burned into your brain, brining the whole jewelry shopping experience down.

Here are some more tips to avoid doing business with someone who isn't a reputable jeweler:

Make sure to ask a lot of questions. The more knowledgeable jeweler will be able to provide information on a piece, specifically when the inquiries are about the gemstones themselves. If their answers seem fishy in any way, they probably are.

The mounting on a piece of jewelry can often be an indicator of an inferior stone. "Fakes" are often mounted on substandard metals, and the quality of this metal is typically an indicator of how nice the stone is.

A lot of people are still hesitant to buy diamonds online. The truth is that as many reputable jewelers are located online as there are in the entire diamond district NY. While a photo online may leave something to be desired, there is little reason to distrust all online jewelry stores.

If your salesperson refuses to allow you to view your piece under a microscope, it's an immediate red flag. Trust us, every jeweler has a microscope, and there's no excuse to not let a customer use one unless they have something to hide, of course.

Beware dealers who only offer IGI certificates. Reputable jewelers will typically have their products certified by GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. The GIA was established in 1931 and is the world's foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. According to their website, the GIA main purpose is "to protect all purchasers of gemstones, by providing the education, laboratory services, research, and instruments." There are few organizations that come with the same prestige in approving reputable jewelers as the GIA.

However, like any business person, you'll be able to detect their true colors when you go back to them to discuss a problem or concern. When a jeweler is attempting to make a sale, they'll smile at you and say exactly what you want to hear. But try to make a return, exchange, or just want to make post-purchase inquiries, and they completely change their attitude. You don't want fake diamonds, and you don't need fake attitudes from your jeweler.