For 10 years, jewelers have had enjoyed the position of being the “keepers” of the data about stones and gemstones. They stood behind jewelry counters and shared small pieces of info about jewelry to purchasers. The jeweler seemed to be talking down to the shopper, making them feel as if they must be thankful to even be in the shop or touch the valued gemstones in the show case. This control of understanding went hand in hand with the control of stock. The only way you could acquire a diamond or costly gem was to purchase in a jewelry store. The prices were synthetically high with markups of 100% to 300% of wholesale expenses. The issues that differentiated stores included the ornamental decorations, the expensive show cases, and elaborate storefronts. Life was simple and pretty valuable for the jeweler. The consumer came in, the jeweler said this is what you should buy, and the buyer paid the price since they had no other options. Could you remember any poor jewelers earlier than the millennium change in the year 2000? It was about this time that the most feared statement in the jeweler’s dictionary started to change the business forever. That word was Internet. Out of the blue there were competitors springing up who could provide diamonds and jewelry delivered to your gate, frequently at prices lesser than could support the high overhead of the jewelry store. Nonetheless, the greatest concern was that the concealed information of diamonds and precious gemstones was existing to any purchaser who wanted to spend a little time researching online. The jeweler of the earlier period said here is what I have and which 1 do you want to purchase? Then came the well-informed buyer armed with printouts of online diamond opinion. Rather than plainly asking for a one-carat diamond, the customer now has a detailed list of necessities that all but guarantees that nothing in the store will meet their necessities, in spite of of the price. It is normal for a diamond buyer today to say, “Here is what I want” and I demand the lowest price in the country.” Then they show their list of requirements for their round diamond: 1) Carat weight exactly 1.27 as our 1st date was January 27th 2) At least G color 3) VS2 clarity but I do not want to be able to see anything below the microscope 4) Must have a GIA grading report dated in 2006 with Excellent cut grade 5) No fluorescence 6) As a minimum Very Good for polish and symmetry 7) Girdle has to be Medium (nothing more or less will do) and faceted
Laser inscribed with the GIA number 9) Must be able to take to an independent evaluator who agrees with all grading 10) I need it in two days Their parting observation is that they are shopping these same requirements with 20 other retailers and are going to buy from the one with the lowest price. This is the jeweler’s horrendous as this is not how their industry works. Their jewels store caters to the desire purchaser who will come in, observe something lovely and purchase with only a few encouraging expressions from the sales clerk. Spending hours of work to obtain the certain diamond the buyer wishes and then paying the transport and insurance to get it shipped next day is just more effort than they like to do for a deal. Instead, they complain and long for the return of the fine old days, when Ma Bell restricted the telephones, gas was 59 cents a gallon and the secrets of the diamond business were securely at the back of the jewelry counter. Happily, for diamond and jewel buyers there are a new breed of diamond retailers available who not only support diamond education; they enjoy working with purchasers who know exactly what they want. These diamond brokers have access to the diamonds on the wholesale market and know how to find diamonds that meet the shopper’s requirement. Best of all, the diamond brokers have much lesser overhead than a jewelry store so can obtain the exceptional diamonds at really cheap prices. The competitive marketplace always seems to create sources for services and supplies that customers ask. The online diamond broker is well matched to serve today’s well-educated and tough diamond shopper.
Tags: diamond earrings, diamond engagement ring, diamond rings