Frequently Asked Quesitons
Unfortunately, each laboratory sets its own policy on how “stringent” or lenient they will grade diamonds. Many dealers and stores like to use certificates from laboratories that give diamonds inflated grades (2 to 3 grades higher is not unusual) this practice will increase profit margins while convincing the consumer they obtained a great value. Let’s say a cutting center has a diamond that would most likely grade as the color “L” and the clarity as an imperfect “I1″. This quality being undesirable leads the cutter or dealer to submit the loose diamond to a laboratory that inflates grades which then issues a certificate stating the diamond is of color-“J” and clarity SI1, which is, of course, an inflated grade. The customer now thinks he is getting a “bargain”, but all he is purchasing is a inaccurately graded and mislabeled diamond. There over 20 diamond grading institutions worldwide with the vast majority providing inaccurate and misleading certificates. GIA continues to be the industry standard worldwide. This nonprofit organization is regarded as the most stringent and accurate grading laboratory today. They invest in the latest state of the art equipment as well as top rated gemologist.
Yes, most of our diamonds are GIA certified. We also carry a large selection of non GIA diamonds, and precious gems at outstanding prices.
We strongly recommend that the consumer shop in order to find the best value. But remember the lowest price diamond on that list is usually the one with the worst cut and/or some inherent gemological deficiency in the diamond material. De Beers sets the price worldwide on rough diamonds, and this often could translate into a fixed price at the wholesale level. Prices at the retail level vary greatly depending on the jewelry store where the diamond is sold. However, the diamond that is offered at the “bargain price” is usually the one you should be wary of. If you were to look on the internet and examine the “list” of diamonds of a certain grade, you would see a wide range of prices, from low to high. Why such a drastic difference? Why not just buy the least expensive diamond in that size and grade class? The least expensive stones on the list are the weakest and worst in the category. These are the most inferior in that grade class, of which many have been rejected by brick and mortar establishments. At Weston Diamonds we take pride in offering exceptional quality at outstanding prices.
At Weston Diamonds we offer great prices because we keep our costs low and pass this savings on to you. Big jewelry stores have big overhead that is added to the cost. At Weston Diamonds we focus on quality jewelry at the best price possible.