Any subject condensed into a “101” should always show the overall path to success, with as little twists and turns as possible. Unfortunately, most diamond shoppers (both first timers and experienced professionals) plunge forward without the correct data. And learning this “correct data” is the difference between finding a great investment and overspending. Equally unfortunately, most jewelry stores do not relinquish useful information very easily. It’s not in their interest when working on commission. That was why at Genesis Diamonds, we made the decision to have all our Trusted Advisors be salaried. Our bonus structure is based on relationship building skills, and we are advised to show product that fits with customer expectations and never to push anything that would be over budget. Why? Because we look at long term returning customers as our most valuable measurement of success! (but more on that later!)
Anyone can go online and read about the 4 C’s. Anyone can visit a dozen stores in their market to see what information and products are nearby. Gathering information is good as long as it is up-to-date and accurate. (What if we told you that there are measurements more important than the 4 C’s that jewelry stores and websites are trying to hide from their consumers?)
One can read about baking bread, and the most basic (and possibly outdated) set of instructions will give the steps needed to bake bread. But if this instruction manual leaves out certain things, like which type of flour to use, types of pans that work best, variations in cooking times and settings based on oven type, or how long to rest the dough, etc, then the first few attempts to bake the bread will likely fail. With baking bread, you can always keep trying until you master the recipe. Proposals should be a one-time-thing, do-overs are heart-breaking. You want to get it right the first time.
Budgeting for the Engagement Ring
First, before anything, you want to consider your budget. Establishing your budget for the engagement ring is a very personal process but we can help! It certainly is not about “spending more” here at Genesis Diamonds. We aren’t built that way and our mission is to help you spend smarter, not more. If we were only after increasing the amount of each sale, then we would not be one of the first direct diamond importing businesses in the USA. We would not have eliminated commission almost 20 years ago (as previously mentioned). We want you to be so happy with your overall experience that you will refer everyone you know to Genesis Diamonds. Any failure in helping with and honoring our customers’ budgets would certainly not be in anyone’s best interest.
There are a few concepts when budgeting for the engagement ring. One is just establishing a minimum and maximum budget, your total out-of-pocket investment. Another is how much you can spend per month if you are financing. Knowing your overall credit scores can help understand if this is a good option for you or not. Every situation is different, which is why we offer so many options to help everyone.
You will have to decide if you want to pay cash, use a credit card, or use the various financing options available. Each option has its perks, features and benefits. Using cash is usually the most straightforward, easiest path, yet it can be a lot of money to let go of all at once, even for such an important moment! Using your own credit cards can get you travel miles and other perks and bonuses that are very, very appealing. Many even use the bundle of travel points to help fund the honeymoon! Using in-store financing can lower your monthly payment and actually give you options for “spending less per month” on a nicer diamond ring or can just lower your investment dollars. At Genesis Diamonds, we always have a huge inventory, and we always offer many, many options for financing.
Using all the proper, correct, up-to-date information when setting your budget is so very important. Remember one thing: we have helped so many clients select diamonds and rings for so long and we always seek feedback in search of “what worked” and “what didn’t work.”
Getting Educated
If somebody informs you that putting ALL your investment into the diamond is the best choice, it may not be in your own best interest. That’s like saying that buying the largest TV is more important than the quality of the TV itself, or the external speakers you choose, or the couch you will be sitting on to watch your shows on. The whole package is more important than the single item. And for ladies, the overall look and feeling of the entire living room is more important than the screen size of the TV on the wall.
One of the things we talk about with our customers is the dangerous path of ‘self-diagnosis’. This refers to educating oneself online about the 4Cs and feeling empowered to make a large investment into a product as complex as diamonds with a minimal level of understanding. We see it happen all the time. Self-diagnosis when engagement ring shopping, especially before you get all the correct data, statistics, and non-commissioned assistance, can lead to overspending for the incorrect materials, inferior craftsmanship, and little/no help after the purchase.
Diamonds are a truly complex world. That’s why we strive to do our best to educate each and every one of our customers so that they walk out the door knowing with full confidence they got their money’s worth and the most beautiful diamond to propose a life together with their special person!
Understanding the 4Cs
Before we dive into the 4Cs, which is standard industry terminology for a diamond grading system, we do want to mention that there is so much more that goes into measuring the rating and quality of a diamond. There is so much more to consider when buying the perfect engagement ring for your special someone. Consider what she wants as a whole look. And also keep in mind, no retail store or professional diamond buyer would purchase a diamond without seeing it first, even knowing that diamond’s 4Cs. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. The 4Cs are just an initial stepping stone to help you start your search. (Ask any of our non-commissioned Trusted Advisors to tell you more, if you are interested!)
The 4Cs of a diamond are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.
- CUT is how the diamond was cut. The better the cut, the more the shine, the fewer inclusions visible and the more brilliant the diamond. The cut of a diamond is graded based on a scale from 'Super (no Super) Ideal' to 'Poor', and is the most important measurement for overall beauty of the diamond.
- CLARITY focuses on the inclusions within a diamond and their visibility. The clarity of a diamond is graded on a scale from 'Flawless' (FL) to 'Inclusions 2' (I2).
- COLOR is actually measuring the absence of color, in other words, how white is the diamond. The color is graded on GIA’s 'D-to-Z' system, D being colorless and gradually moving toward noticeable color which comes from natural sediments that are found within the earth.
- CARAT is the measurement of the physical weight of the diamond. Many confuse carat weight with the actual size, however, how large a diamond looks is actually a combination of the weight and how it is cut (if the table, the top facet, is larger or smaller).
Looks simple enough, right? Well, we can tell you it’s not that straightforward. As we’ve been discussing since the beginning of this “101” there is so much more information that you need to understand before making your purchase. Let’s deep dive into the 4Cs of a diamond and how each can affect the look, your budget, and the qualities of each diamond.
Color
The traditional, old-school yet completely correct description of the diamond color grade is the absence or presence of yellow-brown coloration within the diamond. This attribute is evaluated with the diamond face down and placed on a white background. Why would it be graded face-down? Because that is where the diamond’s color is most noticeable. The color grading chart is alphabetical, beginning with “D” color (no distinguishable color) and going all the way to “Z” color (with very distinct yellow tones). The method of grading color, in a grading laboratory such as GIA, is to compare the diamond to a set of master stones. Master stones are a sorted set of diamonds (or simulants) that are predetermined to be the “ideal” example of a color grade. By placing “your” diamond between the master diamonds, the color grade is determined.
The more up-to-date version of the color grading scale is that too many websites, jewelers and oftentimes a family advisor for diamond shopping use information that is self-serving, out-of-date, or completely incorrect. Identifying a diamond’s color is tedious. Even clients that feel obligated to get an extremely high color grade can rarely “see” a huge difference, much less justify the price. The basic thing to remember with the 4 C’s: they do not grade beauty but only rarity. Diamonds of a colorless category will return more white light. Near colorless diamonds will return light that resembles fire. Both are beautiful and still beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or in this case the purchaser). Think of all your friends and family. How many of them do you remember, recognize, and appreciate their eye color? We all have that person in our lives whose eye color is remarkable and memorable. But to grade eye color, and to use it to evaluate sheer beauty? Can anyone’s physical beauty be graded according to their eye color?
The best advice with choosing color, as well as all diamond grading criteria, is to look and compare in person with your eyes. At Genesis Diamonds we consider the actual look of the diamond, and not just their chart data, to find you the perfect diamond. And we recommend asking to see more than one color when shopping around. Compare your “favorite” stone(s) to options higher and lower. Does the difference make sense? You might be surprised to find that you can’t justify the price difference for such a slight visible difference.
Clarity
The most important thing about clarity is to remember that it’s only a grading. It does not tell you if you can see anything with your naked eye or not. It does not tell you if the diamond is beautiful or not. A diamond’s clarity involves the presence or absence of visual imperfections within the diamond. These imperfections, called inclusions, can vary greatly in size, quantity, location and type. Clarity is based on visual inspection with normal eyesight as well as the assistance of 10x magnification. From the traditional sense, the higher the clarity grade, the less inclusions as they are harder to locate. The grading chart for clarity begins with the Flawless/Internally Flawless category, which identifies very rare and free of imperfections. This category is extremely hard to find, as rare as finding a person without one single birthmark or skin imperfection. To continue that analogy, can a skin imperfection make a person unattractive? Runway models have had small but noticeable facial blemishes and remained universally attractive and desirable. And today you see some of the most beautiful models walking the runway are those with the most noticeable of “imperfections.” Beauty is not defined by what is labeled as “perfect” but rather what you connect with and consider to be beautiful.
Moving down the clarity scale, you notice the VVS, VS, and SI categories. These three categories are often the sweet spots for most clients, as these grades are still visually free of inclusions and require magnification to spot. There is a jewelry industry saying, “Moving too far up the clarity chart means that the client is willing to pay more for something he/she cannot see anyway.” At Genesis Diamonds, our hand-selected, overperforming diamonds will look better than their counterparts at neighboring jewelers. Our SI graded diamonds will very often compete with other jewelers’ VS clarity grades, because we understand that selecting diamonds is not based on their Cs alone, but requires a keen eye that takes the time to study each diamond one-by-one.
The I1-I3 clarity grade means that particular diamond has very easily seen inclusions, and the inclusions often break the surface of the diamond. If a clear blue sky is 100% free of any clouds on a bright, sunny day, that might be a flawless diamond. However, if a tiny, white cloud is off in the distance, near the horizon, do you pack your bags and go home because that tiny, white cloud is ruining your day? No! But a very cloudy day might say otherwise. Or perhaps, overcast and drizzly is your weather of choice. Again, it is all up to the individual. Tastes and ideal diamond recipes vary from person-to-person.
Just as when selecting a diamond’s color grade, the best advice is to view and compare diamonds in person, side-by-side. Ask to see options, then ask to see more options.
Carat
Carat weight is a unit of measurement of a diamond’s weight. That’s it. There is absolutely no relation to size. It is a common misconception that so many diamond shoppers relate carat to physical size. While on the hunt for the best deal, they purchase a diamond that seems appropriate, such as a 2 carat round, but the dimensions are off and the diamond actually is a smaller diameter than it should be. This makes the diamond less expensive but overall not desirable. Jewelers rarely educate on the importance of a diamond’s cut, which deals with the measurements, length-to-width ratios, and how they affect sparkle, size, and overall diamond value.
Think of weighing various people. Just because you know a person weighs 204 pounds, you do not have any idea what that person’s waist size is. Weight and size are not related. If you have three people that weigh 180 pounds, one can be extremely tall, skinny and maybe even frail. The next person could be very short, and out-of-shape. The third could be the ideal proportions. But think about how those three people technically weigh the same, but appear very different from one another. It’s the same when it comes to diamonds. Putting several 2 carat diamonds side by side may feel like looking at completely different diamond sizes especially when talking about all the shapes outside of a round diamond. Those can be the trickiest of them all.
Cut
If a carat weight refers to a diamond’s physical weight, which can be manipulated and not a true reference to its appearance and performance, then the Cut grade is the human application of “sending that diamond to the gym.” A well-cut diamond is physically fit, attuned to perform in low-light, intensive light, and from any angle. Just like that ideal physique, a well-proportioned diamond will not appear too small, and all you see is that diamond smiling, singing in its scintillation. A diamond’s cut grade makes up a huge portion of its cost, but also can affect beauty far more than the other traditional grading categories.
Overperforming/Underperforming Diamonds
Why are hand-selected diamonds so important? What benefits the consumer looking to buy the best diamond for their money? By now, you have probably investigated diamonds in various jewelry stores or the internet. Have you noticed any peculiar discrepancies among the grading of diamonds? There is an old saying, “No two diamonds are alike.” This is definitely true, but why is this important?
Most diamond stores select their inventory on grading report statistics and the lowest price. Nothing else matters as long as the report looks great (to the untrained professional) and the stone is at a great cost, making the potential profit more satisfying for the jeweler. And then, all the educational pieces about diamonds available in stores to blog articles to social media posts, you are pressured to believe that the 4 C’s are sufficient to find the perfect diamond. Who needs to see them when you can buy diamonds from your couch?
If you really examine diamonds, you will find SI clarity grades that look better than VS clarity grades. You can find F color diamonds that show more yellow than a G color diamond. Unfortunately, mother nature does not work with master stones, and a diamond certified as a G color may range slightly and resemble an F, so it is the “clearest/whitest” of G color diamonds. Then again, you can find a G color that more closely resembles an H, making it technically the most undesirable G color when you actually see it in person. Jewelry companies rarely tell you these facts. And any jeweler that advises you to stare at a report and not the diamond is not your friend. We pull the curtains back and show you what other jewelers do not want you to know!
Hand-Selected Diamonds
Boaz Ramon hand-selects every diamond found in our Genesis Diamonds showrooms. More importantly, he very much desires diamonds that over-perform their grading report. Our preference, when dealing with each and every engagement ring shopper, is that when showing diamonds we initially leave the grading criteria out of the question.
We ask our clients to look at diamonds without any preconceptions, no bias. Learn to grade the diamond, just as every member of Genesis Diamonds has. Do you know what we found when doing this? What we “THINK” we will prefer rarely happens and that by viewing the diamonds and picking our favorites results in happier experiences. After sorting and selecting your favorite(s), then we talk about all the options and how they are different.
Luckily we aren’t a commissioned-based environment, so our Trusted Advisors have the freedom to be honest and not push product on customers. One of our worst fears is the idea that a customer is pressured to believe the 4 C’s are undisputed facts and eventually overspends for a substandard diamond. We very much do not want anyone to buy a diamond without knowing everything about it, and we will discuss in detail every aspect of the diamond chosen, including its 4Cs as well as every other detail listed or not listed on its certificate, but let’s meet it first without preconceptions.
What does being a Direct Diamond Importer mean?
Being a direct diamond importer means that we are among the first to select diamonds from the diamond cutters overseas in places like Israel, Belgium, Mumbai, and Hong Kong. We have relationships with most every channel for obtaining the very best diamonds available. We are very, very selective, maybe even picky, when it comes to our diamond inventory. We do not just look at the 4 C’s, grading reports but also how the diamonds react, how they smile, and what kind of “personality” they have. Selecting inventory with this careful methodology means that our diamonds look better, act better, shine more than any other jeweler in town. And then we over-educate.
We buy the diamonds and jewelry so every piece in our showrooms is owned and definitely not borrowed from other companies (the industry term is called “on memo”). (In other words, we put our money where our mouth is.) We have fantastic relationships with the companies we work with. This is exhibited by our inventory (which is HUGE) and the fact that when we do special order for a client, the orders come in FAST. That speaks volumes of our business, its position in the jewelry market, and our reputation. We want our clients to have exactly what they have dreamt of! From our perspective, how can we ask a client to 100% commit to loving a piece if we are not 100% in love with it too?? We also have already located, negotiated, and invested in our inventory, so we do not have to call anyone else when pricing, renegotiating, selling, etc.
Have you felt the anxiety or pressure about this purchase? Have you visited jewelers that claimed to have the largest inventory in the area but you aren’t sure? Have you been told a jeweler has the best prices but they seem no different than anywhere else? Can you feel the commissioned salesperson reaching for your credit card, subconsciously?
Boaz felt the same thing, so long ago as the chief diamond supplier to over 700 jewelry stores throughout the USA. The mark-up from wholesale-to-retail was staggering. The desire to get better was nonexistent. Diamond education was really nothing useful, so customers were always at a disadvantage. Inventories were lacking so clients were pressured to purchase what was available, not what was the best option regardless of its location. For these reasons, Boaz wanted to make a difference. Decades later, we are still making a difference through our ongoing education, doing things better, transparency, hand-selected merchandise that overperforms, and standing behind our products like no other company.
Selecting the Perfect Ring
Read this section carefully. This is not advice you will often hear within the jewelry industry, because it is not beneficial to retailers. Women will NOT go bragging to their friends “OMG he got me a 1.03 carat F color SI2 clarity diamond!!!” No. They will brag about the detailing of the ring, the brand they got (Tacori, Verragio, etc.), and how their setting makes the diamond look so much bigger/better!
Basically, she wants the most beautiful, perfect RING - as in the look and style of the setting and the diamond as a whole. Oftentimes, he is focusing on finding the perfect diamond and forgets about the importance of the setting. We feel that equal attention should be given to the setting (also referred to as mounting) that holds the diamond, especially if that’s what she cares about most. If one needs tools, hours of education, and perfect lighting to distinguish two or three diamond grades to find the perfect “one”, yet a woman can pick her favorite mounting in seconds, why not refocus and get her what she wants.
We recommend starting your search with the setting that she loves and then refocus the remainder of your budget on finding the best diamond - and with us you know we can find the perfect one that overperforms in all the right ways! A higher quality bridal mounting usually costs less than a diamond with the perfect grade. So you are getting the best look overall, that you KNOW she will love, and maximizing your budget in the process.
What the Industry Won’t Tell you About Their Settings
It may be a shock, but many jewelry stores only offer the cheapest mountings available, and we will describe these items so that you can fully understand the importance. In a very real way, settings can be graded too! Check whether the ring was made in China or if it was made in the USA or Europe. Is it handcrafted or mass-produced? We would take a guess and assume she probably doesn’t want to wear a ring that is the same as everyone else.
Most of your “fast-food”, chain jewelry stores (including online stores) sell peg-head engagement rings. Think of any store that has told you, we can get it to you today or within the week. This experience involves picking a “foundation” of the ring, then picking the “plain or decorative” crown that will hold the diamond separately. Once the diamond, foundation and decorative crown are selected and finalized, the jeweler assembles them like lego blocks. The problem is that your ring is made of 2-3 separate pieces (sometimes more), which weakens the integrity of that ring and is more easily damaged. Stores offer this because it's very inexpensive to stock your store with this, you can often have pieces built quicker, thus making it easier to pitch. Everyone likes to have things right now. But waiting means you are getting a quality piece that is made to fit her finger and the specific diamond you chose.
We feel that rings should be built to last. The best countertops (granite is an example) are best when they are single slab, no caulked separations. Most of our inventory are single caste pieces, meaning that the foundation and the crown are built as one solid piece. It is made-to-measure for you. And it is made to last forever with very little upkeep. No solder lines, no “caulk” and no worries.
When you have visited mall stores, large chains, even mom-and-pop stores, everything seems repetitive because they all offer the same general options. This is why we love it when clients visit us last. Viewing the amount of merchandise we have, and touching and holding the quality of our bridal mountings reveals the truth 100% of the time. Our rings are not hollow. We have little/no peg-head bridal mountings. We exhibit the best of the best with often shockingly low prices. Clients are amazed. And they are rather disappointed that few if any local stores even know such quality exists.
BONUS: What’s in the Goody Bag?
When you go to buy your engagement ring, and your wedding bands, your experience should never stop at the sales desk. You should always ask about the warranties and guarantees of your jewelry store. What do they provide you long term? Make sure they aren’t nickel-and-diming you for every little thing. What kind of after sales services do they provide? As mentioned earlier in this “101”, we pride ourselves on relationships we build and nurture over time. Not the one-time sale of the moment. Which is why we have some of the best guarantees in the industry!
Here is our list of after the sale benefits to compare:
- FREE Lifetime Warranty
- FREE Ring Sizing (within one size)
- FREE Rhodium Finish
- FREE New Head
- FREE New Prongs
- FREE Clasp Replacement
- FREE Accent Diamond Replacement (up to 0.10 cts)
- FREE Appraisals for Insurance Purposes
- GENESIS EXCLUSIVE 120% Natural Diamond Lifetime Upgrade
- GENESIS EXCLUSIVE 100% Lab Grown Diamond Lifetime Upgrade
- FREE Future Purchase Discounts
- BEST FINANCING in the Industry Up to 60 Months
What Does Genesis Offer that Other Retailers Don't?
Most jewelry stores and all online websites will offer you what you paid if you double up the original amount. If you spent $10,000 then next time you will need to spend $20,000 in order to be eligible. You will need to send your diamond in so they can evaluate it (and pay yourself for the insurance and shipping) and hope that everything will be alright.
What we offer? 120% Lifetime Natural Diamond Upgrade!
Here at Genesis Diamonds we offer an unprecedented 120% lifetime upgrade on our exclusive line of hand selected natural diamonds available in-store only. When you come into one of our stores to upgrade your Genesis diamond after 12 months, we will give you 120% the value to put toward your new diamond that is at least double the value of your original investment. Upgrades that are $1 more than original purchase, but less than double, will still receive 110% toward their new diamond.
How this works:
Your original diamond cost $2,000. A year later you decide you want a bigger diamond and you find the perfect one for $4,000. We will give you 120% more which equals $2,400 toward your new diamond, which means you will only spend $1,600 on your new diamond.
However, let's say you find your perfect upgraded diamond and it’s $3,000, we would still give you $2,200, which is 110% of your original diamond value, which means you will only spend $800 on your new diamond.
We can only guarantee the quality of diamonds that we personally choose, however, we also offer a 110% lifetime upgrade on all third-party vendor-provided natural diamonds purchased through our website.
*Our upgrade policy is available on natural diamond center stones, solitaire diamond pendants, and diamond stud earrings.
We also offer 100% Lifetime Lab Grown Diamond Upgrade!
We offer a 100% lifetime upgrade on all lab grown diamonds purchased through Genesis. After 12 months, we will give you 100% of your Genesis lab grown diamond to put toward your new lab grown diamond that is at least double the value of your original investment.
*Our upgrade policy is available on lab grown diamond center stones, solitaire pendants, and stud earrings.
To Sum It All Up
There are a lot of factors to consider when purchasing a diamond, and while we pride ourselves on educating our customers so they know what we know, which is almost unheard of in this industry, we also know it took us years of learning ourselves, because diamonds are so intricate and complex.
While this article (as long as it is) is packed with information, there is still so much more to consider when choosing the perfect diamond, the ring and ensuring the value matches the price. We encourage you to shop around, and then we would ask you to stop by and see us, and you will see the difference in experience. Not only in education, but also in the selection available as well as the quality of our people. We want to help you find what you want at a good deal, and we want to keep you coming back to see us for all your jewelry needs.
If you have any questions in your quest to find your perfect diamond, Genesis Diamonds is always here to help! Visit one of our showrooms near you today!