Choosing the right diamond store is the first step in getting good value for your money. Dallas features hundreds of these stores. Each prides itself on offering high-end jewelry, including the Dallas Diamond Direct, Diamond & Gold Warehouse, Robbins Brothers, and Mariloff Diamonds & Fine Jewelry.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a diamond store. First, a diamond is a gemstone that is best purchased when cut and polished. Having insights on a specific color, cut, clarity, or carat weight is also important.
However, it may take much work to walk into a jewelry store in Dallas and find your preferred diamond ready for purchase. In most cases, you'll need to make prior arrangements with the store to ensure they have the right stone for you.
Ideally, opt for a store with an extensive in-house diamond inventory. Many local stores do not have inventory and get stones from other dealers on a memo (a term used in the diamond industry for borrowing the diamond; when sold, the store pays the dealer).
The supply chain of the diamond industry works as follows:
- Large corporations such as De Beers mine the stones.
- These diamonds are sold to dealers, who then cut and polish them.
- After cutting the stone, they are sold to jewelers to be sold to you.
When shopping for a diamond at your favorite local retailer, here is what to watch out for:
First, does the store offer professionally graded diamonds? A diamond must have been graded in a reputable lab to pass as professionally graded. We only have a few reputable diamond grading companies, but notable ones are the GIA and AGS. If you find a store whose diamonds have GIA or AGS certification, there is a possibility that it is a reliable store. Other labs have been associated with gross inconsistencies in their jewelry-grading systems. It would be best if you avoided any diamond that does not bear a grading certification from the GIA or the AGS.
Remember that the importance of proper grading cannot be overstated. Therefore, it does not matter where the shop sources its jewelry; the first mark of quality should be a GIA or AGS certification.
If you are on a budget, lab-grown diamonds offer great value and are very popular among young buyers.