This highlights the danger for consumers buying from online diamond retailers that do not own the diamond stock and rely on listing virtual diamond stock that is sourced from multiple companies and countries.

At www.diamonds.co.nz we own all the white diamonds that are listed on the website. The customer is able to view the diamond with a manufacturing jeweller nominated by www.diamonds.co.nz

Therefore there is no risk to the customer and you are able to deal with professional jewellery trade companies.

First we suggest you set the budget in your mind, that way you can give your jeweller a guideline to work with and also by being honest with your jeweller about how much you want to spend they  won’t  disappoint you by showing you something which is totally out of your budget. By viewing diamonds/jewellery which fall within your budget you may be surprised by the variety of options available to you, and you won’t be disappointed thinking you wish you could have the one you can’t afford.

Once you have your budget in mind start doing some research by looking at different styles of rings to get an idea of what you might like. Popular styles  are; Solitaire, Three- Stone,  Cluster.  Spend time looking at different shapes that might suit your overall vision/look  like best Round Brilliant, Princess Cut, Marquise , Oval , or Emerald. Round Brilliant cuts are still the most popular shape today and that’s why they are generally more expensive all factors being the same. If big is your style, consider using smaller diamonds rather than one large diamond, you can often get a large look by using smaller diamonds which are less expensive than one large diamond.

If you have your heart set on a certain size like a half carat diamond or one carat diamonds consider looking for a diamond that is slightly under this weight. That way you will pay a lot less and still have something which is just as large as a true half carat or carat diamond.

Think about colour and clarity as this will also have an effect on the price of a diamond. Remember that diamonds are a natural creation and are made to have clarity characteristics this is what makes each diamond unique and one of a kind.

www.diamonds.co.nz has a large database of all different shapes and sizes. Search our database and see what size diamond will fall within your budget and explore the option of using a number of smaller diamonds to create an amazing look.

Francois Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Europe wrote in a statement: “In the midst of these challenging times, we were thrilled to achieve an historic price for an historic diamond. At $45.8 million, the 35.56 carat Wittelsbach blue diamond, dating to the seventeenth century, has become the most expensive diamond sold at auction, topping the previous record of $31 million for a 100-carat diamond in 1995 in Geneva. It was purchased by the leading international jeweller Laurence Graff, bidding against Aleks Paul of Essex Global Trading.

Please take note of the following urgent matter. The following has come to the attention of the diamond and jewellery industry worldwide.

1.  Counterfeit GIA diamond reports offered with HPHT (high pressure high temperature) treated diamonds or diamonds of a different grade than described on the accompanying counterfeit GIA Report, have been discovered in the marketplace.

2.  Counterfeit GIA diamond reports with the exact GIA Report number and exact and or similar grading information and details are also being offered in the market place.

These counterfeit GIA diamond reports are accompanying HPHT diamonds or genuine diamonds of a different, though very similar grade.

We urge you to exercise utmost caution when purchasing a diamond online without having the diamond and the report verified as genuine by an independent diamond grading laboratory. To identify a diamond that has been treated by HPHT involves advanced laboratory testing.   

You can help protect yourself by using the following method recommended by the GIA.

GIA Report Check is a free online service that lets clients check the information contained in a GIA Diamond Report and GIA Diamond Dossier. Enter the diamond’s report number and carat weight, and Report Check returns the Grading information, including a cut grade when available, that was issued for that diamond. Report Check currently serves only those diamonds graded from January 1, 2000 to the present. To access Report Check, go to http://www.gia.edu/reportcheck/

Extreme care needs to be taken when purchasing a diamond online, even if the diamond is accompanied by a diamond grading report due the use of counterfeit GIA diamond reports.

Diamonds listed on www.diamonds.co.nz are not clarity enhanced and we would never supply these diamonds to our clients.

Our main area of concern is that they are actually not what they appear as the process can improve the clarity and appearance of the diamond by a number of clarity grades. Yes, the majority of clarity enhanced diamonds are disclosed when initially sold but with any further sales this disclosure can get lost.

Also there is a considerable risk in damaging the diamond and returning it to its original clarity while under repair, as the majority of clarity enhanced diamonds cannot withstand the heat of a jeweller’s torch.

Inclusions are enclosed within a diamond, or they extend into the diamond from its surface. Blemishes are confined to the diamonds surface. Inclusions generally have more influence on a diamonds clarity grade than blemishes.

The clarity characteristics found in a diamond make it unique. It is very unlikely that two diamonds would have the same clarity characteristics in exactly the same position.  

When grading diamonds, a clarity grading scale is used. The scale provides a universal method for describing a diamonds clarity. The scale consists of 11 clarity grades.

Diamonds form under tremendous heat and pressure; it is extremely rare to find a diamond that does not contain any internal and external clarity characteristics. Clarity characteristics are caused by the diamonds formation and help Gemologists separate natural diamonds from synthetics and simulants, and identify individual stones.

The scale begins with D (Colourless) and continues through the alphabet to Z (light yellow). When all other value factors are the same, meaning a diamond has the same clarity, cut, and carat weight. Colourless diamonds are the most valuable.

The levels of the colour scale are divided into colourless D-E-F, near colourless G-H-I-J, faint yellow K-L-M-N, very light yellow N-R, light yellow S-Z.

The difference between one colour grade and another on the D-to-Z scale can have a big impact on value (price).

When purchasing a diamond the colour is not the only factor you should consider. You need to be aware of the 4C’s and make your decision based on all four factors. Just because a diamond has a colour grade of D-E-F doesn’t mean it is a perfect diamond. You need to consider the clarity (clarity is a gemstones relative freedom from inclusions and blemishes), cut (cut refers to a diamonds proportions and the quality of its finish), as well as the colour before you make the decision that this is the diamond you would like to purchase.