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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1991)
PAID ADVERTISEMENT HOWTO BUY DIAMONDS WITH CONFIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE By Jonn Tavlin President Nebraska Diamond For the average consumer buying a diamond can be one ot the most confus ing and frustrating experiences imagin able. The consumer is often confronted with a barrage of conflicting claims from various jewelers intent on selling their product. If the consumer is not armed with adequate product knowledge he stands little chance for success in the jewelry marketplace. A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF DIAMOND GRADING Serious shopping for diamonds be gins with an understanding of the Gemo logical Institute of America (GIA) and its diamond grading system The GIA is a non-profit organization dedicated primar ily to the pursuit of gemolog ical education It owns and operates the most prestigious trade laboratory for the identification and classification of gem stones in this coun try The GIA is considered by the diamond industry to be the final and most authori tative word on diamond grading stan dards in the United States and its dia mond grading system is, by far, the domi nant grading system used by diamond cutting firms and jewelry manufacturers in this country today Knowledge of the gia diamond grad ing system is a pre-requisite for informed buying of diamonds, and knowledge of that system without an actual "hands on" demonstration is virtually impossible The accompanying chart shows a total of 240 separate and distinct combinations of GIA grades and there is a separate and distinct price list for each grade within each size category At Nebraska Dia mond we give all customers a thorough explanation and demonstration of the GIA diamond grading system under labora tory conditions using actual examples, so that the customer can see with his or her own eyes the characteristics and appear ance of the various grades As a result, Nebraska Diamond customers can iden tify the various GIA grades by themselves and do not need to helplessly rely on the jeweler's representations The two princi pal reasons why customers need this special instruction and knowledge to sur vive in the jewelry marketplace are; 1. Many jewelers invent their own personal grading system because by doing so they make it difficult or impos sible for the consumer to comparison shop The GIA system is a uniform sys tem of diamond grading and gives the consumer a standard of comparison 2. Jewelers who do represent dia monds to customers in GIA terms often take liberties with the GIA system and just “puff" the grade up to whatever level is necessary to make the sale, believing that the customer will not be able to iden tify the deception A diamond which is assigned a GIA grade by one of these jewelers may actually be significantly in ferior to a diamond offered, with a seem ingly lower GIA grade, by a jeweler who adheres to the strict grading standards we use at Nebraska Diamond Unless the consumer has adequate product knowl edge, he risks being duped into purchas ing a low quality diamond Your only real protection as a consumer is to educate yourself about the product At Nebraska Diamond we provide our customers with an education that makes them the best informed diamond buyers in the market You do not get the Nebraska Diamond consumer education program at any other jewelry store. THE RELATIONSHIP OF COLOR, CLARITY, CUT AND CARAT WEIGHT Color, clarity, cut and carat weight all have an important impact on the ultimate value of your diamond In “The Complete Guide to Buying Gems" (Copynght 1984, Crown Publishers, Inc New York), dia mond authorities Antoinette Leonard Matlms and Antonio C. Bonanno, F G A , P G state, “If we were to identify the factors that determine the value of a dia mond in order of their importance, we would list them as follows: 1. Body Color (color grade) 2. Degree of flawlessness (clarity grade) 3 Cut and proportion (often referred to as the make) 4 Carat weight" Color refers to the hue present in the body of the diamond Color is observed by placing the diamond upside down in a white color grading trough and viewing through the side of the gem Among color, clarity, cut and carat weight, color is the characteristic most easily noticed by the human eye and it has the most impact on the appearance of the gem, hence, color carries the most value. Clarity refers to a measurement of the internal flaws and surface blemishes present in or on a diamond Sometimes internal flaws and surface blemishes can be seen only under magnification To magnify a diamond a jeweler's loupe or a microscope is used The microscope is often used more as a sales tool than as a gem instrument because its “laboratory" appearance can be impressive to con sumers The microscope, however, is a cumbersome piece of equipment and is less flexible than the loupe for examination of diamonds. For these reasons, among oth ers, the loupe is by far the dominant grading instrument used by diamond dealers. At Nebraska Diamond you may view your dia mond under both a jeweler’s loupe and under a microscope designed for professional dia mond examination. Among color, clarity, cut and carat weight, clarity is the second most observable characteristic and has the sec ond most impact on the appearance of the gem, hence, clarity carries the second most value. Cut refers to the proportions of the dia mond . A diamond can be cut to any one of an infinite number of proportions depending on the angles of the facets. These angles can vary from diamond to diamond. As explained below, proportion analysis is extremely sub jective and the effect of differing proportions on the appearance and value of the diamond is often a matter of opinion. Generally, how ever, except for the proportion called the “heavy make" discussed below, cut is a less observable characteristic than color or clar ity from a quantitative standpoint and, hence, cut generally carries less value Carat weight refers to the weight of the diamond and not to its size. This is an impor tantdistinction because two diamonds which weigh the same can appear drastically differ ent in size and this may result in drastically different values even if color and clarity are the same in both gems. Sometimes custom ers forget that size is a dimensional linear measurement expressed in millimeters The term "Carat" is only a weight measurement. One carat is equal to 1/5 gram If a diamond is cut with its weight concentrated in its depth, a proportion called the “heavy make", it will appear much smaller than a diamond of the exact same carat weight cut with its weight concentrated in its width The differ ence in value between these two diamonds can be substantial, often exceeding 40%. At Nebraska Diamond we avoid the Tieavy make", but we have observed that the “heavy make" is very prevalent in today’s diamond market Therefore, it is extremely important that the consumer know how to recognize the “heavy make". As discussed below, how ever, consumers who do not have the con sumer education we provide at Nebraska Diamond are at a tremendous disadvantage when it comes to recognizing the Tieavy make” and they risk buying it unknowingly. CUT: THE MISUNDERSTOOD “C” Among lhe4 “C’s” (Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight) the subject of diamond pro portioning (Cut) is easily the most misunder stood The GIA has subdivided proportion analysis into four Classes based on table diameter, crown angle, pavilion depth, girdle' thickness, finish and symmetry. Each Class contains wide parameters for proper propor tioning and, therefore, provides an infinite variety of differing cutting proportions all of wmcn are considered equally appropriate withineach Class The GIA proportion analy sis format, thus, illustrates what every dia mond expert in this business knows: that there are literally hundreds of different dia mond proportions available which create beautiful and highly desirable gems Because there are so many accepted types of proportioning in diamond cut, there is no agreement in the diamond industry on what constitutes the “best" cut. This is be cause the mam factors affected by cut (dis persion and brilliance) cannot all be maxi mized in the same gem “Dispersion" is sometimes referred to as “Fire". Dispersion means the ability of the diamond to break down light into the spectral colors (blues, reds, yellows, etc.) “Brilliance" refers to the ability of the diamond to return colorless or "white" light to the viewer As common sense will tell you, if you increase a diamond's ability to break light into the spectral colors you reduce its ability to return colorless or "white" light. Con versely, if you increase a diamond's ability to return colorless or "white" light you reduce its ability to break light into the spectral colors That is why there is no such thing as a diamond cut to maximum dispersion and maximum brillance both at the same time By cutting to maximize one of these factors the other is compromised, and since both are of equal importance it is impossible to authori tatively classify one type of cut as the “best" In buying a diamond it has been our experience that the consumer desires the most beautiful gem his or her budget can afford Precisely how dispersion and bril liance translate into beauty, however, is a matter of personal opinion In their chapter on “The Importance of Cut and Proportion" the authors of “The Complete Guide to Buy ing Gems' state, with reference to the per centage measurements of various diamond cutting proportions, “No one has come to an agreement, however, on what the percent ages should be, since some people prefer fire to brilliance and vice versa This is why there are several accepted types of propor tioning found in diamond cut, and “best" is a matter of personal preference." In actuality, the difference in dispersion and brilliance between some differing diamond propor tions is so slight that it is measurable only with sensitive laboratory instruments and is impossible to see with the naked eye As discussed above, one area in which cut makes a big difference in the value of a diamond concerns the “heavy make". The term "heavy make" refers to a diamond that has a disproportionate share of its total carat weight concentrated in the depth of the stone Visually, this means that a "heavy Nebraska Diamond 1 Shapes Brilliant Heart Shape Oval Emerald Cut Pear Marquise GIA GIA Color Clarity COLORLESS ' £ FLAWLESS F , F_ NEAR H VERY WSI-1 COLORLESS L _ J. SLIGHT y^ci.2 FAINT - IMPERFECTION YELLOW s VERY VSI-I VERY o SLIGHT LIGHT p IMPERFECTION VSI-2 YELLOW © ~ s SLIGHT SI-1 T IMPERFECTION U SI-2 UGHT v - YELLOW w '*l x v IMPERFECT F2 7 FANCY |.3 YELLOW Carat Weight 1 ct. = 90 to 110 pts. 7/8 ct. = 80 to 89 pts. 3/4 ct. = 70 to 79 pts. 5/8 ct. = 56 to 69 pts. 1/2 ct. = 45 to 55 pts. 7/16 ct. = 40 to 44 pts. 3/8 ct. = 36 to 39 pts. 1/3 ct. = 29 to 35 pts. 1/4 ct. = 23 to 28 pts. 1/5 ct. = 18 to 22 pts. 1/6 ct. = 15 to 17 pts. 1/8 ct. = 12 to 14 pts. 1/10 ct. = 9 to 11 pts. 1 Exact Carat = 100 Points V GIA DIAMOND COLOR AND CLARITY TERMINOLOGY ) I make" diamond actually weighing 1 carat may only face up with the appearance and diameter of a 3/4 carat diamond cut to proper proportions Because they face up so much smaller than they should, "heavy makes" are worth substantially less than properly pro portioned diamonds. Because the “heavy make” is worth less, it costs the jeweler less, so he can sell it for less When the jeweler fails to tell his customer that he is showing a "heavy make" and fails to explain that the “heavy make" is priced lower because it is worth less, the effect is to trick the consumer into thinking that he has purchased a full size diamond at a bargain price This illusion is further enhanced when the jeweler shows only “heavy make" diamonds and does not show the consumer a full size diamond to enable the consumer to compare. In fact, the problem of the “heavy make" is virtually never explained to the consumer, so the consumer simply assumes that any dia mond shown of a certain carat weight faces up the size that it should, and he purchases the “heavy make" unknowingly. We feel that this failure to inform the consumer is unfair and that it constitutes deception by omission. At Nebraska Diamond we give our custom ers a detailed explanation of this important subject. HOW TO SPOT DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES Consumers should be aware of various trade practices which are common in the jewelry industry but which we feel are decep tive, unfair and, in many cases, illegal De ceptive trade practices cost consumers in calculable sums of money annually Aware ness of these trade practices will assist the consumer in spotting them and avoiding them when shopping for fine tewelry. Deceptive trade practices in the jewelry industry tend to tall generally into two broad categories: 1 Practices which lead the consumer to believe that he is receiving a bargain pur chase when, in fact, he is not (fake “sales"), and 2 Practices which lead the consumer to believe the quality, quantity or description of the article being purchased is more or better than that which is actually delivered (active or constructive misrepresentation of the product either by act or omission). The concept of the fake ‘sale’ is an old one Basically, it plays on the desire of the consumer to obtain a bargain purchase Fake “sales" can be advertised or unadver tised Here's how the scheme works In the advertised fake “sale" scheme the jeweler places an exorbitant and purely fictitious “regular price" or “appraised value" or “refer ence price" on an article of jewelry He then advertises “special sale prices" or "drastic reductions" or “storewide 50% off clearance sale" or ‘certified savings" or something similar to drum up excitement, and then he offers the article to the consumer for less than the fictitious “marked" price The con sumer buys the article believing he has re ceived a bargain. In fact, though, under the scheme, the jeweler has sold the article for the price he always intended to sell it for There is no bargain because the article really wasn’t marked down at all, so the consumer actually paid full price The fake “sale" scheme is also employed in unadvertised “sales" In the unadvertised fake “sale" the consumer walks into the store and observes a fictitious “marked" pnce on the article and the salesperson simply tells the consumer that the article is on “sale" even though the “sale" is not being publicly advertised, and then offers the article to the consumer for a “reduced" price Both advertised and unad vertised take “sales" are high pressure sales techniques used to influence the customer to buy now before the “sale" ends In tact, under either scheme, there is no “sale" and the customer is deceived. The take “sale" scheme has reached epidemic proportions In our opinion, the fake “sale' is tne predomi nant tool used in advertised and unadver tised “price reduction" promotions in the jew elry industry today Jewelers who oonduct fake “sales" are simply betting that their customers are too stupid to figure out what is going on. We think that is a poor bet. Our PAID ADVERTISEMENT experience with consumers convinces us that they are intelligent people who are en titled to be treated with honesty and respect Anytime you encounter a jewelry "sale" em ploying any of the above characteristics, we suggest that you exercise extreme caution Bring a copy of the "sale" advertisement or the unadvertised "sale" information to Ne braska Diamond Compare their so called "sale” prices to our regular everyday prices and see for yourself why Nebraska Diamond totally dominates Lincoln’s engagement ring and fine jewelry market. The jewelry industry customarily em ploys several subtle techniques in an at tempt to convince the consumer that the quality, quantity or description of the article being purchased is more or better than that which is actually delivered We think that these techniques are deceptive and im proper and that consumers should be warned about them First and foremost among these techniques is the implementa tion of specialized lighting conditions de signed to enhance the true appearance of any gem stone or article of jewelry. This usually takes the form of chandeliers, spot lights, flood lamps, and reflector lamps, both incandescent and fluorescent, plus tubular incandescent display case bulbs and other similar type light sources. These light sources are instantly recognizable by their “hot", “bright"or “intense"appearance. Such lights artificially enhance the appearance, dispersion, scintillation and brilliance in dia monds and, further, they make it impossible to accurately determine the GIA color and clarity grade In other words, these lights make the diamond appear better than it is While others may argue that the use of specialized lighting is merely a merchandis ing and display technique, we prefer to think that consumers are entitled to see exactly what they are getting As a practical matter, the only jewelry store lighting condition which is non-deceDtive. that is. which ores ents the true appearance of gem stones and articles of jewelry, is color corrected tubular fluorescent lighting Even this light, in order to be non deceptive, must be presented at a low height in a closed and carefully con trolled environment, undiluted and uncon taminated by other light sources These are the lighting conditions which are used for laboratory grading of diamonds, and these are the lighting conditions you will find at Nebraska Diamond. At Nebraska Diamond we sell quality jewelry, and we adhere to the philosophy that when you sell quality jewelry you don't need deceptive lighting conditions THE CONSUMER S RIGHT TO KNOW The ultimate purpose tor the consumer to acquire product knowledge is to enable him or her to separate “fact" from “sales pitch". Your right as a consumer to know the facts is unequivocal, and should include nothing less than the following 1 You have the right to demand that the jeweler accurately grade your diamond in conformity with the GIA diamond grading system, that he fully disclose that grade to you and that he show you how the grade was determined Never purchase a diamond without such a disclosure 2 You have the right to examine your diamond loose before making your pur chase. You cannot accurately observe the color or clarity of a diamond or authenticate its carat weight or determine that it is not chipped if it is already set into a ring Never purchase a diamond that you have not exam ined loose 3 You have the right to examine your diamond under the lighting conditions used tor laboratory grading of diamonds, that is. under color corrected tubular fluorescent lighting, presented at a low height in a closed and carefully controlled environment undi luted and uncontaminated by other light sources Never purchase a diamond that you have not examined under such lighting conditions 4. You have the right to examine the color of your diamond in a white color grading trough and to examine the clarity of your diamond under a loupe or microscope, and you have the right to expect the jeweler to point out exactly what you should see Never purchase a diamond that you have not examined in this manner 5. You have the right to have your diamond weighed in your presence on an electronic diamond scale to verify its claimed carat weight Never buy a dia mond that you have not observed in this manner 6 You have the right to ask any ques tions pertinent to your purchase and you have the right to expect a courteous, informed, accurate and complete answer Never purchase anything from a jeweler who shows disrespect for your right as a consumer to know A FINAL WORD At Nebraska Diamond we've built our reputation on unhurried personal service, tremendous selection, superb quality, and unbeatable prices. That's why Ne braska Diamond totally dominates Lincoln s engagement ring and fine jew elry market At Nebraska Diamond we give you benefits you cant get at any other jewelry store. We regularly stock over 800 styles of engagement and wedding rings and with each we also include our free Wedding Savings Package™ coupon book let which entitles Nebraska Diamond customers to huge discounts at 23 other area merchants on everything needed for a perfect wedding At Nebraska Diamond we believe that earning your trust is the most important thing we do, and that trust is earned with quality, value, service and honesty Our track record speaks for it self. Our unmatched reputation is our most valuable asset and our uncompro mising commitment to our customers has made us THE PLACE for engagement rings and fine jewelry. We look forward to serving you. ©Copyright 1991 Nebraska Diamond sales Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved NEBRASKA DIAMOND 865 NBC Center 13th &O Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 (402)474-6400 USA 1-800-334-GEMS THE PLACE for Engagement Rings and Fine Jewelry