I was having a chat with a jewellery expert the other day. We were talking about how to buy diamond jewellery; what they need to concentrate on when buying. He was talking about arcane things about diamond quality, how the diamond is finished and how one wants to buy the whitest, most brilliant diamond possible.
And then I realised something. We were talking about diamonds alone, not the jewellery that almost all jewellery buyers actually purchase – and what we sell here at All Diamond.
Possibly even worse, we had fallen down a rabbit hole that assumed the buyer would be spending thousands of pounds on jewellery. Most people do not buy individual diamonds; they buy finished pieces of jewellery. And most people do not spend huge amounts on jewellery; they simply can't afford to do so.
I realised that we had not been prioritising the right things in our discussion.
Worse yet, I realised that many of the articles we have published on this site also tend to assume a huge budget.
The Money's The Thing!
For context, here is some pricing information from our product pages.
I chose earrings as an example because they are more likely to be purchased as a treat for oneself rather than as a gift for a special occasion.
The top, best-selling diamond earrings cost £317.00, £267.00, £217.00 and £1,017.00. The last seems odd, as the next p most popular items are all relatively low in price. The most costly earrings we sell have a price range of around £10,000! It is also clear that higher-cost items are far less often purchased!
What Do You Need To Look Out For When You Buy Diamond Jewellery On A Budget?
We can start out by looking at what you probably WON'T be expecting to see.
- A diamond grading report from a grading lab such as the GIA or IGI. You see, a diamond grading report costs money, and at the budget end, the cost of such a certificate would make the price of the jewellery much higher than it needs to be.
- A good retailer will still carry high-quality diamonds with high grades, as we offer G/SI grade diamonds on most of our pieces. They won't have a diamond grading certificate. That will not affect the colour or brilliance of the stone at all!
Our best-selling diamond earrings are simple, classy, and beautiful in the classic huggy hoop style.
Diamond Huggie Hoop Earrings 0.08ct G/SI Quality in 9k White Gold
£334.00
£457.00
These modest yet beautiful diamond huggie earrings are handcrafted in a 9k white gold setting by our skilled UK artisans. They are inlaid with 0.08ct of ethically sourced G/SI quality diamonds in a claw setting around the outer and inner… read more
They cost just £317 pounds. I think most women would be proud to wear them either as a treat for themselves or to receive them as a gift!
The least costly diamond earrings are just £167.00. (all prices are current at the time of writing)
Here's What You Should Expect To Get!
The following is not true of all diamond jewellery retailers, but it is true in our store.
Diamond Quality
Even at the lowest prices, we offer diamonds that are G/SI quality. This means the diamond will look very white. Only an expert under appropriate lighting would be able to tell them apart from higher-grade diamonds. Also, the clarity will be very good, with any imperfections only visible under high magnification.
We recommend avoiding jewellery offers where the retailer is not offering diamonds of this type of quality – but it would be unreasonable to expect more at a similar price.
Look At The Size And Shape Of The Diamond
When you are buying a diamond of less than half a carat and possibly larger, concentrate on the size and shape of the diamond rather than on its colour and clarity. With smaller diamonds, it is quite hard to see any imperfections that could lead to a loss of brilliance. The same goes for the colour. Although, as we noted already, we tend to stick with G/SI graded diamonds, so when you buy from us, you're covered!
The larger the diamond you buy, the more important colour, clarity, ad cut quality becomes. At the budget end, you want a diamond that looks like a diamond and is not too small even to see!
Aquamarine 0.20ct and Diamond 0.05ct Ring In 9k Yellow Gold
£245.00
£467.00
The aquamarine is a very beautiful gemstone with its sky blue colour. This aquamarine and diamond ring makes full use of this lovely stone. The 0.20 carat oval shape aquamarine is surrounded by a sparkling halo of natural, G/SI quality… read more
Jewellery Settings
In general, we offer all of our jewellery in either gold or platinum. Silver is a common choice in budget jewellery, but it is a soft metal and prone to tarnishing and discolouration. You might get away with it on a pair of earrings, but a bracelet, bangle or ring? No, not a good choice!
Look out for secure settings that hold the diamonds in place with well-formed prongs. If a bezel is used, make sure that it covers the widest part of the stone all around its widest part – but does not rise so far up the stone that the diamond is effectively hidden under metal.
Remember, you can save a decent amount of money by choosing 9K gold rather than 12 or 18K. Just make sure that it carries the appropriate hallmarks. All of our jewellery is hallmarked in the UK, where it is made.
That's reassuring because although hallmarks from many countries are legal to be sold in the UK, not all countries have as high standards for metal purity as we do. In addition, some countries, including the United States, still allow nickel to be used in precious metals – that's not the case in the UK. The nickel issue can be important if the wearer of the jewellery has skin sensitivity. So, ideally, look out for precious metals with a UK hallmark.
Warranty And Returns
When you buy from a retailer in the UK, you have certain statutory rights as a consumer. For example, if you buy most goods online, you will have a period of 14 days to reject the purchase. That's a big benefit when compared to buying in a high street shop where no such legislation exists.
We do not think 14 days is long enough, so we offer a 30-day return and exchange period for most of our jewellery, with exceptions for custom-made items and a couple of other cases. We will always inform you before completing the order if your purchase is not covered in this way. Not all online retailers offer such a long period – no matter how much you are spending!
We also offer a lifetime workmanship guarantee on all of our jewellery. That says something about the quality of the work of our artisans and designers.
As an aside, I bought an engagement ring from a high street jeweller a few years ago. It looked lovely, but a design flaw caused it to bend and lose a diamond within a few days of purchase. It took two tries to get the ring redesigned to be strong enough to be worn daily. Good design is important in jewellery. No matter how well that ring was made, it was going to fail due to a mistake by the designer!
Tension Set Diamond Bangle 0.33ct G/SI Diamond in 9k Yellow Gold
£928.00
£1,567.00
This elegant and stylish piece is created from fine 9k yellow gold that is smooth and polished to the touch. Three sparkling, ethically sourced G/SI quality diamonds are placed in a tension setting on the 9k yellow gold band's centre.… read more
Pulling It All Together!
There is a huge amount that one can learn about diamonds and jewellery. But now you know the most important basics about how to buy diamond jewellery - particularly if you are on a budget
Buying diamond jewellery can be an exciting and rewarding experience if you know what to look for and what to avoid. By following these tips, you can find a jewellery piece you will love and cherish for years.
1) Concentrate on the shape and size of the diamond
2) Make sure the precious metal is correctly hallmarked
3) Try to avoid using silver in most diamond jewellery
4) Check the warranty and return policy of the retailer
5) Check the workmanship of the setting of your jewellery
6) Don't get stuck with a diamond of too low quality! G/SI is our standard and one worth sticking to!
Please check our collections of diamond jewellery. Our designers and artisans work very hard to bring the best possible quality at every price level. We stand behind their work for a lifetime of wear!
