For many, jewelry shopping can be an intimidating experience. Add crowded malls, a long list of gifts to purchase, and the desire to get ‘just the right thing,’ and it can be downright stressful. But knowing what to ask a jeweler can help make this a great shopping experience

In part 4 of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide, GIA put together the top five questions to ask a jeweler when you’re shopping for jewelry this holiday season.

Feel free to bookmark this page, print it out, or pin it: just keep it handy as you walk into any jewelry store or visit an online retailer. With the right questions, you can be confident in what you’re buying.

1. What are this diamond’s 4Cs? Can I see an independent grading report?
A jeweler should be able to explain a diamond’s 4Cs in detail and produce an independent diamond grading report to support his explanation. An unbiased diamond grading report, such as the GIA Diamond Dossier®, GIA Diamond Grading Report, or GIA Diamond eReport, ensures that you will know your diamond’s quality and authenticity. For a quick summary of the 4Cs, see part 2 of our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide, 4Cs Tips for Holiday Diamond Jewelry Shopping.

2. Can I see other options in my price range?
Many factors contribute to how a piece of jewelry is priced: the type of gemstone(s) used and it’s quality, the type and quality of the metal in the setting, overall design and craftsmanship, just to name a few. A jeweler should be able to provide you with a variety of choices for any given price point.

3. How do I take care of this piece?
Wearability and care are important considerations. If the piece includes gemstones other than diamond, be sure to find out where they rank on the Mohs scale, which represents gemstone hardness. Ask your jeweler to explain the metal used – some metals are more durable than others. And be sure you know whether the gemstone has been treated, since treated gemstones will require special care. Whether you’re looking for an everyday or special occasion piece, it’s important to understand the care and cleaning tips for any jewelry you purchase.

4. What are your credentials?
You’ll get the best shopping experience from a jeweler who is professionally trained and experienced. Most jewelers are proud to display their professional diplomas from internationally recognized gem and jewelry schools like GIA. In addition, they may be members of trade and business organizations, like the American Gem Society (AGS), Jewelers of America (JA), and your local Chamber of Commerce.

5. What is your return policy?
While everyone wants to give the perfect holiday gift, sometimes the piece just isn’t quite the taste of the recipient. Just in case she was hoping for something different, ask about the return policy. For a significant diamond purchase, like an engagement ring, you might want to also ask about any trade-in programs for a larger diamond down the road.

To avoid holiday crowds, many people opt for online shopping. GIA has a separate set of tips for online shopping that covers online retailers as well as auction sites.

And while GIA doesn’t specifically recommend jewelers, it does offer tools to help you find a jeweler in your area who carries GIA-graded diamonds or have GIA-trained professionals on staff.

Our 2013 Holiday Buying Guide continues next time with an in-depth look at special gemstone cuts and fancy shapes. Prepare to be wowed!

The post Holiday Buying Guide – Part 4: Asking the Right Questions for a Diamond Purchase appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Rare pink diamonds are once again making eye-catching appearances at prominent jewelry auctions worldwide, and it’s not just a color for Valentines Day gifts. On September 20th, 2012 at Sotheby’s New York’s Important Jewels auction, a GIA graded 5.08 ct. round fancy pink diamond doubled its $700,000 estimate with a final price of $1,426,500. And last year on August 8^th, a 12.27-carat modified-rectangle brilliant-cut Majestic Pink Diamond boasted a fixed sale of $7.85 million.

Fancy light pink 5.08-carat diamond. (Image Courtesy Sotheby’s)

On October 10th, 2012 in New York, Christies auctioned a pear-shaped fancy-light pink diamond weighing approximately 10.52 carats, flanked on both sides by a tapered baguette-cut diamond, and mounted in platinum. Determined to be a type IIa – which is the most chemically pure type of diamond – by a GIA diamond grading report, its pre-auction estimate was $900,000-$1,100,000. The diamond actually sold for $2.21 million, demonstrating the typical competition for these stones.

10.52-carat pear-shaped fancy light pink diamond (Image courtesy of Christie’s Images LTD. 2012)

On October 10th, 2012 in New York, Christies auctioned a pear-shaped fancy-light pink diamond weighing approximately 10.52 carats, flanked on both sides by a tapered baguette-cut diamond, and mounted in platinum. Determined to be a type IIa  – which is the most chemically pure type of diamond – by a GIA diamond grading report, its pre-auction estimate was $900,000-$1,100,000. The diamond actually sold for $2.21 million, demonstrating the typical competition for these stones.

Other notable high-priced pink diamonds include the most expensive gem ever sold at auction, the Graff Pink (sold in Geneva in 2010 for $46.2 million), and the Perfect Pink (sold in Hong Kong in 2010 for $23.2 million).

For more on why fancy-color diamonds tend to perform spectacularly at jewelry auctions, go here: Why are the finest fancy-color diamonds found at auction

The post Pink is a Premium at Jewelry Auctions appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

The stone is from the ancient Golconda mines of India, which were the world’s only diamond source until the early 18th century. Some of the most spectacular diamonds have emerged from the Golconda region, including the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope.

Archduke Joseph diamond courtesy Robert Kane/Fine Gems International, Photo ©Tino Hammid.

The diamond is named for one of its illustrious owners, Archduke Joseph August (1872–1962), a Hungarian prince of the Habsburg dynasty. When it last went on the auction block, at Christie’s Geneva in 1993, the diamond sold for only $6.5 million. It was subsequently recut to improve its clarity and brilliance.

Photo Courtesy Robert Kane/Fine Gems International, Photo ©Tino Hammid.

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On June 12, Christie’s New York Important Jewels Auction auctioned off some truly stunning diamond rings, with center stones all sized between 14- 39 carats.

The smallest of the diamonds, a 14.82 carat modified pear-shaped diamond, is mounted in platinum and bordered by smaller tapered baguette-cut diamonds. This diamond’s GIA report classifies it as E color and VVS2 clarity. The report also states that this diamond is an extremely rare Type IIa diamond. Type IIa diamonds are the most chemically-pure diamonds and thus have exceptional optical transparency. This ring sold for $1,594,500.

The second diamond, pictured above, is a modified rectangular-cut diamond, weighing in at 22.46 carats. It is mounted in platinum and flanked by two trillion-cut diamonds. This diamond’s GIA report classifies its color as E and its clarity as VS2. It sold for $1,874,500.

Next, there is a simple circular-cut diamond, weighing 15.65 carats. Its GIA report states the color as F with a clarity of VS1, with an excellent cut grade. It is set in platinum.

The largest diamond is set in a unique ‘bombe’ design, a dome-shaped setting often seen in rings and earrings from the 1940s and 1950s. The center diamond is a round-cornered modified rectangular-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond, weighing 39.83 carats. It is surrounded by circular-cut diamonds and mounted in 18k gold. The diamond’s GIA report states its color as fancy, vivid, natural yellow color, with a clarity of VS1. It sold for $1,426,500.

*All photo’s courtesy of CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2012

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GIA’s Russell Shor recently reported that auction house executives and industry observers agree on a number of reasons why fancy-color diamonds can achieve such high prices, even during an economic hardship. Some reasons are the international reach of auction houses, the rarity of top gems, and the greater number of private buyers going to auction.

Of the millions of diamonds mined each year, only .0001 percent can qualify as fancy colors and only a handful can achieve the top grades of Intense and Vivid. An even smaller percent are larger than one carat, let alone five carats. So the auction houses deal in true rarities.

GIA was interviewed by Harpers Bazaar China, for their April edition, about fancy-color diamonds and why these rare finds can only be purchased at auction. Here is what they had to say:

Q: Given the current fancy-color diamonds grading trend, can you analyze the trend of color diamonds value and investing value?

GIA: GIA does not do diamonds appraisal. Diamond prices are determined in big auction houses. The auction prices of big fancy intense color diamonds or fancy vivid pink and blue diamonds have exceeded $1,500,000. And the growing trend of investing in color diamonds can be proved by the big increase in color diamond grading demand. The demand has increased 102% since 1999.

Q: Why are auction houses the only place where you can find the finest fancy-color diamonds?

GIA: This seemingly simple statement is due to the long history, good command of global auction trends, good sense of finding rare stones and long-term accumulated people contacts of those renowned international auction houses. First, Geneva, New York and Hong Kong, the three major markets always attract global customers. Rare color diamonds are always sold for record-breaking prices at these auction houses. Second, Sotheby and Christie’s have the most insights on those top-notch rare diamonds; in other word, real, treasured diamonds are circulating here.  Lastly, the number of private buyers is increasing.

Q: What’s the GIA standard grading process of fancy-color diamonds?

GIA: An outstanding color diamond is very rare and the quality is determined on the density of color and the attractiveness of color. Different from using the 4Cs to grade colorless diamonds, GIA uses a distinct grading system to grade color diamonds. It starts grading from the hue, for example, yellow, and then if there’s a bit of greenish blemish in it, this will be called a greenish yellow diamond. Then it’s the density of the color, from faint to fancy intense, fancy vivid, etc. GIA will also grade if the color is natural. GIA color diamond grading report will include color grades, whether the color is natural, carat weight, clarity and clarity diagrams.

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