From collectibles to cars, buy and sell all kinds of items on eBayWelcome! Sign in or register.
aAdvanced Search

Reviews & Guides

Write a guide

A Diamond Tester is a Girl's Best Friend

by: hajipants( 1912Feedback score is 1000 to 4,999) Top 10000 Reviewer
8 out of 8 people found this guide helpful.
Guide viewed: 765 times Tags: diamond tester | jewelery | fake | counterfeit | gem tester


I have purchased a number of diamond jewelery items on ebay and for the most part it has been a pleasurable experience. I have also had a few not so pleasurable experiences.  Three times I have bought diamond jewelery items all from different sellers that were listed as genuine diamonds but were not. All 3 sellers had excellent feedback, one claimed to be a jeweler and another was an Ebay power seller. Two of the sellers did stand behind their jewelery and refunded my money with return of the item and all ended well. I am sure most sellers try to be honest but to protect yourself from getting a fake here are a couple of tips (I had to find out the hard way). 

Do a little research on rating diamonds. Search diamond rating charts online and you will find tips on telling genuine diamonds from fakes.

Before bidding, if this information is not already disclosed in the description of the item ask the seller the following questions.  Has the diamond been tested for authenticity and is in fact a genuine diamond? Does the seller back their jewelery with a guarantee of a complete refund including any shipping and handling charges you paid if item is not as described?  Some sellers have a return policy of not refunding the postage amount you paid on an item. If an item is not as described you should not be penalized and should get a complete refund including the shipping and handling cost you paid. Request reimbursement on the cost to ship it back to them, a transaction involving a misrepresented item shoud have no out of pocket cost to you at all. 

Watch out for slippery wording in the descriptions. Stay way from "simulant", "created",  "lab", etc. Look for the words"genuine" and  "natural" when describing a diamond. Even natural earthmined diamonds can be "enhanced" or "treated". Sometimes the fact that the diamonds are "lab created" is tucked in the middle of a lengthy description, so make sure to read the ENTIRE description. Just because an item has a title of "Diamond Ring" doesn't mean in the description the seller might not say "I think it's a diamond?" or "diamond like". If it is not clear or you have any questions, ask the seller.  Most sellers are more than happy to answer your questions. I stay away from sellers who do not respond to questions concerning the quality of their jewelery.

Be careful of diamond and expensive jewelery sellers with 0 (zero) feedback. Dishonest and scam sellers shut down and reopen with a new name all the time. Find a seller that has a 100% satisfaction and refund guarantee. Check feedback, honest sellers will generate repeat customers, although you cannot always rely on feedback ratings.

Once you have received your purchase have your local jeweler check to make sure your diamond is genuine. If diamonds are your bag invest in a DIAMOND TESTER yourself, it's well worth the money and easy to use. I bought a DIAMOND TESTER online for about $90. Believe me, I feel much more confident buying diamonds online knowing I can check them myself. Test your diamond purchase as soon as you get it and if it is not genuine email the seller asap! Don't put it off, the sooner you inform the seller the better.  

If you do find yourself with a fake try to work it out with the seller. If you can't come to some kind of a resolution report the item and the seller toEbay and Paypal if that was your form of payment. Nobody likes giving or receiving negative feedback.  Leaving bad feedback for a bad transaction is safe for buyers now because of Ebays change in feedback policy. You now need not fear retaliation feedback from dishonest sellers.   

I have had some really great experiences with some awesome jewelery sellers on Ebay. I am sure most jewelery sellers are honest but this info might help you weed out the undesireables.

Remember, "genuine" diamonds are a girl's best friend :)

See my other guides on purchasing jewelery on Ebay. Goodluck & happy bidding! (^..^)

If you have found this guide useful please vote yes below, thank you. 


Guide ID: 10000000006312211Guide created: 03/24/08 (updated 09/09/08)

 
Was this guide helpful? Report this guide

Ready to share your knowledge with others? Write a guide



 


eBay Pulse | eBay Reviews | eBay Stores | Half.com | Reseller Marketplace | Austria | France | Germany | Italy | Spain | United Kingdom | Popular Searches
Kijiji | PayPal | ProStores | Apartments for Rent | Shopping.com | Skype | Tickets


About eBay | Announcements | Security Center | eBay Toolbar | Policies | Government Relations | Site Map | Help
Copyright © 1995-2008 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
eBay official time