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Some Help Buying Diamonds and Color Diamonds Plus Avoiding all of the Scams Online

As a gemologist and a jeweler, I have to note how many eBay sellers mislead and even cheat the unsuspecting diamond buyer. In a way, this practice has harmed online diamond trading and will keep harming the seller buyer relationships.

Here are a few pointers to note when purchasing loose diamonds either white or fancy colors.

1. Check for stone noted to be natural and not lab created/synthetic or an imitation.
2. Check for any type of treatment or enhancement, normally enhanced diamonds are worth a lot less then natural untreated diamonds.
3. Check for actual pictures and not some beautified stock image.
4. Check for a reputable certificate (GIA or EGL USA).
5. Note that only a Gem Lab can grade a diamond as Flawless.
6. Check shipping costs and return policies.
7. Check feedback of the seller.

Type of enhancements:

Clarity: Means that the diamond is filled with resin to hide breaks and fractures.
Clarity enhancement is not permanent and it is heat sensitive.

Color enhancement: Exposing the diamond to radiation and heat will change the color of the diamond. Some diamonds might even continue to emit radiation, but there are no researches about the long term effects on people.

How to tell a diamond might be enhanced.

Detecting clarity enhancement in a diamond is not easy even for gemologists, so the average person might not notice it. The best thing is to know a jeweler and show him the stone and let him appraise it. Don?t tell him anything; let him come up with numbers.
Some jewelers will ?kill? a stone in order to sell one of their stones so if that happens, do ask them to get you the same thing cheaper. Regardless, you are there to tell if the stone is enhanced.

Color enhancement is very simple to detect on the fly. Irradiated diamonds are highly saturated in color, almost like a dark candy color of the desired color. Most natural fancy color diamonds such as pinks, greens, blues have weaker grayish tint to them but color treated diamonds are more like strong limey saturation in color.
Another way to assume treatment is simple, if a diamonds color is too strong then the merchant should have a certificate on the diamond in order to maximize its value, otherwise you should assume treatment and that the seller has something to hide.

And last remark, for diamonds, GIA is the best laboratory. Next is EGL USA (Only) and the rest are just 2nd rate labs which should be only taken as guidelines. They?re not bad, but most sellers would certify with GIA or EGL USA which are the diamond industries standards.

Here is a 6.00 carat GIA certified Fancy Pink Internally Flawless Diamond (Sold for over $4 million US$)

Here is an example of a fake color diamond, most irradiated diamonds show similar color intensity.
NO NATURAL DIAMOND CAN SHOW COLOR LIKE THIS ONE

I hope this guide would save you a lot of headaches and frustration. Additionally, if you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me through my eBay account.

Cheers!

Kevin