There are many ways today to buy diamonds and doing a deal. You could go along the traditional route of your high street jeweller, be recommended by a friend to a manufacturer or diamond dealer in Hatton Garden or the jewellery district in Birmingham or what is becoming increasingly popular buy from an online shop.
High Street Jewellers
Hatton Garden is by far the most popular and famous jewellery buying street in the UK. It is renowned for its array of jewellery shops. Some love the bartering that goes as you stroll through the 60 + shops. While others feel uncomfortable with sales assistants trying to pull them off the street. The most prominent complaint that I hear. However, is that everything looks the same which of course to a degree is true. There are of course some shops that will sell you loose diamonds, but on the whole, you would be looking to purchase a finished piece.
Manufacturers and dealers
In the past, you could only visit a dealer or manufacturer if you had an introduction. But that is not the case anymore as they too will advertise their services directly to the public. There are some manufacturers and dealers that carry finished jewellery pieces. For most, they will have loose diamonds and settings for you to choose from, and some will offer a truly bespoke service.
Online retailers
The growth in online diamond sales over the past few years has been enormous. Their prices on the surface appear incredibly cheap. Some of that is down to the fact that they have been set up as turn over businesses pack it high sell it cheap. On the other hand, it’s down to smart marketing with headlines such as. Cheapest loose diamonds, Lowest UK price guaranteed. Why pay retail and pay double, when the most extensive collection of GIA certificated diamonds in Hatton Garden to name just a few.
Diamonds available to the trade
The truth is there is no guarantee that any of those statements are true or false, but they indeed work in drawing people to visit the site. What is true however is that most are working from a worldwide list of diamonds available to the trade. To prove this point if you were to choose three online sellers and pick a certification number. From one, you will find the same stone on another site. Because the diamonds are not on the whole exclusive to one online retailer can be the reason why sometimes you have to wait up to ten days for delivery. Or when you a buy a particular diamond you get an email shortly after saying it is no longer available and you have proposed an alternative.
How do choose where to buy from retailers
In the competitive world that we all now find ourselves living in outside of the branded shops. I do not believe you will pay double what an online jeweller will charge you. You have the safeguard of buying from bricks and mortar.
Jewellery manufacturers
The advantages of working with a manufacturer are that most will not be trying to sell finished pieces of jewellery. This will be giving you the opportunity of picking your diamond and having a bespoke ring made just for you. Buying online means that you will have first to take a crash course in becoming a diamond expert. Learning about the 4C’s which although important are only part of what you need to know. From there you will need to start scrolling long lists of diamonds and in the end. Just picking one whether on price alone or combining cost with the diamonds characteristics. The online retailers also offer you the chance of picking a ring setting. They call it bespoke, but I have never really been comfortable in calling a mass-produced ring bespoke.
The alternative way to buy diamonds
There, of course, is a final alternative buying method and that is to go to a personal jeweller like myself. All of my jewellery is designed with my clients and handcrafted in my Hatton Garden workshop. Then as a diamond expert, I will guide you through finding your ideal diamond by taking you way beyond the diamond 4C’s. I will allow you to choose from a selection of diamonds in front of you rather than a list. This is for your complete peace of mind all my diamonds are GIA certificated and competitively priced. I guarantee this by keeping abreast of the market prices. I do not make promises of being the cheapest just the best
CALL 0800 024 8940 OR EMAIL david@davidlawjeweller.com
