Don't Get Scammed By Wilmington Jewelry Stores: The Shallow-Cut Diamond

Do you know what to look for when you're shopping for a diamond? Not knowing could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Some jewelers will take advantage of the fact that most of their customers don't know what they're looking at. Arm yourself with the right knowledge and no one will take advantage of you.

Today we're going to talk about a common scam that has to do with the cut of a diamond. Cut is probably the least well understood of the 4 C's of diamonds. It is not the shape of the diamond. Cut reflects the skill of the diamond craftsman in releasing the natural fire and brilliance contained in the rough gem. A master craftsman will get the most beauty out of even the smallest diamond. A less skilled diamond cutter may use tricks to fool the consumer into thinking the diamond is bigger and better than it is.

A common cutting trick is to shallow cut the diamond. Common consumers often think that bigger is better. A rough diamond cut shallow will have a greater radius than a similarly sized rough diamond that is properly cut by a master craftsman. The trade-off is the shallow cut diamond loses some of its fire and brilliance.

The scam comes when a jeweler uses special lighting to artificially add brilliance back into the poorly cut gems. All jewelry stores use optimal lighting and other gimmicks to show their wares in the best possible light. Some less reputable stores take things a step farther. They will use bulbs that have a strong blue component or strong UV light to make a diamond appear whiter and more brilliant than it would naturally. Because cut is so commonly misunderstood, they often get away with it.

An independent lab analysis is your best friend and this is also a great test question for your jeweler. Ask to see the diamond in a more natural light, or at the very least not under the special lighting. Also ask if the diamond has any fluorescence. Your quality jeweler will give you honest answers to all of these types of questions.