Know the 5 C's Before You Sell Diamonds in Boca Raton
Are you looking to sell diamonds in Boca Raton? There is definitely money to be made in selling your old, unused diamonds. Unlike selling gold or silver jewelry, where gems like diamonds will be removed and returned to you, since the buyer is only purchasing the metal, selling diamonds means you don’t have to take back a bag of gems you can’t use. These stones have varying values, which depend on a lot of factors. Some are more valuable than others. Here are the basics you need to know before going to diamond buyers in Boca Raton like Raymond Lee Jewelers. By knowing a little bit about how to valuate diamonds beforehand, as well as what you can expect to get from a retail diamond buyer, you will come prepared with the knowledge you need to get the best deal on your diamonds and to feel good about knowing the price you’re being offered is fair.
Here are the main things diamond buyers look at when valuating a diamond:
1. The Cut of the Diamond
1 Carat Diamond Stud Earrings 14K White Gold
Cut is not the same as shape, so forget this notion right away. The shape is just how the diamond looks, be it round, oval, square, etc. The cut is an expression of how well the diamond reflects light. The better the cut, the more bright the diamond. The cut is actually the biggest factor in determining price for any diamond. The angles on the diamond and how well it was polished all determine the cut. The best cuts result in a dazzlingly sparkly diamond that reflects all the colors of the rainbow when looked at from certain positions. The brighter the diamond, the more money you can expect to get from it.
Some cuts can indicate a vintage diamond. While all diamonds are technically vintage, each being at least a billion years old, the period of time in which a diamond was mined, cut, and set into jewelry indicates whether it can be considered vintage. In general, rougher cuts indicate vintage diamond jewelry. Cleaner, sharper cuts indicate newer diamond jewelry, since modern tools have made cutting diamonds cleanly a much easier thing to do.
2. The Color of the Diamond
GIA Certified 18k Two Tone 1 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring
You may think all diamonds are clear, but that’s not true. It is true that the most clear, colorless diamonds are the most valuable. Colorless diamonds allow more light to pass through them and make them sparkle more. This is a desirable quality in a diamond and makes the price you can get for it higher, because there will be more of a demand for it on the retail market. Some diamonds are actually colored.
Diamond colors run the gamut from pink to yellow to black. However, truly clear, colorless diamonds are rare. You can see that when you look at them closely. Even diamonds that appear clear when looked at from a distance can turn out to be rather opaque or cloudy when looked at closely. Most diamonds appear clear, but have some degrees of cloudiness to them. The clearer and more colorless the diamond, the more valuable it is.
Diamonds that don’t sparkle are typically not diamonds. The may be cubic zirconia, or even a poorly made synthetic diamond. Some synthetic diamonds do sparkle, but not nearly as brightly as well-cut natural diamonds do. The cut of a diamond can help determine its authenticity, which is important to know when buying or selling a diamond.
3. The Clarity of the Diamond
GIA Platinum 5 Carat Diamond Three Stone Engagement Ring
You might think clarity has to do with color, since diamonds with a cloudy appearance are considered to have bad color. However, clarity and color are two different things when it comes to diamonds. The clarity of a diamond refers to any blemishes or flaws on its surface. Diamond buyers look for chips, scratches, cracks, air pockets, and other minerals or gemstones mixed in with the diamond.
The more blemishes or flaws a diamond has, the less valuable it will be. People want to buy nearly perfect diamonds. There is something about that smooth, shiny diamond appearance that jewelry buyers are drawn to, and diamond buyers want to purchase those diamonds. The more flawless your diamonds are, the more money you can get for them.
4. The Carat Weight of the Diamond
Tiffany & Co. Diamond Key Pendant
The carat is the weight unit that is used for measuring diamonds. Larger diamonds have larger carats than smaller ones. Large diamonds with large carat weights are also pretty rare. Most diamond jewelry includes very small diamonds, or even diamond chips. These diamonds often don’t even make up a single carat.
Because large carat diamonds are so rare, they are more valuable and command a higher price on both the retail market and wholesale market than smaller carat diamonds. Carat spelled with a “C” should not be confused with karat spelled with a “K.” The former is used to measure the weight of diamonds while the latter is used to measure the purity of gold.
5. The Diamond Certificate
GIA Certificate
You’ll get a better price for your diamond if you get it appraised first and obtain a certificate for it. The certificate on your diamond will have a huge bearing on the price you get for it. A certificate from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most trusted and valued type of certificate among diamond buyers. This certificate will have all of the previously mentioned details of the diamond on it, plus additional information on the diamond that will determine its value to a diamond buyer.
You will definitely get more money for your diamond if you have a GIA certificate for it than if you don’t have one. However, remember that the GIA certificate is not an appraisal. It will not have a cash value for the diamond on it. It will, however, help your diamond buyer determine a reasonable price for it.
What to Expect When Selling a Diamond to a Jewelry Store
Unless you’ve found a private buyer for your diamond, you will most likely be selling it to a jewelry store. Sometimes there will be a certified gemologist on staff to evaluate your diamond, but not always. In either case, the people who work at jewelry stores are trained in what to look for in diamonds and know how to accurately appraise them. As long as you’re going to a reputable diamond buyer, you can be sure you’re getting a fair deal on your gem.
Jewelry buyers want to sell diamond jewelry Boca Raton patrons will love, so they will look for diamonds of the highest quality as these will be the easiest for them to sell. You can’t expect to get retail price for your diamond at a jewelry store because the store has to make a profit. Therefore, it has to purchase your diamond for less than the retail price in order to make the sale worth it to them.
This doesn’t mean you’re going to get shafted on your diamond sale. Reputable diamond buyers like Raymond Lee Jewelers pay as highly as they can for diamonds, since they want you to come back each time you have more gems or jewelry to sell. Getting approximately 30 to 40 percent less than the retail price of a diamond is common, though some jewelers may pay a bit more. Either way, once you know the basics of how to value a diamond, you’ll know whether to expect a lot of money or a little when you bring it in to sell at the jewelry store.
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