Choosing a Diamond or Gemstone at Arizona Jewelry Stores

 The idea of choosing a diamond or other gemstone can feel quite daunting.  How will you know if the item you are choosing is of good quality?  At E.D. Marshall Jewelers you need not worry about the quality as we carry the largest selection of GIA certified diamonds in the state.  We also carry a large number of different high quality gemstones and estate jewelry.  All you need to worry about is whether the person you are buying the item for will like it.

 

Choosing what to buy actually starts before you even head to a store.  You need to think about what the recipient would like.  This could mean putting your own desires on the back burner.  What pleases you the most may be something that another person really won’t want to wear or might not look good on them.  If the jewelry is for you, you may need to figure out what you really want, then save more money in order to be able to purchase it.  Buying the wrong piece is never a good idea.  Be careful about buy-back and up-grade offers.  Read the fine print thoroughly if you feel you may need to use the option.  Purchase something only with the recipient in mind, and consider waiting to buy until you can afford the right thing.

 

You will need to decide on the stone’s shape.  Check out what the recipient already owns if possible.  This can give you the best idea of what to buy.  Be careful about trying something different since good diamonds and other gemstones are expensive and the wrong piece of jewelry will turn into wasted money too easily.  We know that you do not want to purchase something that looks like what a person already owns but our staff will be able to help you pick something distinctive yet close enough to what the person owns to work out well.

 

Once you have determined the stone’s shape you will need to think about size of the stone.  Sometimes this can be literally the dimensions of the stone.  With diamonds you will need to think about carat weight. 

 

Next you will be evaluating the quality of the stone.  Imperfections such as inclusions and scratches can greatly reduce the value of the stone.  Luckily minor ones can be hidden by the setting.  Round, pear, oval and marquise cuts hide problems the best.  For stones such as diamonds you will want to know the clarity and color grades.  When shopping Arizona jewelry stores looking for GIA grades can be your safest bet as they have strict grading terms.  Don’t rely on your own eyes and be careful about the description given by a jeweler.  Something that sounds good may not be true.

 

There are safe ways to skimp on the clarity and color of stones if you need to save money.  Our non-commissioned jewelry consultants can help greatly when you can’t put off buying something until you can afford what you wish you could buy.  You can purchase gemstones that to the naked eye will appear flawless.  The color of the stone, even a diamond, does not need to be perfect to look fantastic.  Even gemologists will struggle in determining the color of a diamond in everyday lighting.  More facets to the cut of the stone will reflect more light.  This can be used to hide lower color grades when needed.

 

As you look at Arizona jewelry stores strongly consider going to an E. D Marshall jewelry store.  You can find our stores in Scottsdale, Chandler, Avondale, Glendale, Tempe, and Sunrise.  Our quality is excellent, yet we will always strive to please you when it comes to price.