When it comes to diamonds, there are numerous scams to avoid. Most scams are minor, but there are some major ones that come up from time to time concerning the buying and selling of diamonds. Scams occur simply because most people who buy diamonds (for whatever reasons) don’t know that much about them. Therefore, they are easily fooled.

Jewellery stores like to show their diamonds in bright lights. Lights make diamonds shine. Ask to see the diamond in a different, darker type of lighting as well. Jewellery stores often run ‘fluorescence’ scams to varying degrees. Referring to a diamond as a blue-white diamond is one such scam. A blue-white diamond sounds very unique and special, but in fact, this type of diamond is of lesser quality, even though the jeweller will try to make you think you are getting something special.

Another common scam is the Carat Total Weight scam. The tag on the piece of jewelry, usually a ring, only states the total carat weight of all diamonds in the piece, instead of listing the total weights separately for each diamond. This leads consumers to believe that the main diamond in the piece is actually bigger than it is. Ask what the total carat weight of the centre stone is. Also beware of fractions. Jewellery stores are allowed to round off diamond weights. And it always goes up.

If you want an appraisal done on a diamond beware of low balling where they undervalue and tell you they “will take it off your hands”. Get at least three other opinions.

Another trick is to switch the diamond you have chosen and paid for with one of lesser quality and value when you leave it to be set in a piece of jewellery, or leave a diamond ring to be sized.