Wedding season is approaching, and that has a lot of people thinking about making that big purchase!
Unfortunately, customers that choose the wrong jeweler may experience jewelry fraud. Many diamond consumers would be surprised to hear that fraud can be prevalent in even the largest “mall store” jewelry brands. Take a look at the latest event that has been getting local attention in the Houston area:
The unfortunate reality is that quality control and anti-fraud measures are harder to enforce when a company grows to an extremely large size. It’s hard to know exactly who is being hired to oversee higher end transactions like diamond sales. The risk of having your diamond swapped out for a fake is a serious problem that these brands battle constantly.
That lack of control is exactly why you should consider a family-owned company like Jonathan’s Fine Jewelers.
In the jewelry world, reputation matters.
There’s a reason that we mention our 25 years of serving the Houston area often – jewelry is a business built almost entirely around reputation. The customers that enter our store year after year do so because they trust us. That’s such an important aspect to consider when you are buying items that you may not be a complete expert on.
People like to know that what they are buying is exactly what they are told it is, which is why we’ve done so well over the years.
If there isn’t a microscope on the desk, they aren’t the right jeweler.
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Jonathan’s showroom is the amount of equipment on every desk. Because of our history as a diamond wholesaler, we hire certified diamond experts instead of sales people.
Not only does this allow us to evaluate the diamonds that we stock in our inventory more effectively, but it helps us educate our customers. We allow every customer to inspect the diamonds that they are considering for purchase. No exceptions.
We believe this is essential and should be available to customers both when they select their diamond and when they pick up their completed engagement ring.
If you ever find yourself with a jeweler that won’t allow you to inspect a stone before or after the purchase, you need to walk away!
Go with a GIA certified diamond.
Believe it or not – the certification matters. Jonathan’s stocks GIA certified diamonds because we believe it’s the best certification around. All of the diamonds are independently certified by the GIA with no input from us, which is the way it should be. This is just another step in making sure your diamond is what we say it is.
The real benefit to the GIA certification is the customer’s ability to compare their diamond with the analysis of each diamond. We will literally teach you how to use a diamond loupe, and will explain every aspect of the report and help you spot imperfections that the report indicates.
Wherever you decide to shop this holiday season, be aware of the situation.
Pay attention to your diamond (or any precious stone) and be sure to inspect and compare it against any certification. Your jeweler should be more than willing to assist, and as we mentioned before, you need to walk away from any deal that you feel uncomfortable with.
Happy shopping and be safe out there!
