South Africa is famous for diamonds. Whether you are living here or just visiting, you will no doubt appreciate some guidance if you are in the market for a loose stone or piece of diamond jewelry. These tips are useful wherever in the world you’re looking to buy.
Expat Michelle Morrow is passionate and well-informed about all things that sparkle and has learned a huge amount about the diamond industry whilst living in South Africa. She kindly agreed to share her top 5 tips for buying diamonds with us.
To sparkle or not to sparkle….the big question one might ask themselves when they arrive in South Africa. Well the answer is yes…..and as the saying goes, “diamonds are a girls best friend”. Well there are lots of “best friend” options to choose from here. Question is which ones and who to trust……
Choosing a diamond is such a personal decision and different sacrifices will be made to allow it to fit into your budget. But be careful about the sacrifices you make and how that impacts the beauty of the stone.
Here are my top 5 tips for buying diamonds here in South Africa:
1.Avoid buying diamonds online
You cannot get a feel for a stone online and when investing in diamonds, you always want to view the stones. The internet is also how the dealers get rid of their reject stones, so don’t even go there!
2.Pay attention to the cut of the stone
It is a common mistake that people assume that the cut relates only to the shape of the stone, but it is more importantly about how the diamonds facets interact with light to give a “fire” (sparkle) and is equally as important as the other three Cs. Often, I hear people say that a diamond does not sparkle because of the way it is set, whereas an excellent cut will make a diamond sparkle regardless of the setting.
3.Be very wary if you come across a deal that sounds “too good to be true”
If it does sound too good to be true, then ask some very serious questions about the quality before proceeding. There is no such thing as cheap diamonds and if you are at all unsure, walk away.
4.Everyone knows someone in South Africa who sells diamonds, but don’t just buy them from just anyone?
Some people mix other metals with the gold or platinum, some people make the rings hollow, some people put average quality stones, but remember you always get what you pay for!
5.Find a reputable trustworthy contact that can give you personalized service to meet your individual needs.
You need to find someone that has the skills to translate your design requirements into a beautiful piece of jewelry. When you find one, build a relationship with them.
Diamonds are something I am very passionate about. I have some very reputable award winning contacts in the industry and can help direct you to find that perfect stone or design that special piece for you at the right price. To find out more, contact me at ukmorrows@gmail.com
Thanks so much Michelle for giving us and insight into some of the peaks and pitfalls of diamond buying.
For further reading about diamonds, check out Diamonds on the Soles of my Shoes – and Culinan Diamond Mine Surface Tours.
Expatorama 
It’s good to know that the cut of a diamond refers to the way it reflects light as well as its shape. I think that the light reflection in a diamond is the main feature that makes it so interesting to look at and appreciate. It’s different almost every time you look at it and, if you look hard enough, you can see so many different colors and shapes, making it a more worthwhile purchase in the long run.
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I didn’t realize that the cut of a diamond was so important to consider when buying diamond jewelry. The article states that the cut doesn’t only dictate the shape of the diamond, but it also determines how the diamond interacts with light. This is good to know since I don’t have any diamond buying experience but was thinking of buying my girlfriend a diamond necklace for her birthday coming up. I’ll definitely pay more attention to the cut!
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I like what you recommend about finding a trustworthy dealer to build a relationship with them. It makes sense that buying jewelry can be much easier if you have a trusted contact within the industry whether it’s precious gems or not. I’ll have to keep this in mind when I buy my wife a few pieces because knowing exactly what the various pieces entail could be helpful.
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It’s interesting to learn that when it comes to buying diamonds that there are somethings that people need to remember to help make sure that they get what they pay for. I like how you mentioned that one thing that they need to pay attention to is the cut of the stone. This makes sense because I know that when I have a diamond that I want it to sparkle.
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Yes, many people don’t realise what an enormous difference a good cut can make.
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It was really helpful when you mentioned that I should be wary of offers that sound too good to be true and that it’s best to ask questions regarding the quality of that was the case. Thank you for informing me, really. I was planning to buy jewelry for my mom on her birthday, and I can’t decide where to buy. Knowing a little bit more about jewelry is going to be really helpful to me.
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