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MyGemologist®
As recommended
by The Wall Street Journal  Diamond
Rings
By CHERYL LU-LIEN TAN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
September 23, 2004; Page D4
A diamond is forever, or at least until it gets
traded in for a bigger one.
Ring sales tend to rise in the fourth quarter
ahead of holiday-season proposals, making this a prime diamond-browsing
period. Here are some options for couples who are starting small.
Shoppers who think they may someday return the
ring or "upgrade" -- trade in the stone for a bigger
diamond -- may want to consider a bonded diamond. The buyer pays
an annual fee to the jeweler in return for a guarantee the jeweler
will buy back the diamond at the original price. About 10% of U.S.
jewelers offer bonded diamonds. But look around: Fees tend to run
between $1 and $2 for every $100 of the diamond's value, a difference
of $50 a year for a $5,000 diamond. Look for bonded diamonds at
Diamondcuttersintl.com/diamond_education/mygemologist.cfm.
Harry Winston vs.
Sam's Club: Many jewelers offer
upgrades on rings bought at their stores, but the policies vary
widely. Tiffany & Co. will accept a solitaire diamond ring
only if the buyer exchanges it for a ring that costs at least
twice as much; Fortunoff will upgrade diamond earrings or rings
for pieces 1.5 times the amount. Kay Jewelers and Jared the Galleria
of Jewelry let buyers exchange any of the stores' diamond jewelry
for pieces costing twice as much. But read the fine print: If
you don't visit Kay Jewelers every six months for an appraisal,
the policy is off. Harry Winston and Cartier offer upgrades on
a case-by-case basis, and Sam's Club and Wal-Mart don't do it
at all. Back to MyGemologist®
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