Is It Safe to Buy a Diamond Online? 8 Rules for Safe Shopping

Short answer: Yes, you can buy a diamond online safely, but only with the right steps. If the stone’s independent certificate and report number, a written statement of whether it is natural or lab-grown, the seller’s real products, address and invoice, and the size and delivery terms are all clear, buying online is no different from buying in a shop. The eight rules below help you check each of these.

Rule 1: See the certificate and the report number

A diamond’s carat, cut, colour and clarity are established by the report of an independent gemmological laboratory, not by the seller’s word. Ask for a copy of the report and check its number on the laboratory’s own website. The report number is usually also laser-inscribed on the stone’s girdle. How to read a certificate.

Rule 2: Natural or lab-grown? Get it in writing

A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, but it is priced differently from a natural one. The seller should state clearly which one they are selling, and the report should confirm it. Lab-grown diamond reports state clearly that the stone was grown in a laboratory.

Rule 3: See the seller’s real products

Catalogue images describe a design, not the seller’s workmanship. Look at real photos of pieces the seller has made before; the stone itself is documented by its report. In oval, pear and marquise cuts, the “bow-tie” shadow across the centre of the stone is not written on the report, which is why choosing a well-cut stone with balanced proportions matters. What is the bow-tie effect? · Real pieces from our workshop.

Rule 4: Get the characteristics in writing

The quote should state: the stone’s carat, shape, colour and clarity grades, cut grade and report number; the gold purity and approximate weight; and the total carat of any side stones. Even if the conversation is on WhatsApp, these stay on record; no one can later say “that is not what we said”.

Rule 5: Give the right size

The most common problem with buying online is the wrong size. We explain how to measure your size correctly at home on the ring size page. Fully stone-set designs such as full eternity rings may not be resizable later, so check the size especially carefully for them. Can a ring be resized?

Rule 6: Know who the seller is

A clear address, a phone number that answers, a business that can issue an invoice and a workshop that does its own production are the foundations of trust. Ask the seller who makes the pieces and where to go for resizing and maintenance. About our workshop.

Rule 7: Agree on the payment terms

How and when payment is made, the production time and the delivery date should be agreed from the start. For a piece made for you, there is usually an approval and payment step before production begins; ask for its terms in writing.

Rule 8: Delivery and packaging

Ask how a valuable piece will be sent, whether the shipment is insured and what to check on delivery. When you receive it, you can compare the report with the stone’s laser number (visible under a loupe).

Frequently asked questions