Diamond Gallery Gaby

Buying a ring is rarely a quick errand, and it should not be. Diamonds are sold on four variables that interact in ways the price tag never explains, and the difference between a stone that looks lively under a shop light and one that keeps that life in daylight comes down to cut more than size. A counter where somebody will put two stones side by side is worth more than an hour of reading.

Some questions save trouble later. Ask whether a stone comes with an independent grading report and who issued it. Ask what the setting is made of and how it should be checked over the years, since prongs wear and a loose stone is far cheaper to secure than to replace. Ask about sizing, whether it is done on site and how long it takes, particularly when there is a date attached to the purchase. For custom work, allow weeks rather than days and expect to approve a design before anything is made. And if the piece will be insured, ask for a valuation in writing at the time of sale rather than reconstructing it later.