How To Avoid Engagement Rings Scams When Buying Diamonds

Today I'd like to share a story that happened many years ago at my jewelry store at The Ritz-Carlton, Miami Beach. I just keep telling it to friends and clients to prevent them to live this awful experience.

One day a young man walked into my store. I could see he was very nervous or better preoccupied. In his hand he was holding an engagement ring. He asked me if I could tell him if the diamond on that ring was real.

-Of course, I can. Let me get my tools!  I replied,

The tool jewelers use is a little device with a pin in the front that you point on a diamond you want to test, and if it is real it makes a specific high sound a “happy beep”…if beep is low…no good, not a diamond!

So, I showed it to him and explained the process and pointed it to my own diamond I got from my husband which of course is real, and it made a happy beep…. Thanks God, for my husband! ;-). Then to my stud earrings…happy beep… we had two happy high beep sounds. Then the big moment; I pointed it to his engagement ring diamond……low ugly beep….no high happy beep!  We looked at each other and I said: “no high beep!”.

-But I got a certificate when I bought the diamond! He nervously added, almost asking for help.

-I believe you, but that certificate is certainly not for this stone.

He had bought the ring with a fake diamond in Chicago, and wanted to propose to his girlfriend once back in Miami. Of course, he was disappointed, furious and much more…and specially too far away to do anything.

I felt very sorry for this young man who had a wonderful intention that turned into such a disappointment. The lesson is: you should ALWAYS buy Diamonds with your trusted jeweler, Voila!