With such an incredible selection of loose diamonds and precious gemstones available buying loose diamonds online can, at times, get a little confusing. What should you look for and how should you go about buying loose diamonds online? Here are a few useful tips that may help you in your online diamond purchase:

• Before you start shopping around for loose diamonds online, make sure that you set a budget. A preset budget will help ensure you do not overspend on your purchase and will also aid you in limiting the choices of diamonds available to you online. Since there is such an immense array of loose diamonds available online to the everyday consumer in terms of diamond shapes, sizes, cuts and colors, a budget will only help minimize the customer’s search field in terms of what he or she can actually afford.

• Make sure that you are as informed a customer as possible when it comes to all things relating to loose diamonds, including a diamond’s 4 C’s (its cut, clarity and color grades, as well as its carat weight), diamond prices and values and the fluctuating diamond market. You will find that arming yourself with as much information as possible will help you make a successful, sound decision when it comes to purchasing loose diamonds online.

• If you are planning on using your purchased loose diamond in a piece of jewelry make sure that the diamond fits and matches the piece before making your final purchase. For example, make sure that the piece’s settings will be able to accommodate the diamonds you have bought online, as you will find that certain jewelry setting can only accommodate specific size and shape diamonds. If you are unsure, consult a professional jeweler whether or not your selected diamonds will fit and match your jewelry piece.

• Make absolutely sure that the loose diamonds you plan on buying online are certified diamonds, that is, diamonds that come with a GIA or AGS approved certificate of authentication. A proper certificate of authentication will not only ensure the diamond’s quality it will also guarantee its genuineness. Diamonds lacking the proper certification should be avoided at all costs as there will be no way to ensure their authenticity. Jewelers and jewelry retailers will not deal in uncertified diamonds and you will find that your insurance company will refuse insuring loose diamonds without the proper certification.

• After you’ve made your selection, and before you make your purchase, check and see whether the diamond’s posted qualities match the ones listed on its certificate. You do not want to end up overpaying for a diamond with inferior qualities.