How to Sell Your Diamond Ring

Most advertising campaigns by De Beers feature their famous slogan “A Diamond is Forever.” Consequently, women seldom sell a diamond and often feel uncomfortable buying diamonds previously owned by other women. There is a sentimental aspect to diamonds that is very different from other tangible assets like boats, houses or automobiles. However, there are occasions when consumers need to sell their diamonds and, unlike the used car market, there is not a well-developed method for consumers to sell their diamonds.

As a consumer, you face some unique challenges when trying to get the best price for your diamond in a safe and comfortable manner. Your starting point is to know exactly what you are selling. This is much easier if the diamond has a grading report from a major laboratory like the GIA or AGS. You have more of a challenge if there is no formal grading report. In this case, you need to find an independent appraiser who can evaluate the diamond and determine its quality and potential value.

Once you know your diamond’s specifications, you can find the current retail asking price by checking with online retailers to see what similar diamonds are selling for in today’s retail market. It is unlikely you will be able to get the going retail price for your diamond. Selling your diamond at 80% to 90% of that amount would make it sell quicker. Be realistic about your expectations. The lowest cost online retailers, not the expensive jewelry stores with double the price, set the value of your diamond.

You now know your target price and simply have to figure out how to find the right buyer for your diamond. There are several options available to sell your diamond and you need to determine which is best for maximizing your money and safety while minimizing your time and effort.

Your first thought might be to go to the closest jewelry store or pawnshop and sell them the diamond. The key to remember here is that they do not need your diamond. They can get all the diamonds they want on the wholesale market. The only reason they will buy your diamond is if the price is a fraction of the wholesale price. They hope you need the money bad enough to take 25%-50% of what you could be getting for your diamond elsewhere. They might offer you a little more if you “trade up” to something in their display case. However, this often results in you paying more for the new diamond and receiving less for your diamond than if you sold it elsewhere.

Several online brokers specialize in buying diamonds and estate jewelry from consumers. They typically have you ship the diamond to them so they can determine the amount they will pay you. All too often, this amount is much less than their preliminary estimate so you must either pay the return shipping, or accept their price. If your main priority is getting money fast, this is a valid option. If your main priority is getting top dollar for your diamond, there are better selling methods available to you.

Auctions like eBay are very popular for selling jewelry items but there is so much low quality jewelry listed, it is hard for potential buyer to find your quality diamond. You are competing with jewelry retailers whose entire business is selling on eBay so they are experts at writing the descriptions (often with exaggerated quality), taking impressive pictures and shipping their items. Even if a bidder does find your item, the odds of getting your target price are slim to nil because other retailers are advertising items with similar descriptions for about half the amount you want. Notice I did not say they are advertising similar quality, just similar descriptions. Do a search for diamond rings with GIA grading reports and you will see the vast majority of diamond rings have paperwork from sources you have never heard of before.

Other effective ways to find a buyer are classified ads in local newspapers and bulletin boards at church or work. The challenge is reaching enough people to find at least one buyer willing to pay your price. You have to be careful when doing this kind of transaction, especially if selling to a stranger. Do the transaction in a safe place and be sure you have a valid form of payment. You do not want to hand over your diamond and end up with a phony cashiers check or bad personal check.

Some jewelry stores and online retailers will sell your diamond on consignment. Online retailers with a local presence have an advantage in that they have large numbers of diamond shoppers on their website plus walk in traffic that can see your diamond in person. They also have lower overhead and prices so you can get a bigger share of the selling price. With jewelry stores often marking up prices over 100%, your share is likely to be less than half of the selling price.

Just be sure to get a written description of the item you are giving on consignment and the minimum amount you will accept for your diamond. All too often sellers are not being able to get their jewelry items back from a store or only receive a fraction of the amount they expected from the sale. However, if you have patience and a low priced, trustworthy retailer to broker your diamond, you have an excellent chance of getting an excellent price for your diamond without the hassle and safety issues of selling it yourself.
Denny Reinke is the Vice-President of Diamond Source of Virginia, an online diamond retailer specializing in loose diamonds, diamond rings and diamond jewelry located in Richmond, Virginia and on the web at www.DiamondSourceVA.com You can also visit Denny’s blog at www.diamonds.blogs.com

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.   

Protect Your Jewelry When Traveling

If you have travel plans in your future, think carefully if you really need to take all your expensive jewelry. The risk of theft, loss and damage increases as soon as you start your trip because you are in new surroundings, doing new activities and often in tourist areas that are the target of pickpockets, thieves and con artists.

If you are traveling out of the country, check to be sure your jewelry insurance covers your property when you are traveling outside the United States. Because the risk of theft is so much higher in foreign countries, some insurance companies only provide domestic coverage.

To avoid inviting crime, plan to dress inconspicuously to blend into the environment, especially when in another country. When traveling internationally, consider taking and wearing no jewelry. Criminals assume all tourists are wealthy so if you choose to wear jewelry, turn rings around so the diamonds are not showing and avoid dangling earrings. Large, expensive-looking jewelry is an attractive target and it is easy to snatch dangling earrings.

It is never wise to put jewelry items in checked baggage, especially with security personnel going through your belongings. The percentage of bags lost by airlines continues to increase and their liability for your lost luggage is very limited. Keep your jewelry and other valuables like money, keys, wallets, tickets, cameras, and medications in your carryon luggage. If airport security requires going through your carryon, request a private place so other travelers will not see your valuables.

Be especially careful with your valuables in hotel rooms because they are open to cleaning personnel several times a day and safes in hotel rooms are not particularly secure. How many times have you walked by hotel rooms with doors wide open and cleaning crews not visible? Professional criminals know the cleaning procedures and can quickly enter your room when cleaning service personnel are not looking.

If you do not put your jewelry in your luggage or leave it in your hotel room, that means you are carrying it with you but that can be a problem at the security checks at airports or when carrying something all day as you travel or are sightseeing. Many valuables disappear after being left for a few moments in a bag at a restaurant, transportation waiting room, restroom, or ticket line. Thieves patiently wait for travelers to let their guard down for just a minute and grab their bag without anyone noticing.

Theft is only one of the risks when traveling. Often a vacation includes some time at the beach, pool or hot tub. The sand and concrete can easily scratch precious metals in jewelry as well as gemstones that are not as hard as diamonds. Chlorine can also weaken and discolor precious metals. Travelers often expose their jewelry to risks they would never think of doing at home.

Carrying jewelry when traveling also needs some special care. Diamonds, gemstones and metal can scratch each other if carried together in a single bag. Place fine jewelry in separate cloth bags or put in separate compartments of a jewelry bag made for travel. Then be sure to carry the jewelry case in a purse or carryon.

The purpose of most vacations is to relax, not to impress the locals, so minimize jewelry when traveling. If you do take jewelry, be aware that you are in new and potentially dangerous surroundings. Take special care of your valuables and enjoy your trip.
Denny Reinke is the Vice-President of Diamond Source of Virginia, an online diamond retailer specializing in loose diamonds, diamond rings and diamond jewelry located in Richmond, Virginia and on the web at www.DiamondSourceVA.com You can also visit Denny’s blog at www.diamonds.blogs.com

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Protect Your Jewelry When Traveling

If you have travel plans in your future, think carefully if you really need to take all your expensive jewelry. The risk of theft, loss and damage increases as soon as you start your trip because you are in new surroundings, doing new activities and often in tourist areas that are the target of pickpockets, thieves and con artists.

If you are traveling out of the country, check to be sure your jewelry insurance covers your property when you are traveling outside the United States. Because the risk of theft is so much higher in foreign countries, some insurance companies only provide domestic coverage.

To avoid inviting crime, plan to dress inconspicuously to blend into the environment, especially when in another country. When traveling internationally, consider taking and wearing no jewelry. Criminals assume all tourists are wealthy so if you choose to wear jewelry, turn rings around so the diamonds are not showing and avoid dangling earrings. Large, expensive-looking jewelry is an attractive target and it is easy to snatch dangling earrings.

It is never wise to put jewelry items in checked baggage, especially with security personnel going through your belongings. The percentage of bags lost by airlines continues to increase and their liability for your lost luggage is very limited. Keep your jewelry and other valuables like money, keys, wallets, tickets, cameras, and medications in your carryon luggage. If airport security requires going through your carryon, request a private place so other travelers will not see your valuables.

Be especially careful with your valuables in hotel rooms because they are open to cleaning personnel several times a day and safes in hotel rooms are not particularly secure. How many times have you walked by hotel rooms with doors wide open and cleaning crews not visible? Professional criminals know the cleaning procedures and can quickly enter your room when cleaning service personnel are not looking.

If you do not put your jewelry in your luggage or leave it in your hotel room, that means you are carrying it with you but that can be a problem at the security checks at airports or when carrying something all day as you travel or are sightseeing. Many valuables disappear after being left for a few moments in a bag at a restaurant, transportation waiting room, restroom, or ticket line. Thieves patiently wait for travelers to let their guard down for just a minute and grab their bag without anyone noticing.

Theft is only one of the risks when traveling. Often a vacation includes some time at the beach, pool or hot tub. The sand and concrete can easily scratch precious metals in jewelry as well as gemstones that are not as hard as diamonds. Chlorine can also weaken and discolor precious metals. Travelers often expose their jewelry to risks they would never think of doing at home.

Carrying jewelry when traveling also needs some special care. Diamonds, gemstones and metal can scratch each other if carried together in a single bag. Place fine jewelry in separate cloth bags or put in separate compartments of a jewelry bag made for travel. Then be sure to carry the jewelry case in a purse or carryon.

The purpose of most vacations is to relax, not to impress the locals, so minimize jewelry when traveling. If you do take jewelry, be aware that you are in new and potentially dangerous surroundings. Take special care of your valuables and enjoy your trip.
Denny Reinke is the Vice-President of Diamond Source of Virginia, an online diamond retailer specializing in loose diamonds, diamond rings and diamond jewelry located in Richmond, Virginia and on the web at www.DiamondSourceVA.com You can also visit Denny’s blog at www.diamonds.blogs.com

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Official extensions for Google products

Official extensions for Google produ

Official extensions for Google productscts

Keep the Sparkle in Your Diamond

Diamonds are the hardest natural material. Only a diamond can scratch a diamond. Use great caution when wearing multiple diamond rings on the same finger. If the diamonds of one ring touch diamonds in another ring, both diamonds will likely end up scratched in a relatively short time. If you have a diamond wedding band next to your diamond engagement ring, be sure their design allows them to fit together so the diamonds do not touch.

The next most dangerous place for diamonds scratching each other is in the jewelry box. Do not throw your diamond rings, diamond earrings, and diamond bracelet together. Since diamonds will scratch diamonds, think of what they can do to other gemstones and precious metals. Keep your diamond jewelry in separate compartments or isolated by soft cloth to keep them from rubbing each other.

While diamonds are very durable, they can break or chip. You would not let someone hit your diamond with a steel hammer but your diamond ring faces the same type of danger every day. File cabinets, metal seat belt buckles, and car doors are just a few of the metal surfaces that can hit a diamond in the course of a normal day. Avoid sharp impacts with hard surfaces and you will avoid chips and cracks in your diamond.

Diamonds are natural grease attractors. Some diamond mines separate diamonds from the broken rocks by running the material over a conveyor belt covered with a layer of grease. Diamonds stick to the grease and the rocks slide off. At the end of the shift, they remove the grease and melt it away, leaving the diamonds.

Remember diamond’s attraction to grease when you touch a diamond with your finger. The oil from your fingertips will coat the diamond and reduce the sparkle. The same is true when your diamond ring touches the oil in your hair. Hand creams, lotions, hair spray, soap, and grease from food will create a film on your diamond that hides its beauty. When you put your hands in dishwater, the dirt and grease in the water will adhere to the diamond. Dust and powders also cling to diamonds.

Fortunately, diamonds are easy to clean. Put your diamond jewelry in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water. You can also use the containers of “Jewelry Cleaner” available at jewelry and department stores. These typically have a small basket the ring can sit in and a small, soft brush to clean the hard to reach places around the diamond. Swish the ring around in the solution, rinse it with warm water, and dry the ring with a lint-free cloth. While chemicals will probably not hurt your diamond, harsh chemicals like chlorine or bleach can weaken and discolor the metal in the jewelry. Keep in mind that swimming pools and hot tubs usually have high levels of chlorine and are not a safe place for jewelry.

There are many types of ultrasonic cleaners available to the public today. The piece of jewelry sits in a basket of water and detergent. The ultrasonic cleaner produces high-frequency turbulence that is an excellent way to clean the hard to get at part of jewelry. Not all gemstones are as durable as diamonds. Never put soft materials like emeralds, opals and pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner.

With a little common sense and regular cleaning, your diamonds will keep their sparkle and beauty for years of enjoyment.
Denny Reinke is the Vice-President of Diamond Source of Virginia, an online diamond retailer specializing in loose diamonds, diamond rings and diamond jewelry located in Richmond, Virginia and on the web at www.DiamondSourceVA.com You can also visit Denny’s blog at www.diamonds.blogs.com

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. 

Plus Size Clothes Shopping Tools

Today shopping for trendy plus size clothing that fits well and looks great is easier than ever before. Clothing designers and merchants have finally discovered the huge market full figured women have to offer. We want stylish and comfortable clothing - and we are willing to pay for it.

Fabric choices, slimming cuts & shimmering glamor are available to us in abundance, but how to choose the best fit and most flattering size when shopping online? Trying clothes on before we buy is not an option.

But the good news is that as online shoppers, we have two very handy tools at our disposal:

Sizing Charts & Refund Policies

You will find plenty of websites online specializing in ladies plus size fashions. Before adding anything to your shopping cart (also called shopping bag or basket), check out the sizing chart on site. You will usually find this linked to in the same spot where you choose the size, quantity and color of the item to add to your shopping cart. If it is not there, look in the main menu navigation bar.

You will find that most stores offer sizing that is true to offline department store sizing. So if you are normally a size 2X, you should find that size fits the same when shopping online.

You will also want to know what the store Refund Policy is. The industry standard is between 30 and 60 days from time of shipment. You will see the date listed on the packing slip when your package arrives. With a generous Refund Policy, you are free to order 2 or 3 different sizes of the item you want! Try them on, keep the item that you are most happy with and return the other items for a refund.

What you will want to watch for is any shipping and handling charges. Most times the stores offer a full refund, but it is good to note any charges that may apply if you do opt for a refund. Sometimes it is still worth it if you find that perfect dress you just cannot get locally.

Because most of us do not have a lot of options when shopping for plus sized clothing at our local department stores, shopping online provides us with a happy alternative. Now we too can enjoy a wide variety and plenty of options for fun, trendy fashions!
If you are looking for plenty of options when shopping for plus size clothing, visit http://www.plussizegoodies.com for my top picks featuring ladies plus size shopping stores. Now over 40 stores listed! Copyright PlusSizeGoodies.com
Permissions: This article may be reprinted only on the condition that the content is not altered in any way and the links and anchor text are kept active and intact.

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Plus Size Fashion Freedom!

Just ten years ago plus size women were limited to clothes shopping in the two back corner racks of the local department store. We didn't have a lot of selection in style and fit and really--we didn't enjoy shopping for ourselves all that much. It's hard feeling good about a wardrobe full of cartoon character t-shirts and too short stretchy pants, and it was disappointing to shop for more of the same.

Our choices in fashion were basic polyester stretch pants (remember those thick elastic waistbands ladies?), plain oversize t-shirts, and flowing, flowery polyester house dresses. Anything that was somewhat nice was stocked in limited quantities and at an exorbitant price.

Ladies we felt & looked frumpy and dowdy because that's all we had to wear!

Today however, full figured women can now enjoy trendy and comfortable fashions--at prices most can afford. And with easy online access, we are no longer limited to what the local department stores choose for us. We can choose from denims, cottons, silks & satins. Flower prints, stripes, solids and polka dots. Well fitted career wear, two piece bathing suits, short pants, long pants--the sky is the limit and we have more choices than ever before.

Want to wear a fun, flirty skirt? Or a trendy tanktini on that fabulous beach holiday? No problem! It's just a click away online. Your biggest dilemma will be choosing just one item out of the three or four that have caught your eye. What a shift from ten years ago!

Today taller plus size women can finally find those pants that fit both width AND length. And then there's petite plus size fashions for women who are shorter than average. We've got fashion selections now that fit all heights of fuller figured women--short, medium and tall.

With online shopping, plus size fashion freedom has finally arrived for full figured women. Choose all the figure flattering and trendy styles you want and say goodbye forever to frumpy and dowdy. It's time for us to shine like the beautiful women we truly are.
If you're looking for plenty of options when shopping for plus size clothing, visit http://www.plussizegoodies.com for my top picks for online shopping stores for plus size fashions. Now over 40 stores listed! Copyright http://plus-size-fashion-secrets.com Permissions: This article may be reprinted only on the condition that the content is not altered in any way and the links and anchor text are kept active and intact.

Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.