Stop buying diamonds based on  carat weight alone.  I know…you take all the 4 C’s into account when you are making your decision but all too often the process starts and ends with the size of the diamond.  But here’s the rub:  when you talk about the size of the diamond more than likely you are referring to it’s weight…not how big it is.

We all tend to equate a 1 carat diamond with “big” so I’ll be using that as a way to illustrate what I’m talking about. I did a quick online search of 1 carat diamonds, ignoring things like color and clarity and of course the price because I’m only talking about the weight/size thing here.

I picked 5 out of the hundreds of 1 carat diamonds that popped up to show you how dramatic the size ranges can be.  Bear in mind…every one of these diamonds weighs 1 carat but they are visually different in terms of their bigness.  Check it out:

• Diamond 1: Weight=1 carat.  Measures 6.17 mm across the top
• Diamond 2: Weight=1 carat.  Measures 6.21 mm across the top
• Diamond 3: Weight=1 carat.  Measures 6.32 mm across the top
• Diamond 4: Weight=1 carat.  Measures 6.43 mm across the top
• Diamond 5: Weight=1 carat.  Measures 6.52 mm across the top

Visually it looks something like this:

All 1 carat diamonds are not the same size

(Definitely NOT actual size)

IF DIAMONDS WERE FEMALE FIGHTERS…

If diamonds were female fighters and I was a betting man I would surely want to know more than the athletes weight when it comes time to put money on the big fight.

(Same weight…different sizes)

I’m not into women’s professional fighting (I think it’s called Mixed Martial Arts) but it’s a good way to illustrate my point.  Both of the women in the picture above weigh 145 pounds but they are clearly not the same size.  (I could have used male fighters but this is a column for guys so let’s stay real.)

“Big” is a relative term anyway you look at it.  It’s a safe bet that all the women in the 145 pound weight class are not all the same height, muscle density, quickness, etc.  And what about the little spitfires that have a big presence in the ring?  They can kick a “bigger” opponents butt all day long even though the tale of the tape says they are smaller.

The bottom line is that when you are on the diamond hunt and you ask about a 1 carat diamond (or a 1/2, or 3/4, etc.) you are referring to a weight…not a size.  There will be size variations within these weight categories and it is completely a function of how well the diamond is cut.  (More on that in future posts.  It’s a “big” subject.)

SO WHAT?

So stop shopping for diamonds with the idea that a heavier diamond is a bigger diamond.  It weighs more…and that’s it.  That weight may or may not enhance the notability of the diamond.  i.e. How many people stop her and say, “OMG let me see your ring!”

Any way you slice it most women like it when their engagement ring is noticed and I’m here to tell you that bigger isn’t always better.

~Andy Koehn

As far as I know this guy was not in the jewelry business.  I’m not related to him…never met him…don’t owe him any money and he has no compromising pictures of me from Vegas.  I mention this only because what I am about to post is the philosophy that underlies our pricing approach…even though I couldn’t say it near as well:

Prices

It is unwise to pay too much.  But it is worse to pay too little.

When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all.  When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the product you bought is incapable of doing what it was bought to do.

The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.  It can’t be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run.  And if you do that, you would have enough to pay for something better.

There is hardly anything in this world that someone can’t make a little worse and sell a little cheaper~and people who consider price alone are this man’s lawful prey.

~John Ruskin 1819-1900

Consider price in your buying decision?  Of course.  Think you ever get “more for less”?  Not on your life.

Manly men make decisions.  A real man seeks out the people and resources who can give him the information he needs to make an informed decision…and then he pulls the trigger.

He also takes full responsibility for his decisions…and either basks in the glory of a victory or learns from his mistakes.  Either way…he’s not afraid to make a move…because life’s to short to spend it regretting outcomes that might not happen.

What does this have to do with buying diamonds?

This has everything to do with buying diamonds.  You’ll hear me say it time and time again: “It’s not that hard.”  The diamond is not a BIG decision…it’s part of a bigger decision which is whether or not you want to spend the rest of your life with the person who holds your heart.  The diamond is an outward expression to the world…that YES…you are a one woman man…and you like it that way.

The decision on what to buy is ultimately yours.  The friends and family you bring along on your diamond buying tours can (and do…they definitely do) give you their input…but don’t for a minute think that their opinion as to what is “good” or what is “bad” is gospel.

The same goes for the sales people you deal with.  Unlike your personal posse’ (your friends and family)…professional sales people definitely know more than you do about diamonds and the wonderful world of engagement rings and proposals.  But our role is limited…because the best we can do is assess your situation as we talk with you…and then make recommendations…some more urgent than others.  We really can’t make you do anything…because it comes down to your willingness to exchange your hard-earned money for the diamonds we sell.

You’re in Charge, Dude.

The best advice I can give you is to find a place that speaks your language…and then plot with the salespeople to get a ring that says what’s in your heart but has trouble making it to your mouth.  (See my post titled Guns for Hire for more on this. The “ease factor” is directly related to your professional posse.  Find THEM…and let them stress over the small stuff.  It’s their job.)

Just say it…

When you go into a recommended jewelry store knowing exactly what you want…just say it already.  Too many men cloak themselves in a shroud of machismo and actually prolong the buying process.  Good business…great relationships…and authentic living are the result of effective communication. Be an effective communicator with your hired guns and they’ll treat you like the god that you are.

Footnote: Don’t be a hard-ass know-it-all when you present your case.  While you may be well-versed as a result of your Internet travels, you will never know what a diamond professional knows.  (Why would you want to exactly?  Oh that’s right…you don’t want to get “ripped off.”*)

I was a member of an industry think-tank once upon a time…and our leader…a giant in the jewelry biz said, “I make it my business to know my business.  Outside of that…I hire people to do what I am not an expert in.”  That’s not only true…it’s bad-ass.

Tip:

Find someone to be your hired gun when you’re in the diamond market.  Treat them as an employee of yours…because that’s really what they are. They work for YOU…and get paid to “do what you are not an expert in.”  (Be a good boss though. No one likes to work for a jerk.)

What if you’re not the guy I just talked about?

Maybe you’re a little less sure of yourself.  You think you know what you want…but you have some doubts and need a little more hand-holding. There is nothing wrong with that.  Actually you are in for a much smoother ride in my opinion because you don’t need to spend a lot of time defending your position.

The beauty is you have hired guns as well…and they want to make sure you walk away feeling every bit the man you know you are.  Why?  Because they want to be your go-too diamond and jewelry expert for the rest of your life.  The good ones live for it actually…it’s what they do.

Water the Horses.  Feed the Men.  Tonight we ride!

Quit looking at jewelry salespeople as your adversaries and make them part of your posse.  How will you know if they are worthy of your requirements?  I’ll spend more time on this subject in a future post…but off the top of my head I would do the following:

• Ask your buddies where they buy their jewelry.  They’ll tell you far more than any company brochure or flash intro.
• Trust your gut.  It is always your best guide.  (In life and at the diamond counter.)
• Use local Google, Yahoo, and Bing searches.  Many of them will have ratings on jewelers along with customer comments.  Click here to see what this looks like. (It’s for my store.)
• Tell your potential employees that you want to make sure they’re the right fit for you…and then ask what you want to know in a matter-of-fact way.  If they’re offended or put out by this…well…there’s your answer.

Having a hired gun in the diamond business will pay off in ways you can’t imagine.  It will save you time (which = money) and energy…and it’s pretty cool to have a diamond guy/girl in your back pocket.  That way you can focus on more important things like getting rock hard abs and training for the Backwoods Barbecue and Beer Chugoff.

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