It is neither illegal nor unethical to sell a diamond that has been
sold many times before at a retail jewelry store, or any other type
of jewelry outlet. As a matter of fact many diamonds have had as
many lives over as much time and in as many embodiments as Shirley
MacLaine has. What is today a brilliant cut, half-carat diamond in a
14-karat yellow gold solitaire setting may have started as a two
carat tiara adornment for the princess of who knows what, several
centuries ago. Resold, re-cut; remounted, perhaps even redistributed
as several different diamonds by now, the diamond is still the
diamond. Diamonds are forever.
A diamond may undergo many transitions in its "forever"
existence. A simple setting change may be all that is needed to sell
a quality diamond at a handsome profit. The settings your
grandmother appreciated find few admirers today. A designer of
custom jewelry may be searching for a particular teardrop shaped
stone that is now in an older ring. After he arranges to buy it at a
wholesale price, he makes it the centerpiece of an emerald and
diamond necklace. He sells it to a jeweler at a good mark-up. The
jeweler marks the piece up significantly and sells this
"new" one of a kind custom-made item. The process is
repeated in one form or another thousands of times a day, millions
of times a year, year in and year out. Diamonds are forever.
Purchasing a diamond at a jewelry store is buying a new diamond.
Are you sure? No one can tell you how old a diamond really is, how
many times it's been sold, who had it first, what type of setting it
was in last, or whether it feels lonely in a solitaire ring.
Diamonds have been recycled long before newspapers, plastic and the
aluminum can. Diamonds are forever.
Frequently pawnshop customers include patrons that are looking
for jewelry items they can re-set, or resell. Because prices are low
in pawnshops, many people actually make a living from such
activities. Many pawnshop owners resist or limit such sales in order
to enhance the quality of inventory available to their regular
customers. More and more, people are learning that they have as good
a chance as anyone to find and purchase that great diamond at that
great pawnshop price. They have learned that there is no such thing
as a used diamond, and that "Diamonds are forever".
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Diamonds
are forever if they are treated and cared for like the precious
gemstones they really are. Because diamonds are known for their
hardness, people are often led to believe that they are virtually
indestructible. This is far from the truth. A sharp blow delivered
to just the right spot could split a diamond at an inclusion or
flaw.
Thrown together in a bag or any storage that allows your diamond
jewelry to bang against other pieces isn't a good idea. If damage
doesn't occur to the diamond pieces themselves, certainly other
softer gemstones could be damaged by persistent contact with their
harder cousins. Ideally each item, such as a ring should be stored
in a cushioned slot or section.
Don't wear your "good stuff" when you're cleaning or
are engaged in sporting activities. The gold or platinum mountings
that show off your best diamonds are soft. A snag on a bit of
material could catapult your diamond like a boulder at a medieval
fortress. Try finding a two carat loose stone on a beach volleyball
court. You'd probably tear up the house you just cleaned if you
discover a diamond missing from your favorite ring.
Keep your jewelry clean. It doesn't do much good to have the
prettiest diamonds in the world if they are going to be denied the
light they were designed to refract by soap film, lotion build-up,
and assorted other gunk. You can purchase small jars of cleaner
especially designed for jewelry. It often comes with a tiny brush
and a little tray for draining the jewelry. You can use dishwashing
liquid or ammonia as a substitute. An old toothbrush is a good idea
too, to get between the prongs and into the tiny crevices. Here, you
don't need to floss. Clean diamond jewelry in a bowl or container
that will capture any loose stones that fall out during cleaning.
You might be surprised at how many diamonds are being held in place
by gunk build-up. An ultrasonic cleaner works fine for hard stones
like diamonds. Many pawnshops will gladly clean your jewelry just
for the asking.
After each cleaning check for loose stones and again each time
you prepare to wear your jewelry and once again before you put it
away. Gently tap the diamond to see if it wobbles in it's setting.
If it does, place it in a small zipper bag and take it to a jeweler
for remounting. Remembering to check your jewelry for loose stones
and regular cleaning could make it true that "Diamonds are
forever".
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