But, where there is money there is greed, and where there is greed there are crooks...its a sad fact, but its true. Just remember, for every unscrupulous TV special jeweler who cheated some network news team, there are thousands upon thousands of honest, hard working jewelers who are just as appalled as you are. For generations it has fallen to the honest jeweler to tell unfortunate customers that somebody else has cheated them. It is as difficult for us to tell as it is for you to hear. So, if you want to take advantage of the savings and buy on the web, make sure there is a jeweler behind the jewelry service; someone who can help you make wise decisions and will be eager to develop a relationship with you.

LOCAL JEWELERS. You should also find a local jeweler who is reliable and who has ties to your community. Ask them questions. Do they repair on the premises or send the jewelry off site? Do they have a gemologist on the premises? Do they belong to any jewelry-related associations? Develop a relationship by stopping in to have your jewelry cleaned, or to ask general jewelry questions. Are they willing to cultivate a relationship with you, or simply out to sell you something? This can make a real difference in your buying experiences. Buy lab certified diamonds if you aren't sure who to trust, and have your current diamonds appraised.

If you don't have a lab certified stone, you can send your stone to be certified. A less expensive route is to have a gemologist appraise your stone and include a stone "plot" (a map of the inclusions within the stone), so you'll be able to turn your ring in for repairs with confidence. When you turn your diamond in for repair work to the mounting, tell your jeweler up front you want to verify that it is your stone before it goes for repair (to protect you both), and make sure your repair ticket is very specific about your stone and mounting. Read the fine print on the repair ticket. Remember to recheck your stone when it comes back and don't accept return of the stone if it is not right. Leave it there and go get a certified gemologist to come back with you and deal with the jeweler for you (a hired gun, so to speak). In general, if the jeweler won't show you the stone under magnification to help reassure you, or if they give you a hard time, find another jeweler who will.

But please remember, no one likes being treated like a criminal, especially when they handle thousands of dollars of diamonds and jewelry every day which is sent to them simply on trust. Our industry runs on reputation, ratings and handshakes. So while you can and should look out for your stones, you can do so without treating your jeweler like a potential felon. Make it clear to him or her that you are only trying to protect you BOTH from misunderstandings.