Protecting Your Diamond From Being Swapped or Switched
How do you feel about sending your diamond to the jewelers for repair and/or cleaning? A little queasy? Do visions enter your mind of an unscrupulous worker switching your precious gem to a piece of glass or cheaper diamond?
Relax! Here’s the answer.
Your Diamond is Unique
Every cut diamond on the planet has unique markings that distinguish it from every other diamond.
They are very much like snowflakes. No two are the same. This is so because of the flaws in the stones themselves.
And no, your diamond is not perfect; or if it is, there is still a way to tell it from another diamond.
No Reputable Jeweler Would Switch Your Diamond
Ah, but we are talking about that one we don’t suspect. You’ve run into enough bad apples in your life that you know it could happen. True enough, your trusted jeweler would almost certainly not risk his reputation by stealing your diamond, but you understand the temptation, and these days you never know.
The difference between your diamond and the one being substituted would have to be huge in order for anyone to consider doing such a thing, so the substitution would be obvious to anyone really paying attention.
Your jeweler should gladly and without hesitation help you to assure the diamond you leave with them is the diamond you get back.
Precautions You Can Take
You want to make sure you can identify your ring, necklace, or other valuable piece of jewelry. Your diamond may have a laser inscription which you can see with a 10X jeweler’s loupe. You can ask the jeweler to show it to you. Write it down. Or perhaps the number (with letters, sometimes) is written on the original sale papers. Your dealer should be very cooperative in showing you the laser markings. Request that the inscription be visible when you pick up the piece, so the jeweler can show it to you again.
If your stone has no laser inscription, you can take it to a diamond grading lab to have one put on.
Another method of identification is the flaws in the stone itself. Unless you have a “perfect” diamond, your gem will have small “inclusions” and imperfections that are unique to that particular diamond. If you look at the stone through magnification, you can see these very small spots or marks. You can draw them on paper and compare when you pick up your diamond.
Or you may have a “plot” of your stone that came with the original papers. You can use the plot to identify it later.
Inspect Before Leaving the Jewelry Store
When you receive your jewelry back at the store, that is the time to make sure it is the same stone. Ask the jeweler to show you the laser marking if you have one. Otherwise, take a close look under magnification, and satisfy yourself that the marks and spots are indeed the same. You can take the plot with you to compare.
Don’t make the mistake of leaving the store, because if you find the stone has been switched, there is no proof that you didn’t do the switching yourself.
Peace of Mind Is Priceless
Taking these small precautions is worth the extra trouble to insure your peace of mind. You’ll sleep better, your jeweler will have more respect for you, and you can congratulate yourself that you have foiled the bogeyman in your head.
