Consumers should be aware of various trade practices in the jewelry industry that are used to unduly influence buying decisions. The three most prominent “tricks of the trade” are:
- Deceptive showroom lighting conditions
- Fake sales
- Misdirection
Promoting diamond jewelry by showing it under special showroom lighting is considered normal practice in the jewelry industry. This lighting is recognizable by its “hot”, “bright”, or “intense” appearance and includes spotlights, flood lights, reflector lamps, tubular display case lighting, chandeliers and similar light sources. In our opinion, this type of display lighting is unfair to consumers because it artificially enhances the appearance of diamond brilliance and fire and, in addition, such lighting makes it impossible to reliably determine diamond clarity or color grades. The effect is so extreme that even very poor quality diamonds shown under such lighting conditions will sparkle like they belong in the Crown Jewels!
Professional diamond buyers never purchase diamonds under such lights. They select and grade diamonds only under laboratory grading lights. Laboratory grading lights are “Color corrected daylight bulbs rated 5000 Kelvin”. They neutralize brilliance and fire and render colors accurately. Only under these lights do you see exactly what you are buying, with no surprises later.
At Iowa Diamond, we use laboratory grading lights in every overhead florescent fixture in our store. Our customers purchase their diamond under the exact same lighting used by our own Diamond Buyers. No other area jewelry store provides its customer with the strict 100% laboratory lighting conditions we have at Iowa Diamond.
As a side note, you can find laboratory grading lights in many pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, printing companies and even paint manufacturing companies. Scientifically, they provide the best light for determining true color and the body color of a diamond is one of the most important characteristics in determining the rarity of the stone. And that, in part, affects the price of the diamond.