Frequently Asked Questions

ABSOLUTELY. We purchase jewelry at very competitive prices and we even pay premiums for signed pieces from prominent designers (i.e. Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Bulgari, Harry Winston, etc.).

While we will consider any fine jewelry piece, these are some top designers that we are most interested in: Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels, Graff, Harry Winston, Buccellati, Bulgari, David Webb, Oscar Heyman, Henry Dunay, David Yurman, Piaget, Mikimoto, Simon G., Lazare Kaplan, Faberge.

NO. Jewelry and gemstone appraisals are typically only useful for insurance purposes and usually reflect a high retail price for an item rather than its true market or intrinsic value. This is especially true when an appraisal is conducted by the seller because it will be biased and the tendency is to flatter the price at which they sold the jewelry.

NO. Diamond grading certificates from reputable, 3rd-party laboratories with consistently strict grading standards (such as GIA and AGS) provide unbiased reports that contain the most important details on a particular diamond. On the other hand, a simple appraisal is useful primarily for insurance purposes. Appraisals may or may not be consistent or strict because it is limited to the appraiser’s knowledge and qualifications. This is especially true when the seller also provides his or her own appraisal of the item sold because the tendency is to ‘flatter’ the price at which they sold their own merchandise. The best appraisals are those conducted by true independent appraisers (don’t work for or inside a jewelry store) with proper credentials, experience, a good reputation and who neither buy nor sell jewelry.

YES. We have multiple employees who are GIA Graduate Gemologists and are experts in their field. All items that are brought in for evaluation and offers will be examined by our expert buyers and Graduate Gemologists.

Our professional diamond, gemstone and jewelry buyers and GIA Graduate Gemologists are the only employees authorized to conduct physical evaluations and determine final offers. You can rest assured that you will only receive the highest level of professionalism when working with DiamondBuyers.com.

YES. We are strong buyers of all types of fine jewelry as well as scrap gold, platinum, palladium and other precious metals. We also buy bullion coins including gold bullion, platinum bullion, palladium bullion and silver bullion as well as rare numismatic coins in all metals. For more information about items we purchase, please visit our ‘What We Buy’ page.

DiamondBuyers.com is a buying division of our parent company, Shaftel Diamond Co. which was established in 1978.

While a strict, independent laboratory certificate, specifically those from GIA or AGS, can be very helpful during the initial evaluation process (before physically evaluating the stone), a certificate in and of itself does not increase the value of a diamond.

ABSOLUTELY. If you live in Houston or are planning to visit, we always encourage you to stop by and meet with us in person. All in-person evaluations are conducted entirely in front of you while you wait and generally take only 10-20 minutes. Upon agreement of a final price, you will receive full payment immediately. If for any reason you choose not to sell, there is no fee for our evaluation service. Simply take your items back. For out-of-town sellers with items of exceptional value, we can even arrange to personally fly out and visit with you in your home town. Please call us for details.

We certainly understand this concern which is why we offer various options for you to show us your items for a physical evaluation. Aside from our 100% secure, insured shipping and video recorded check-in procedures (click HERE for more info about our shipping program), for out-of-town sellers with items of exceptional value, we can arrange to personally fly out and visit with you in your home town. Please call us for details.

YES. We buy fine quality natural ruby, sapphire and emerald of 3ct and larger. Please note that we DO NOT buy semi-precious stones such as amethyst, citrine, topaz, tanzanite, quartz, etc. For a list of items we do and do not buy, please see the WHAT WE BUY page.

YES! Although without physically evaluating your item(s), our initial estimate will be limited to the accuracy of the description of your item(s). A clear, close-up digital photo (many digital cameras have a “macro” setting for close-up images) of your jewelry can be very useful in our initial evaluation.

Transparency is important in a business like ours and we always urge our potential customers to do their due diligence before moving forward with us or any other company. Our parent company, Shaftel Diamond Co. has been in business since 1978 and there is plenty of information about us online at various reputable 3rd-party sites. Typically, a simple Google search of our business name is a good way to start. Additionally, you can take a look at our Affiliates page where you will find various links to 3rd-party resources.

Upon agreement of a final cash offer, we pay you the full amount immediately. For local sellers, we issue a company check on the spot and you will leave with your money. For out of town sellers, depending on the amount of the transaction, we will either send you a company check via First Class mail or give you the choice of receiving your check through overnight delivery from FedEx or having the funds wired directly into your checking account that same day.

Upon agreement of a final cash offer, we pay you the full amount immediately. For local sellers, we issue a company check on the spot and you will leave with your money. For out of town sellers, depending on the amount of the transaction, we will either send you a company check via First Class mail or give you the choice of receiving your check through overnight delivery from FedEx or having the funds wired directly into your checking account that same day.

Having been in business since 1978, we understand the importance of earning our customers’ trust – whether it is a new customer or a long-time client. We also understand that it is particularly unique business where transparency in our dealings is not simply a detail; it is an obligation, which is why we have created, among other procedures, our Video Check-in process. But don’t just take our word for it – we always encourage you to do your own research about us and anyone else you are considering working with. For a link to see our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and links to other 3rd-party resources and customer feedback, please see the Affiliates page.