How To Make Sure Your Online Purchase Isn’t A Fake Ring

Long gone are the days of someone on a street corner selling jewellery from within their coat with the promise of “genuine gold and diamonds you won’t find cheaper.” But, with the advent of the Internet, it’s not always as easy as knowing whether something is fake or if you’re buying the real deal.
So, how do you tell if the engagement ring you want to buy online is fake or the real thing? Here are a few tips that can help you during your online buying process.

Ask to see a picture of the hallmark

Ask for pictures of the item’s hallmark. The jewellery stamp should say something along the lines of 9 carat gold, 18 carat gold, 950 silver, 950 platinum – along those lines. You can get genuine and one of a kind diamond engagement rings at Diamonds.co.nz.

Check the sources

Where is the engagement being sold online? Does the seller have the original image or has the picture been stolen from a reputable jeweller? If you can’t quite see the engagement ring in the photo, don’t buy it. Also, ask the seller if the ring has a certificate of authenticity or, even better, a diamond certification from a reputable lab.

Check the warranty and returns policy

Find out if the engagement ring comes with a warranty or return policy. Ideally, you should have a minimum of 14 days to bring the product back. This gives you peace of mind that you can have the ring checked out by a third party for insurance and to ensure it is the real deal.

Check the quality of the item

If the photo is clear enough, carefully look at the quality of the ring – its metal, the setting, the stone, and so on. Good diamonds can chip, yes, but they don’t generally scratch easily.

Logos and Brand Marks

Top brands will stamp each and every item of jewellery with their own logo or hallmark. Look out for these kinds of stamps when buying the engagement ring, and carefully look for any known differences with non-genuine brands, like a change in fonts or misspellings.

Rhodium Plated or Platinum?

Many fake rings use rhodium to plate the metals so that it looks like white gold or silver. Rhodium gives a fake ring a whitish appearance.

Ask to see the documentation.

Check all the paperwork and cards that come with the engagement ring. They should be in a sharp, clear writing and of good quality. Look out for poor English, spelling errors and poor grammar. These are red flags that something isn’t right. A high-quality online merchant will care about their documentation.

Use these seven tips when shopping for an engagement ring online to ensure you get a real diamond ring and not a cheap, but possibly well-done, fake. Shopping online can be daunting, but be sure to do your homework and check out the seller, too, and you should be just fine.

Collaborative post by Katrina Fernandez, 

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