Great Links

Here is a safe place to go for additional education! Settle back and enjoy. We have taken the time to review and rate on a scale of to a number of independent web sites that provide valuable training, interesting facts and other resources all about diamonds.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

Forever Diamond Service has taken considerable time to research and rate web sites that provide accurate, valuable, informative and interesting information about diamonds, jewelry, and their purchase.

	Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Natural Color Diamond Encyclopedia Wikipedia (Free Online Encyclopedia) JCRS Inland Marine Solutions, Inc. (Jewelry Insurance Adjusters) LoveToKnow Diamond Trading Company, Adiamondisforever.com Brides.com Diamondreview.com The Jewelry Judge (Jewelry Appraisal Professionals) Pricescope (Consumer Advocacy Site) American Museum of Natural History Diamond Helpers (Consumer Advocacy Site) Jake Levy, About Diamond Cuts Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

http://howtobuyadiamond.gia.edu/menu.htm
This is the GIA's on line tutorial course on the 4 C's. It is very well done. This is an excellent 5 minute primer on how to buy a diamond. Their explanation of the primer course: "Our hope is that once you've taken our "virtual" diamond buying shopping trip, you'll have a basic understanding of the Four Cs and that you'll be able to make an informed decision when the time comes to purchase your actual diamond." This site gets extra props because of its independence as a not for profit organization.

Other GIA web site pages of interest:

http://lgdl.gia.edu/pdfs/diamond_grading_no_cut2.pdf
PDF of GIA diamond grading report

http://www.gia.edu/research/1383/2313/article_detail.cfm
An excellent GIA article from June 8, 2001 on the 4 C’s. Perhaps the best simplified explanation I’ve seen in one place!

http://www.gia.edu/newsroom/333/faqs.cfm
The GIA’s FAQ’s are an excellent source of a beginner’s lesson plan.

http://www.gia.edu/about/135/gia_history_timeline.cfm
An interesting flash presentation of the GIA history

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Natural Color Diamond Encyclopedia

http://www.color-diamond-encyclopedia.com/
This has to be the number one choice from the standpoint of COOL. The colored pictures are amazing! Not only will you find some excellent training on the 4 C's, you will find market pricing information and pricing comparison charts, the role of the certification laboratories like the GIA, pictures and history of famous diamonds, and how diamonds go from rough to final cut- best of all there are the incredible pictures. You will spend hour on this site if you are not careful.

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Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond
The Wikipedia article on diamonds has about all the education on diamonds you can want. Even has an interesting table on cost per carat. Although missing some of the COOL factor this site overcame that to earn a top rating due to its great quality and quantity of everything you may want to know about diamonds!

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JCRS Inland Marine Solutions, Inc. (Jewelry Insurance Adjusters)

http://www.jcrs.com/JCRS_for_consumers/jewelry_information/diamonds/diamonds_introduction.htm
JCRS does jewelry insurance underwriting and claims mitigation solutions including jewelry appraiser training courses so they know their stuff and have NO HYPE! Their no nonsense approach and reliability and trustworthiness push them toward the top of our list. This site includes general information on diamonds, where they come from and their attributes as well as a primer on the 4 C's that you can trust. They also have very helpful "BUYERS TIPS".

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LoveToKnow

http://engagementrings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Main_Page
This is a veritable library of info that is constantly being updated. It has many practical articles on engagement rings, diamonds, buying a ring, creative proposals, how to buy a diamond, and even how diamonds are formed. And best of all, not 1 advertisement!

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Diamond Trading Company, Adiamondisforever.com

http://www.adiamondisforever.com/dyoer/
This is DeBeers ring design service site. It allows you to design your own ring and see what it would look like. It gets extra marks for the COOL factor. When you have completed your design you can print it out and send it to your Forever consultant at Forever Diamond Service. Our custom settings house can match your designed ring and we can even get you a rendering to make sure it is exactly what you want!

Call xxx-xxx-xxxx if you are not yet working with one of our Forevers.

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Brides.com

http://www.brides.com/fashion/jewelry/ringfinder
Not quite as high on the COOL scale as DeBeers ring designer, this site from Modern Bride Magazine will make up for less cool by adding much info of interest for a bride to be (and may be a source of background knowledge for a prospective bride groom.)

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Diamondreview.com

http://www.diamondreview.com/tutor/4cs/tutor_4cs_intro.shtml
This tutorial takes you to the next level of understanding. Each of the 4 C's is explained and expanded upon in even more detail than the GIA site!

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The Jewelry Judge, for jewelry appraisal professionals

http://www.jewelryjudge.net/FiveSins.htms
The 5 deadly sins of diamond buying from an appraisal site not trying to sell you a diamond. Seems like a reasonable place to get some reliable wisdom!

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Pricescope, consumer advocate site

http://www.pricescope.com/isitsafe.asp
This is a good place to start in determining if it is safe to buy a diamond on the internet. This site has a lot of info including a forum about the online buying experience. Frankly forums are a little boring to me since there seems to be a lot of lonely folks out there with a lot of time on their hands and slugging through all the content to find a few gems of wisdom just takes a lot of time and patience. But there is a lot of indo and education on this no nonsense site- and they are not selling anything. There are even some proposal ideas (if you need the help)!

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American Museum of Natural History

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/composition.php
The American Museum of Natural History site is a well organized background rich site on diamonds, there are characteristics, history, famous stones, and the industry in general, but falls short on practical buying help and education.

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Diamond Helpers, consumer advocacy site

http://www.diamondhelpers.com/fivesteps/diamond-price-form.shtml
This site is a service that finds prices on diamonds within selected criteria from my main competitors on the Internet so I may be cutting my own throat but I cant help it since this tool provides you a valuable service. Plus I'd rather not spend unnecessary time with anyone that I truly can't help get a great value.

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Jake Levy, About Diamond Cuts

http://www.aboutdiamondcuts.com/4Cs.php Warning- this site is pushing a specific branded diamond, but the discussion on what affects a diamond's beauty most? And has a section on what affects the price the most. http://www.aboutdiamondcuts.com/buying-diamonds.php is a related page on this site that has a very interesting and informative discussion on the four biggest myths about buying diamonds:

Myth #1 – Bigger is better

Myth #2 – The more diamond facets the better

Myth #3 – A diamond's grading is the best criteria to buy the most beautiful diamond

Myth #4 – Ideal Cut is always ideal

(Warning- always follow the money when using wisdom to determine what to believe and how to add information into your knowledge base. This site is pushing their own branded diamonds.)

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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/si%2Dgems/ Limited in value but interesting. This site is about the Smithsonian Institute display of some of the largest most valuable diamonds in the world. Click on the individual stones and find out about their size, unique features and history.

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