Exploring The Benefits Of Shredding Services

If you've been on a rockhounding trip, either to an open piece of land known for harboring gems or to someplace like Crater of Diamonds State Park, and you managed to find some nice-looking gems, selling the rough diamonds might not be as easy as you think. It's nice to imagine getting lots of money for a little rock, but there's more to diamond buying than just size. While it's always worth a trip to a reputable diamond buyer to see if he or she is interested in rough diamonds, don't assume the buyer will jump at the chance -- though it is possible. Here's a look at what can make or break a rough diamond sale.  

Just the Wrong Shade

Clear, bright diamonds (also called white diamonds) are actually fairly rare. You're more likely to find yellowish or brownish stones. Sometimes the hue is light enough that it can be worked around -- Jewelry Notes says a light yellow tint can sometimes be masked if the final cut stone is placed in gold jewelry -- but if the hue is too dark, it won't have a lot of ornamental value.

Too Small to Begin With

It's rather common to find very small rough diamonds. Crater of Diamonds State Park notes the average diamond is only about the size of a paper match head. Given that cutting a diamond into a jewelry-worthy state can trash over half of the diamond material, that small size makes cutting a nice diamond difficult. It can be done if the rough diamond happens to be perfect, but that is a rare, rare find.

Internal Flaws

Most rough diamonds will have small internal flaws, and gem cutters know that. They identify the locations of the flaws and model on a computer how many diamonds can be cut from the material around those flaws. If the flaws are too close together or too numerous, the rough diamond really isn't worth cutting for monetary value. Unfortunately, you can't identify flaws just by eyeballing the rough diamond. So bringing one straight from the ground to a diamond buyer would be too risky a deal for the diamond buyer.

There is a trend in the jewelry world to wrap rough diamonds in metal to create some unique pieces. If you find a diamond buyer who has contacts who want rough diamonds for this purpose, then internal flaws might not matter if the rough diamond itself looks pretty. But the diamond buyer has to have some confidence in his or her ability to make money off that diamond before he or she gives any money to you.

If you've found a rough diamond and still want to see about selling it, contact diamond buyers in your area (such as West Covina Pawn) and see what they would want you to do to make the diamond viable for sale. Some may want certification; others might want a jeweler's report regarding flaws. Still others may have testing equipment that could help them make a decision on the spot. Just keep trying and see what agreement you can reach.