1. Examine your diamond loose so that you can see the entire diamond.

2. Examine your diamond under proper lighting conditions using a white color grading tray.

3. Examine your diamond with a Gemscope under 10X magnification.

4. Have your diamond weight verified in front of you.

5. Your diamond must be certified by an independent laboratory.

6. Beware of buying a diamond that may be fracture-filled to temporarily hide inclusions or laser-drilled to remove dark inclusions.

7. Buy with your eyes, not with your ears.