For decades, jewelers have had benefit from the status of being the “keepers” of the facts regarding diamonds and gemstones. They stood at the back of jewelry counters and disclosed little tidbits of info about jewels to buyers. The jeweler looked to be talking down to the shopper, making them think as if they should be grateful to even be in the shop or touch the prized jewelry in the show case. This control of comprehension went hand in hand with the monopoly of stock. The only way you could purchase a diamond or expensive gemstone was to acquire in a jewelry shop. The prices were artificially high with markups of 100% to 300% of wholesale expenditure. The factors that differentiated stores included the luxuriant decorations, the elegant show cases, and sophisticated storefronts. Life was easy and so worthwhile for the jeweler. The consumer came in, the jeweler said this is what you must buy, and the buyer paid the price as they had no other variaties. Can you remember any poor jewelers earlier than the millennium change in the year 2000? It was about this time that the most feared expression in the jeweler’s expressions started to change the business eternally. That word was Internet. Suddenly there were competitors springing up who can supply gems and jewelry delivered to your entrance, often at prices lesser than can encourage the high overhead of the jewelry shop. Though, the most fear was that the unknown knowledge of diamonds and valuable gemstones was available to any shopper who wanted to spend a little time researching online. The jeweler of the past said here is what I have and which one do you want to buy? Then came the well-informed purchaser equipped with printouts of online diamond opinion. Rather than plainly asking for a 1-carat diamond, the buyer now has a complete list of necessities that all but guarantees that none in the store will meet their requirements, despite of the price. It is usual for a diamond shopper now to say, “Here is what I desire” and I wait for the lowest price in the country.” Then they show their list of requirements for their round diamond: 1) Carat weight exactly 1.27 since our first date was January 27th 2) At least G color 3) VS2 clarity but I do not want to be able to see anything under the microscope 4) Must have a GIA grading report dated in 2006 with Excellent cut grade 5) No fluorescence 6) At least Very Good for brilliance and symmetry 7) Girdle has to be Medium (nothing more or less will do) and faceted 8) Laser inscribed with the GIA number 9) Must be able to take to an independent evaluator who agrees with all grading 10) I need it in 2 days Their parting comment is that they are shopping these same requirements with twenty other retailers and are going to buy from the one with the lowest price. This is the jeweler’s horrendous since this is not how their industry works. Their jewels shop caters to the impulse consumer who will come in, observe something stunning and purchase with only hardly any cheering expressions from the sales clerk. Spending hours of effort to obtain the specific diamond the buyer wishes and then paying the shipping and insurance to get it shipped next day is just more work than they like to do for a deal. As an alternative, they criticize and pray for the return of the good old days, when Ma Bell restricted the telephones, gas was 59 cents a gallon and the secrets of the diamond business were safely behind the jewelry counter. Luckily, for diamond and jewel purchasers there are a new breed of diamond retailers available who not only encourage diamond education; they enjoy working with buyers who understand precisely what they want. These diamond brokers have access to the diamonds on the wholesale market and know how to obtain diamonds that meet the shopper’s requirement. Best of all, the diamond brokers have much lower overhead than a jewelry shop so could discover the excellent diamonds at really cheap prices. The competitive market always looks to produce sources for services and goods that consumers require. The online diamond broker is well matched to serve today’s well-informed and difficult diamond buyer.