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How to Sell Industrial Diamonds

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Selling industrial diamonds is not an easy task. Part of the problem is that it is difficult to import these diamonds, and even more difficult to become a full-fledged industrial-diamond dealer. The best approach is to acquire a batch of industrial diamonds and resell them individually or in smaller lots.

How to Sell Industrial Diamonds

Acquire a number of industrial diamonds, known as bort. Industrial diamond lots can be bought within the U.S. from diamond wholesalers and dealers. Diamonds can also be imported, but this requires a lot of paperwork; rough diamonds must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process Certificate and be properly declared to customs. Most shipping companies are not willing to ship rough or industrial diamonds.

Weigh the diamonds using the carat scale. Knowing the weight of the entire lot is important so that you can figure out the cost per carat.

Test diamonds using the electronic diamond tester. Each diamond should be tested to assure authenticity. There are many classes of diamond testers, but since industrial diamonds are easily distinguished from moissanite (a diamond substitute), a basic diamond tester is adequate.

Separate the diamond batch into smaller lots. A smaller batch of diamonds can be made up of a single diamond or several. Selling diamonds individually can help increase the overall profit margin.

Weigh the smaller lots or individual diamonds on the carat scale. By knowing how much each lot weighs, you can figure out how much the smaller lots or individual diamonds cost and determine the price needed to make a profit.

Take pictures of the smaller lots. Using the digital camera, take pictures of the smaller diamond lots or individual diamonds.

Sell the smaller lots or individual diamonds on auction sites or other websites and venues. Auction websites are good for selling industrial diamonds since bidding action can bring up prices; post pictures, weights, and descriptions of the diamond lots. Better-grade individual diamonds or diamonds with good structure (such as cubes) may also sell well on websites of retail jewelry or mineral collectors.

Tip

Look around on auction sites and retail websites to find out what prices industrial diamonds are going for. Good-quality industrial diamonds can be sold to mineral collectors as specimens. Independent jewelers purchase industrial diamonds for rough diamond jewelry.

Warning

Beware of numerous diamond scams, especially email scams offering to sell rough diamonds. Always make sure you import industrial diamonds legally and that the imported diamonds have Kimberley Process Certificates. Consult U.S. Customs before importing.

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Writer

Yinan Wayne started writing and editing articles for newsletters during college in 2001. His works have appeared in the magazine "The-Vug." Wayne is an expert in commercial paleontology and is a hobbyist in rock collecting. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Geosciences from Princeton University.