wedding planner
7.02 ctw emerald cut diamond with emerald cut side stones set in 18k yellow gold, price upon request.
5.02 ctw pear shaped diamond with a halo in 18k yellow gold, price upon request.
Brian LeClerc, Diamond buying expert
“I get emotionally excited when I see a loose diamond and envision it in a finished engagement ring.” That’s the sure sign of someone who is passionate about the work they do. Meet Brian Leclerc, president of IDC’s wholesale division, specializing in selecting diamonds for their 10, soon to be 11, stores. “You have to be so careful in today’s shopping climate. Especially since the selling of diamonds has expanded to the internet, the market is full of poorly cut, off-made, cheap stones. So many diamonds are cut to maximize weight, versus beauty and sold to retail stores in bulk through distributors, passing through multiple hands,” Brian explains. “We are true wholesalers. We work directly with the diamondteers around the world. First there’s the rough from the ground, then each diamond is cut and polished, then it comes direct to us. The savings are significant, and we are able to offer our customers the very best for less.” Which explains how IDC continues to grow, even in the most competitive environment the industry has ever seen. When it comes to paperwork, Leclerc looks at a diamond’s certification last. “I look for the beauty in a diamond first.
Diamond buyers are often taught to buy diamonds based on certs (laboratory grading paperwork) because it’s an easy way to train someone new, but a well certified diamond isn’t always full of sparkle and radiance,” Brian explains. “I always look at the diamond and if it’s one that I like, the certification that comes along with it is just icing on the cake.” Leclerc says his favorite diamond “hunt” is when a customer calls him looking for something very specific. With his key direct resources, he loves being able to source exactly what an individual wants. Diamonds come in such a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The choices are endless, so having a true diamond professional with a trained eye and years of experience is invaluable. After all, when you are investing in a diamond it’s a purchase meant to last a lifetime and even passed down to future generations. Brian beams saying, “if a diamond smiles, then I know our customer will smile.” After all, isn’t that what it’s all about? Diamonds are often very sentimental gifts.When you look at your engagement ring it should bring a smile to your face and heartfelt memories to mind.
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