insc iodsetco
Costco’s
diamond
programs
add sparkle
to the season
Gem dandy
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
EACH YEAR, AS November rolls around, the hubby
begins mumbling something about not knowing
what to give me for Christmas. This time I am making it very easy for him: “Just bring on the diamonds,
my dearest: Costco diamonds exploding with fire,
scintillation and movement—the bigger, the better.”
Why Costco diamonds? Let me count the ways.
1. All are jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
2. Quality standards equal or exceed those of
fine retail jewelers, including the company with the
little blue box.
BuyingSmart
3. Prices are unbeatable, with a full money-back
guarantee.
Consumer reporter
Pat Volchok gives
a behind-the-scenes
look at Costco
products and services.
Send your questions to:
buyingsmart@
costco.com.
4. Costco’s exceptionally large inventory offers
lots of choices.
5. And shopping is easy, thanks to three purchase
options: in the warehouses, online at costco.com and
through the Special Order Diamond Program.
Options abound
I’m a sucker for the warehouse jewelry case.
No matter how rushed I am, I habitually pause for a
quick hello. On a recent expedition I found a sweet
0.08 carat total weight (ctw) diamond heart pendant for $199.99, as well as a stunning $215,499.99
knock-your-socks-off 8. 16 carat total (ct) round
brilliant-cut diamond solitaire ring.
Costco.com’s incredible selection of handpicked
gems expands the warehouse selection. You’ll find
trendy chandelier-style earrings fashioned with
freshwater pearls and round brilliant-cut diamonds
starting at $179.99; luscious “one of a kinds” such as
a multicolor sapphire and diamond ring selling for
$2,899.99; and truly stupendous designer pieces
such as a five-strand, 78 ctw diamond necklace at
just less than $90,000. ( Costco.com offers members
the ability to use multiple credit cards, which comes
in mighty handy for high-priced purchases.)
And then there’s Costco’s Special Order
Diamond Program, designed for members who
wish to order a grade-specific 1.00 ct or larger diamond. Selections include solitaire and three-stone
rings (some with micro-pavé diamonds around the
center), stud earrings, pendants, bracelets and graduated necklaces. Requests are shipped to the Costco
warehouse of your choice for viewing and purchasing. To learn more, call toll-free 1-877-864-8695 or
e-mail specialorderdiamond@costco.com.
A commitment to quality
All Costco diamonds are subjected to extremely
high standards. Only diamonds with a clarity of VS2
or better and a color grade of I or better are sold.
The industry norm is a much lower SI2, J.
What do these designations mean? The higher
the clarity, color, carat weight and cut intricacy, the
more valuable the stone. ( Costco.com has a helpful
chart explaining this. Click on “Jewelry,” then on
