Buying a diamond is an intricate and careful process. You want a diamond that offers brilliance and beauty without overpaying. Can ChatGPT help you discern a high-quality diamond from a mediocre one? Experts say that ChatGPT could alter the landscape of every business from computer programming to buying luxury watches.
Here’s what we know about AI, ChatGPT, and diamond selection. Our site The Diamond Pro was the first to offer a patented AI-driven model to help assess the eye-cleanliness of diamonds (Ringo).
Ringo has helped our readers narrow down what type of diamond ring they want, from diamond clarity to setting color. Many of our readers still have one of our diamond experts review Ringo’s recommendation before they buy, but Ringo points them in a good direction.
How accurate and helpful is ChatGPT when it comes to diamond selection? We tested a few consumer questions with ChatGPT to see how helpful the replies were. We used common questions that people search for on Google as well as specific questions we get from our readers through our contact form.
Turns out, ChatGPT does a solid job offering basic information on diamond selection, but there’s a limit to the nuanced help it provides … at least for now.
What ChatGPT Gets Right, and Wrong, With Diamond Certification
ChatGPT proves itself when explaining what to look for in a diamond. If you ask about diamond certification, it suggests that you should look for a diamond with a GIA certificate. And that’s correct: GIA is the most reliable and trustworthy diamond grading lab in the industry. GIA’s grading is the fairest representation of a diamond’s quality, giving you more confidence than other lab entities.
Where ChatGPT falls short with this answer is telling you what to avoid. There are plenty of laboratories out there that have less consistent grading (take EGL for example). You may end up overpaying for a diamond because the certificate inflated the quality claim.
The Diamond Pro don’t only tell you what to choose, they also tell you what to avoid
This is a response you’d get from The DP: The EGL (European Gemological Laboratory)—vastly and inconsistently—inflates their quality claims. When considering an EGL certified diamond, you may think you’re getting a better deal. In reality, the price is highly inflated for an inferior product. We unfortunately have seen many customers purchase an EGL certified diamond thinking they found a great deal, only to realize they fell for a selling trick.
The bottom line is: don’t buy an EGL certified diamond. No matter how “cheap” it seems to you compared to GIA certified diamonds, it’s all a game.
Another unethical practice some retailers use is offering diamonds that were appraised by a GIA gemologist. This sounds great, right? After all, ChatGPT suggested looking for a GIA certificate. But an appraiser has no requirement to follow the GIA’s strict grading process. They likely don’t have the same tools that a GIA lab does. All it means is that they took a course at GIA for a couple of weeks.
When I asked ChatGPT if I need a certificate for a diamond, it replied that it’s generally a good idea. It also said: “Some jewelers may offer diamonds that come with a certificate from the manufacturer or a reputable third-party laboratory, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).” ChatGPT doesn’t clarify that GIA is the way to go and that you should steer clear of less reliable certificates.
Besides, the AI doesn’t clarify that when a seller says, “Our diamond is appraised by a GIA gemologist,” that it doesn’t mean the same as a diamond with a GIA certificate. This distinction is huge in the diamond cert world, and ChatGPT fails to share this.
ChatGPT’s Lack of Sophistication with Diamond Color
If you ask the bot about the best color of diamond to buy, it replies that D to F range diamonds are the most colorless, but that G and H diamonds might be better for you – which is true. D to F diamonds are the most colorless and look white to the naked eye. But G, H, and even some I diamonds also look white and cost far less than D to F diamonds.
So ChatGPT can make these important distinctions. It doesn’t just state the best color grade on the scale, it offers some helpful advice.
While ChatGPT can point you in the right direction when shopping for a diamond ring, it doesn’t provide the full, nuanced picture that’s needed to make the best investment.
When I asked ChatGPT about diamond color, it said that G and H diamonds might be a better choice, but it didn’t explain specific scenarios. ChatGPT said: “Diamonds with a color grade of I or lower may have a yellow or brownish tint and are less expensive. Ultimately, the best color grade for a diamond depends on your personal preference and budget.”
But there’s much more to the diamond color story than personal preference and wallet size. The type of setting and color of your metal impacts the color grade you should choose.
For instance, a round cut diamond in a solitaire ring can drop to a J color while still looking white to the naked eye. If it’s a halo ring, you should stick with H or better because the smaller stones can cause a J or I center diamond to appear yellow.
If you choose a yellow gold setting, an H, I, or J color diamond almost always looks white in relation to it. But if your ring is white gold, it’s best to choose an H or better on the color scale. These important factors of metal color and setting style aren’t captured by ChatGPT, which could save you hundreds on a diamond.
The Diamond Pro would also tell you this:
H color diamonds appear primarily colorless to the naked eye but have a faint yellow hue that’s often visible under magnification in bright lighting, especially when they’re compared to diamonds of a higher color grade. Like G color diamonds, these can be set in platinum or white gold without any issues. H color diamonds are slightly less expensive than G color diamonds and significantly more affordable than diamonds in the colorless range. This is the minimum color grade we recommend for diamond shapes with a large table, such as the radiant and cushion cuts.
I color diamonds offer a great combination of near colorless looks and good value for money. These diamonds have a slight yellow tint that’s usually only visible when they’re viewed next to diamonds of a higher color grade. An I color round brilliant cut diamond can look fantastic in a platinum or white gold setting, as well as alongside metals such as yellow or rose gold. As you’d expect, I color diamonds are less expensive than G or H color diamonds. This is the minimum color grade we recommend for princess cut diamonds.
J color diamonds look mostly colorless to the naked eye, but usually have a faint yellow tint that’s easy to notice under bright lights and magnification. In diamonds with a large table, the color might also be visible with the naked eye in certain lighting conditions. From a value for money perspective, J color diamonds can be fantastic choices. We recommend this color for round brilliant cut diamonds set in platinum or white gold (solitaire setting), as the cut of the round diamond is great at concealing color. However, the J color grade is not recommended for diamond shapes with a larger table and fewer facets.
Lack of Specific Advice on Where to Buy a Diamond and Which Specific Diamond to Purchase
Another major drawback of ChatGPT is its lack of ability to recommend a specific diamond or even a diamond vendor to buy from. When it comes to these requests, ChatGPT comes across as an inferior robot from the ‘90s.
When I asked about the best place to buy a diamond, it regurgitated a word salad without any actual store recommendations. It gave a random assortment of buying tips, but not places to buy a diamond.
On our site, we often share the importance of choosing a diamond vendor that’s trustworthy, reliable, and competitively priced. There are only a few vendors we strongly recommend, and those include James Allen and Blue Nile. These two sites provide exceptional selections of diamonds at the lowest prices, and always follow through for their customers. ChatGPT might lead you on a wild goose chase for a diamond, while an expert points you in the clearest direction.
Further, ChatGPT doesn’t have near the bandwidth or ability to recommend a specific diamond for you to buy, like Ringo does on our site. Ringo’s AI engine evaluates diamonds for eye-cleanliness. It sifts through tens of thousands of photographs to determine which diamonds show no inclusions to the naked eye. In real-time, Ringo recommends a specific diamond for you to buy based on your setting color and style, shape of your diamond, and budget.
ChatGPT has to unearth a lot more power before it catches up to the diamond skills other AIs already have.
Final Thoughts on ChatGPT and Diamonds
ChatGPT can offer some help during your search for a diamond engagement ring. It can help you determine what to look for, but isn’t as nuanced and helpful as talking with an expert. The AI compiles basic info in comprehensible language, but it doesn’t know how to deal with the nitty gritty details of diamond selection.
Looking ahead, it seems best to stick with proven AI tools in the diamond industry, such as Ringo, and hope for better iterations of ChatGPT in the future. And nothing beats an actual expert in the industry. The robots are coming, but they aren’t quite here yet.
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisal
- One free resizing within the first year of purchase
- High quality images of about half of their diamonds
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
Read More