About
Diamond Lady is a fine jewelry boutique in downtown Longview, Washington, with an online showroom. Presenting an assortment of Wedding & Engagement Jewelry, Diamonds, Gems, Designer & Vintage One-of-a-Kind Jewelry. With exclusive special ordering, antique restorations, and perfect repairs.
In 1970 Valerie, owner of Diamond Lady, moved to New York City to become the protege of a prominent New York jeweler and philanthropist. She learned all facets of jewelry manufacturing and design along with developing an acute business acumen to the unique world of precious gems and metals.
Throughout the 1970’s, she headed a design production department for five years which took her on buying expeditions to South America, Middle East, and Europe. An opportunity to train with the international division of a world prestigious jewelry retailer allowed her to spend summers in the South of France assisting high clientele shows for several years. It was on these trips that she was exposed to the creative diversity and genius that the world’s greatest goldsmiths were producing.
For the best prices with Superior Craftsmanship, forget jewelry that is 5x what it costs to make. Forget the traditional retail markup. Valerie has forged relationships with family-run factories, international brokers, and designers for decades. No extra markups, just time honored craftsmanship at direct to customer prices.
Valerie, Founder of Diamond Lady
Choosing a Jewelry & Diamond Broker
Many cost-conscious consumers are hiring jewelry brokers to assist them in the purchase of expensive items and gemstones. The advantages of working with a jewelry broker are three-fold:
1. Significantly Lower Cost - You will be purchasing directly from a private consigned item or below wholesale dealer.
2. Higher Quality - A qualified jewelry broker assures that the color, cut, clarity and weight of any gem or jewelry item you consider purchasing is accurately and fairly described by the seller.
3. Time Saved - The jewelry broker is responsible for locating in the world markets the 3 or 4 items that best meet your desires and budget. In short, because the jewelry broker works for you, you avoid retail mark-ups, misrepresented or misgraded items, and the time and frustration needed to locate and compare different items in different jewelry stores.
The key to successfully working with a jewelry broker is to first find one who is knowledgeable and committed to working for you. There are many individuals who are willing to sell you jewelry and gems, but few who will work in your best interests. To help you find a qualified person, I offer the following guidelines:
1. A qualified jewelry broker must work with independent experts in the appraisal and grading of gems and jewelry. At a minimum, the broker should work with an Independent Graduate Gemologist (GG) trained by the Gemological Institute of America and a Certified Gemologist Appraiser accredited by the American Gem Society. Each of these organizations is dedicated to gemological excellence and enforces very high professional standards for their accredited members.
2. In addition to expertise in evaluating gems and jewelry, an independent expert must also be knowledgeable about markups, the retail, wholesale and alternative markets for gems and jewelry. You want to work with a jewelry broker who knows where to find the specific items you desire and how to negotiate the lowest possible cost.
When choosing a jewelry broker, invest the time to learn about their experts’ credentials, experience in the markets, and willingness to openly work with you. A qualified jewelry broker will respect your concerns and gladly answer any questions. They will also take the time to learn about what you desire in a gem and educate you about the brokering process. If they do not, keep on looking!