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Buying a diamond online, safely
Buying a diamond online is safe when the seller lists the lab and report number for every certified stone, you check that number on the lab's own website, and the girdle inscription matches the report. Never pay into an account that changes by email; call the business on its published number first.
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
Reviewed by the Superior Gems team
What should I check before I pay?
| Check | How | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Report number | The listing names the lab and the report number | A report is claimed for this stone |
| Lab lookup | Enter the number on the lab's own website, not the seller's | The report is genuine in the lab's records |
| Girdle inscription | Read it under 10x magnification and match it to the report number | The stone in your hand is the one in the report |
| Origin in writing | A laboratory-grown stone is described as laboratory-grown, next to the word diamond | You know what you are buying, and can tell your own customer |
| The business | The site shows a legal name, ABN, street address and phone number | You know who you are dealing with |
| Bank details | Call the published number before paying any new or changed account | The payment goes to the business, not a fraudster |
| Shipping and returns | Read the shipping, insurance and returns terms before you pay | Who carries the risk, and what can come back |
How do I check the report with the lab?
Find the number
On the paper or PDF report, and on the stone's girdle (laser inscription, seen under 10x magnification).
Check with the lab
Enter it on GIA Report Check ↗, IGI Verify your report ↗ or HRD Antwerp ↗.
Compare
Check the shape, carat weight and grades match the listing.
Match the girdle
When the stone arrives, check the inscription matches the report number. If anything doesn't match, stop and call the seller.
Full guide: verify a certificate. Comparing labs? Read GIA vs IGI.
How do I check the business?
Look for one legal name, one ABN, one street address and one phone number, the same on every page. Ours are Superior Gems Pty Ltd, ABN 70 688 623 681, Suite 9, Level 2, 424–430 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, and +61 410 058 909.
How should payment work?
We never change bank details by email. If you receive an email asking you to pay into a new or different account, don't pay it; call the business on its published number first. For us, that is +61 410 058 909.
At Superior Gems, unless credit terms are agreed in writing, orders are paid in full before dispatch. See how to buy.
What about shipping and returns?
Ask how the stone travels and who carries the risk. Our stones ship insured with a secure carrier, and for buyers outside Australia, customs duties and import taxes in their country are payable by the buyer unless we agree otherwise.
Read the returns terms before you pay, including whether melee and cut-to-spec stones can come back.
At Superior Gems: A stone can be returned only if its listing shows it as returnable: within 7 days of delivery, unset, in the same condition and with its certificate. Melee parcels and cut-to-spec stones can't be returned unless faulty or not as described.
What should a laboratory-grown listing say?
"Laboratory-grown diamond", in full, with the word diamond right beside it, on the listing, the quote and the invoice. You cannot tell laboratory-grown from natural by eye, so rely on the report and the inscription. Read our lab-grown disclosure policy and the lab-grown vs natural guide.
Questions
Is checking the report online enough?
No. An online lookup confirms the report is genuine in the lab's records. Only the girdle inscription shows the stone in your hand is the one in the report.
What if the inscription doesn't match the report?
Stop, don't set or alter the stone, and call the seller on its published number.
Do small diamonds come with a lab report?
It depends on the seller. At Superior Gems, melee and cut-to-spec stones are graded in-house and sold without a lab report, and they are labelled that way.
What if I get an email with new bank details?
Don't pay it. Call the business on the phone number published on its website and check first.
Not listed? Ask us
Call our Sydney office: +61 410 058 909