One of the most frequently asked questions by visitors to my site is "Is it safe to buy a diamond online?"

My answer is unequivocally YES!

We're all getting much more comfortable these days with the ease and security which the majority of Internet sites provide when shopping for whatever we fancy online, so why not diamonds?

Shopping for a diamond is like shopping for a car. You wouldn't buy a car without knowing what specifications you were looking for, and what your budget allows, would you? It's the same with diamonds. Learn as much as you can about the all-important 4Cs before you go shopping for a diamond, whether shopping online or offline.

I recommend you start with the Diamond Buying Guide on my website.

And just like car salespeople, there are the quality diamond websites and the (ahem!) "less than quality" websites.

My favorites are www.bluenile.com and www.mondera.com. They are both extremely high quality online jewelry retailers and both offer amazing value for money.

Bluenile.com is the largest retailer of certified diamonds on the Internet and has been voted Forbes Magazine's "Favorite Online Jeweler" for the past five years.

Its powerful diamond search tool lets you search through over 50,000 diamonds for shape, color, size, carat, clarity and price, and all their diamonds come with a GIA or AGS grading report - your guarantee you are getting what you paid for.

Mondera.com is an equally high-quality site. Mondera features a diamond search tool where you can choose your diamond by size, clarity, color, cut and value and the GIA or AGS report is available when you purchase.

Mondera also offers a great diamond education center, where you can learn everything you need to know about purchasing diamonds beforehand.

Both Bluenile and Mondera offer same day FedEx shipping for in stock diamonds, and a 30-day money back guarantee.

I've never had a negative testimonial from visitors to either site, and the majority of happy customers tell me that they saved as much as 30% to 50% on normal retail prices.

And if great value and great service isn't enough, think about what a breeze it is to shop for your diamond online. You don't have to leave home, traipsing from store to store, looking for carparking and being hassled by over-zealous staff.

So grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable in front of your computer, and start shopping!