Antique Diamond Sourcing
Antique diamonds are one of the most rewarding and most challenging categories of stones to source — and they’re the kind we’re most passionate about.
Our sourcing process is designed to give clients access to the best stones in the market while protecting the time, relationships, and expertise required to find them.
This service is separate from the design and creation of a finished piece. It exists for clients who want to begin with the stone itself.
Why Source Through a Designer?
Unlike modern diamonds, antique stones are not standardized, mass-produced, or consistently available. Most antique diamonds never reach the retail market; they move through trusted networks of dealers and designers who have long-standing professional relationships and a track record of buying consistently and responsibly.
In the same way a real estate broker gives you access to homes that never make it to Zillow, our sourcing process connects you to antique diamonds that never make it to a public listing. This is how the industry protects rare material, ensures it reaches people who will appreciate it, and sustains the mutual support between dealers and designers that keeps the entire jewelry ecosystem functioning.
Because of our connections in the Diamond District and our ongoing work with reputable dealers who specialize in antiques, we’re able to access stones not available to the general public. Many of the diamonds our clients ultimately choose were never photographed, never listed online, and never circulated beyond a small group of designers. This is why clients often struggle when they try to source on their own: the best stones simply aren’t visible unless you’re inside the network.
What the Sourcing Process Involves
When we source antique stones for you, the process typically includes:
reviewing stones across our network of trusted dealers
visiting the Diamond District in person to inspect and compare stones
evaluating cut quality, performance, and proportions
filtering for authenticity and overall integrity
photographing and videoing options
negotiating pricing and securing holds or memo when possible
advising when not to purchase a stone
This is hands-on, real-time work that often spans weeks depending on the rarity of the desired stone. For that reason, we only take on sourcing for clients who genuinely value our expertise and are ready to acquire a stone through us.
The Sourcing Deposit
To begin sourcing antique diamonds, we require a sourcing deposit that is credited in full toward the stone you purchase. This deposit is not an additional fee — it’s a commitment that allows us to act as your dedicated sourcer and allocate the time, access, and expertise required to find the right diamond for you.
A deposit ensures:
you’re committed to moving forward
we can devote sourcing time specifically to your project
we can move quickly when the right stone becomes available
dealers are willing to extend holds or memo stones knowing the buyer is real
Deposit Structure
The sourcing deposit varies depending on the diamond budget, reflecting the time and access involved in sourcing different rarity tiers:
Under $10,000 budget: $750 deposit
$10,000–$20,000 budget: $1,000 deposit
$20,000+ budget: $1,500 deposit
The sourcing deposit simply shows that you’re serious about moving forward and allows us to begin sourcing specifically for you, it does not secure the chosen stone. Antique diamonds move quickly, and once we find “the one,” the only way to hold or purchase it is to pay for the diamond in full.
Your sourcing deposit is credited toward the diamond you purchase, and if we are also designing a piece together, it can function as your design deposit.
The flow looks like this:
Sourcing Deposit — begins the search and is credited to the cost of the stone
Stone Payment — required to secure the diamond once you choose it
Design + Production Deposit — if I’m creating your piece, your sourcing deposit becomes this deposit
Final Balance — due at completion of the piece
This structure ensures that clients who are serious about sourcing an antique diamond receive the full benefits of our access and expertise, and that the process remains sustainable and respectful for everyone involved.
Aligning Vision and Budget
Before we begin sourcing, it’s important that we confirm your budget aligns with the type of antique diamond you’re hoping to find. Antique stones don’t follow standardized pricing the way modern diamonds do — rarity, cut quality, charm, and market demand can shift prices significantly from one stone to the next.
Because of this, part of the sourcing process is making sure your vision is realistic within your budget. This protects you from wasted time and disappointment, and it allows us to search confidently within the right range.
Sometimes clients are drawn to certain antique shapes or proportions that are simply more rare, and therefore more expensive, than expected. In those cases, we’ll be honest about what is or isn’t feasible, and we’ll offer guidance on shapes, sizes, or color ranges that achieve a similar look while staying within budget.
The goal is always to make the process smooth and transparent, not stressful or confusing. When your expectations and the realities of the antique market are aligned from the start, the sourcing experience becomes far more enjoyable and successful for both of us.
What You Can Expect to See and Learn
During sourcing, we present stones that meet the standards we would select for our own designs:
well-cut antique shapes, unless we’re specifically in search of something “wonky”
stones that face up well for their color grade, unless warmth is a goal we’re aiming for
options with character and charm, not just numbers on a cert
transparent pricing and honest evaluation
guidance on what is or isn’t worth pursuing
education on interpreting certificates through an antique lens, where the same grading terms can mean something entirely different than they do for modern stones
Some clients find their diamond on the first round. Others take time. The process is paced around the availability of the right stones, not around forcing a match quickly.
