Natural diamonds, fair prices, no countdown clocks. What to check before you buy, from our showroom on the Foreshore.
Quick answer: A diamond discount is only real if you can compare like for like. Before you pay, check who graded the stone, that the report number matches the diamond, that the report says natural or laboratory-grown, that the “was” price was really charged, and that you’re comparing the same carat, colour, clarity and cut elsewhere. A discount on the setting alone barely moves the price of the ring.
Every November I see the same thing. Engagement rings marked 40, 50, even 70% off, and good people trying to work out whether they’re getting a bargain. Sometimes they are. Often the percentage tells you very little. Diamonds aren’t like TVs, where the same model number means the same product everywhere. Two “1 carat” diamonds can be worth wildly different amounts. So here’s what I’d check before you buy anywhere, including from us.
Our Black Friday promise
“Whatever Black Friday deal you’re offered, bring it to us. We’ll match it like-for-like, or show you exactly why the two stones aren’t the same.”
For the record: we don’t run Black Friday specials. They’ve never worked for us, and frankly we don’t need them. Our pricing is transparent and fair every day of the year, and on an ordinary Tuesday it already beats about 90% of retailers out there.
Are Black Friday diamond discounts real?
Some are, but the percentage on the tag isn’t the proof. What matters is the price you pay against the same quality of diamond elsewhere, today.
A discount is measured against a “was” price. A crossed-out price should be the price the shop really charged just before the sale. If it was never charged, the “off” means nothing. And because no two diamonds are identical, a sale ring can only be judged against a stone with the same grades from the same grading lab. That’s the whole game: compare like for like.
Five things to check before you buy a “discounted” diamond
Check the lab, the report, the stone, the “was” price and the 4Cs, in that order.
- Who graded it? Ask which lab issued the grading report. Labs don’t all grade to the same standard, so a G colour from one lab isn’t always a G from another. We work with GIA & EGL reports. I explain why in our guide to diamond certificates in South Africa.
- Does the report match the stone? Many certified diamonds have the report number laser-inscribed on the girdle. Ask the jeweller to show it to you under magnification, and check it against the paperwork. A GIA report number can be looked up on GIA Report Check.
- Natural or lab-grown? The report will say. Make sure it says what you think you’re buying, and that you’re paying the right kind of price for it. Lab-grown diamonds cost a fraction of natural ones (see our 1-carat lab-grown vs natural price guide).
- Was the “was” price ever real? Screenshot the listing now, in mid-November, and look again on Black Friday, Friday 27 November. If the “was” price only appeared the week of the sale, the discount is mostly a label.
- Same 4Cs, compared fairly? Write down carat, colour, clarity and cut, plus the lab. Then ask two or three other jewellers for a quote on the same grades. That number, not the percentage, tells you whether it’s a deal.
15% off the setting isn’t 15% off the ring
A setting discount only comes off the metal mount, and on a natural diamond ring the stone is usually most of the price. Read the terms: many Black Friday ring offers exclude the diamond.
Here’s the maths on our own prices. In our stock on 26 October, the median 1ct natural diamond cost about R45,800, VAT included. Our settings cost about R7,000 in 9ct gold, R10,500 in 14ct, R14,200 in 18ct and R16,000 in platinum (setting only, VAT included).
| 1ct natural ring | Setting | Ring total (approx.) | 15% off the setting saves | Share of the whole ring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9ct gold | ~R7,000 | ~R52,800 | ~R1,050 | about 2% |
| 14ct gold | ~R10,500 | ~R56,300 | ~R1,575 | about 3% |
| 18ct gold | ~R14,200 | ~R60,000 | ~R2,130 | about 3.5% |
| Platinum | ~R16,000 | ~R61,800 | ~R2,400 | about 4% |
Ring total = our 1ct median stone (R45,800, 26 October 2026 stock) plus the setting. Every stone is priced individually, so see the loose diamonds page for today’s stones, and our engagement ring cost guide for the full breakdown.
A fair price on the diamond itself matters far more than a percentage off the mount.
Diamond Bar appointment
Bring your Black Friday quote. We’ll put the same grades next to it.
15th Floor, Standard Bank South Towers, 13 Hertzog Blvd, Foreshore, Cape Town. Mon–Fri 9:00–16:00.
Book a Diamond Bar appointment
WhatsApp your quote: 082 489 1264 · call 021 001 3540
Why our prices stay steady all year
We buy South African rough diamonds and cut and polish them ourselves, so there’s no long chain of middlemen to discount from. Our engagement rings are made by our partner jewellery workshop here in Cape Town.
That’s also why a natural diamond holds its value. They’re finite, and with De Beers’ Venetia mine paused, fewer South African stones are coming out of the ground. I wrote about what that means for prices in Venetia’s pause and natural diamond prices. I’m not telling you to buy a diamond as an investment. Buy it because you love it, at a fair price.
If you’d still like to see lab-grown, we don’t stock it, but we’ll source it for you at great pricing.
What does a “50% off” diamond actually mean?
It means half of a number the seller chose. On its own it doesn’t tell you whether the diamond is good value, good quality, or even natural.
| What the tag says | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| “50% off” | “What did this ring actually sell for in October?” | A discount is only as honest as the “was” price |
| “15% off” | “Off the whole ring, or just the setting?” | The setting is usually the smaller part of the price |
| “1 carat” | “Is that the centre stone or the total weight?” | “1ct total weight” spread over many small stones costs far less than one 1ct diamond |
| “Certified” | “Which lab, and can I see the report number on the stone?” | Not all reports grade to the same standard |
| “Diamond” | “Does the report say natural or laboratory-grown?” | The price gap between the two is very large |
| “Limited stock” | “Can you hold it while I compare?” | A fair deal will survive a day of comparing |
How do I compare diamond prices in South Africa?
Fix the grades, then compare the rand price. Pick the carat, colour, clarity, cut and grading lab you want, and ask each jeweller for that exact spec.
- Ask for the centre stone weight, not just the total weight of the ring.
- Compare one lab against the same lab. Two stones can carry the same letters from different labs and still differ.
- Ask what’s included: setting metal, the certificate, and resizing after the proposal (we resize ours).
- Ask about trade-up and buyback. A well-bought natural diamond keeps value you can use later. Lab-grown has very little resale value in South Africa.
💬 Comparing a Black Friday quote? WhatsApp it to us and we’ll put the same grades next to it
Is Black Friday too late for a December proposal?
For a ring made to order, yes. Our last-orders cut-off for December is 20 November, a week before Black Friday.
If you’re proposing in December, don’t wait for a sale date that falls after the cut-off. After 20 November we’re still open until 22 December for finished pieces, loose diamonds and orders for delivery next year, and we reopen on 4 January 2027. Our December proposal timeline walks through what’s still possible. Guessing the ring size? That’s fine: we resize after the proposal.
What we see in our Cape Town showroom
Every year I watch the same charade. Prices quietly go up in early November, then come “slashed” back down on Black Friday with a big red percentage and a countdown clock. The customer pays what the ring was always worth and walks away thinking they won. We don’t take part in that. Our price in October is our price on Black Friday and our price in January.
Every year after Black Friday, a few people also bring us a ring they bought on sale and ask what it’s really worth. Sometimes it was a fair buy. Sometimes the “1 carat” was a total weight, or the report came from a lab that grades generously. That’s why I’d rather spend twenty minutes at the Diamond Bar showing you how to read a report than sell you anything that day.
Bring us your Black Friday quote
- Like-for-like means the same certificate lab and the same grades: carat, colour, clarity and cut. A GIA or EGL stone gets compared against a GIA or EGL stone.
- If it isn’t comparable, we’ll sit with you and show you why, report against report. No hard sell.
- The fine print: natural diamonds, GIA or EGL certificate, written quote dated in November.
- No time pressure. Your quote from us is held open until 30 November. No countdown timers, no “today only”.
We grade our stones on GIA & EGL reports. EGL South Africa certificates are, in some cases, stricter than GIA, so you know the grades on our stones mean what they say.
Frequently asked questions
Are Black Friday diamond deals in South Africa real?
Some are, but the percentage off doesn’t prove it. Compare the price you’d pay with the same carat, colour, clarity, cut and grading lab elsewhere, and check that the “was” price was actually charged before the sale.
Does a discount on the setting include the diamond?
Usually not. A setting discount only comes off the metal mount. On a 1ct natural diamond ring in 18ct gold, the setting is about R14,200 of a ring that costs roughly R60,000 in our stock, so 15% off the setting is about R2,130, or under 4% of the whole ring.
How do I check if a diamond certificate is real?
Ask for the report number and check it with the lab that issued it. For GIA reports, use GIA Report Check online. Many certified diamonds also have the number laser-inscribed on the girdle, which a jeweller can show you under magnification.
What’s the difference between “1 carat” and “1 carat total weight”?
“1 carat” should mean one centre diamond weighing 1 carat. “1 carat total weight” adds up every diamond in the ring, so a cluster or halo can reach it with much smaller stones that cost far less.
What’s the last day to order a ring for December?
At The Diamond Shoppe, the last-orders cut-off for December is 20 November, a week before Black Friday. We’re open until 22 December for finished pieces, loose diamonds and orders for delivery next year, and we reopen on 4 January 2027.
Will you match a Black Friday diamond quote?
Yes, like-for-like. Bring us the quote and the certificate. If it’s the same certificate lab and the same grades, we’ll match it. If it isn’t, we’ll show you exactly why the stones aren’t comparable. Our quote stays open until 30 November. Fine print: natural diamonds, GIA or EGL certificate, written quote dated in November.
Can the ring be resized after the proposal?
Yes. If you’re proposing as a surprise and guess the size, we resize the ring afterwards.
Our verdict
A real deal is a fair price for a natural diamond you understand, and you shouldn’t have to wait for a sale day to get one. Fix the grades, check the report against the stone, and compare like for like. If the deal still looks good after that, bring it to us. We’ll match it like-for-like, or tell you honestly why we can’t. And if it’s for a December proposal, talk to us before 20 November.
Held open until 30 November
Compare your quote with us at the Diamond Bar
15th Floor, Standard Bank South Towers, 13 Hertzog Blvd, Foreshore, Cape Town · Mon–Fri 9:00–16:00, closed weekends. December orders by 20 Nov · open until 22 Dec · back 4 Jan 2027.
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WhatsApp your quote: 082 489 1264 · call 021 001 3540
Related reading: Engagement ring cost guide · Diamond certificates in South Africa · Venetia’s pause and diamond prices · December proposal timeline · Loose natural diamonds
About the author
Marten Cross is a diamanteer at The Diamond Shoppe in Cape Town. His father started in the diamond industry in 1972, and the family has more than fifty years of craft behind it. Marten selects GIA & EGL-certified natural diamonds for clients at the Diamond Bar.
