Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend but some rocks cause nothing but heartache.
When Eileen decided to get the diamond ring she bought for $5000 on eBay valued for insurance purposes, she was charged $60 by a jeweller and told the ring was worth $9,420.
For peace of mind, Eileen decided to get a second opinion. The second jeweller charged a 1 percent commission on the cost of the item valued in addition to the $60 fee. He valued the ring at a staggering $25,470 and pocketed $310 commission.
The jeweller, Shane Paradise, denied a link between the valuation and the commission he earns.
However, ACA got Ken Penfold from the National Council of Jewellery Valuers to assess Eileen's ring, and he valued it at less than half the $25,470 quoted by Shane.
But it's not just valuations that can leave consumers feeling ripped off.
Lauren Ho bought what she thought was a genuine Tiffany bracelet off eBay, but was let down when she walked into an actual Tiffany store with her purchase.
"They sort of looked at it, and in two seconds and said 'no this is fake'," she says.
Prestige jeweller, Nic Cerrone, says there's one rule when it comes to buying the real thing.
"The best thing to do always is to go to your reputable jeweller. A jeweller you have known for many years, a jeweller who has been there for a long, long time. A jeweller who you know is going to stand for his quality."
Then again, if you simply want the look of bling, you can always opt for diamond reproductions, knowing you're not paying for the real thing but it will look just as good.
Margot Gorski from Gordon Max, a company that makes diamond look-a-likes in Australia says you can get the same effect as you would with naturally mined diamonds.
"They're a fantastic solution for a woman who wants gorgeous jewellery and doesn't want to spend untold thousands," she says.
