I truly believe that honesty and integrity are the most important values in life, you either have…read morethem or you don't. Today's modern age of social media and those that encompass it make it harder and harder to gauge folks, and you never really know who and what people are until meeting them in person. Sure, they may have that impressive resume and cover model photo on their profile, but how many stories have you heard from friends or family that have been on those infamous online "dates" thinking that they were going to meet Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston only to find out that they were really having dinner and drinks with Gilbert Gottfried or Rosie O'Donnell. I mention the above only to set the tone for what I experienced a few weeks ago, as I was taken to school so to speak while being introduced to an industry I knew little about. Unfortunately for me, my job was outsourced overseas (for the third time) back in July, and I've had an extremely difficult time trying to fInd something equal to my old position since then. Because of this circumstance, I've been struggling financially and had to make the difficult decision to sell a family heirloom to make ends meet. I'm only being brutally honest because I have the feeling that I'm not the only one who has had to deal with this predicament, which is why I wanted to go into such detail with this review, so that others could benefit from my experiences. The heirloom in question was my mother's diamond wedding ring, and because I wanted to get as much money as I could for it, I wound up doing some extensive research to ensure I knew what I was getting into. Believe me, no research will help as you have to get your hands dirty. The internet is full of websites promising you top dollar for your diamonds (80-90% of value), and they'll even pay for the shipping and insurance on it, but I just don't trust sending my valuables to strangers, especially these days, and worried that not only would they low ball me but possibly send me back a fake if I didn't agree to their terms. With these thoughts in mind, I decided to go local here in the Tampa Bay Area, and after a deep dive on Google, mapped out what would be an epic 2 day journey. My YELP friends, nothing could have prepared me for what I encountered on my escapades through Tampa's diamond brokers. A couple of the businesses seemed to be legitimate, but they were definitely in the minority, as most of the establishments in this area are just plain sketchy. Every experience began to mirror each other as they would begin with the traditional cordial greeting, thinking initially that I was there to make a purchase, but the second I explained that I was there to sell them something the mood instantly shifted to that of a Used Car department. It was as if each business had the exact same script to read from when it came to why they were offering so little for my mother's diamond. To be honest, they were insulting and just didn't give a damn, the complete pawn shop experience. Only one business in this entire area was pleasurable, and you would be insane to go anywhere else. The Terry brothers at Meridian Diamonds are the very definition of integrity and honesty. Scott and Jonathan made me feel extremely comfortable because they did an incredible job of explaining every minute detail of my diamond, as well as the value of each specific characteristic and the existing market trends. They never made me feel inferior, even though they could talk circles around me with their breadth of knowledge and experience. They took their time with me, and gave me a crash course in the diamond business, and in the end, they also gave me the most money than any other place in the area. To say I really enjoyed speaking with them is an understatement, and I guarantee you will have the same experience. If you're looking to buy or sell diamonds in Tampa Bay, take my word that you don't need to go anywhere else. Just an amazing experience overall, beyond five stars.

I took 2 family estate pieces to Meridian and received a quote vs what 2 'competitors' quoted…read more Scott and his brother were both extremely knowledgeable about my rings as well as what the market would offer me and why. Needless to say, Meridian gave me a very fair price for my rings, and I would recommend them to anyone looking to sell and/or purchase. Looking forward to returning to purchase one of their stunning pieces! Well done! B Heros