FEBRUARY 2023

GUEST COLUMN
All You Have is Your Name
Integrity. It’s an old-fashioned
concept; you sort
of know it when you see
it, or sometimes feel it.
I’ve seen integrity. I’ve
seen it in action, at Joe Yatoma’s
Dash Diamonds in West
Bloomfield. Diamond buyers
in the know are drawn to Dash
for its selection, its quality,
its value, and its guarantee
that each diamond selling for
more than $1,000 is certified
by the Gemological Institute of America—the
jewelry industry’s authority on
geological research and authenticity.
GIA tests and grades diamonds on the
four Cs: carat weight, cut, color, and
clarity. So, purchasing from Joe’s selection
of loose stones, fine jewelry, and
custom pieces brings not only quality,
but also peace of mind.
A few years back, Joe’s reputation
took a hit via one his vendors. Joe immediately
contacted all of his impacted
customers and explained the situation—some,
but not all, products from
this vendor included the tiniest of labgrown
diamonds. One client’s necklace
was sent to a laboratory and several of
those lab-grown diamonds were identified.
In all, the dollar amount of affected
diamonds in this case was less than
$500. Joe immediately addressed the
situation, changed out the diamonds
and satisfied the customer.
When Joe entered the diamond
business as the first Chaldean diamond
wholesaler in 2017, he operated with low
overhead, minimal marketing expense,
and employees that were all family
members. And what he saved in those
expenses he passed along to his customers,
sometimes at savings of up to several
thousand dollars when compared
to similar items offered at retail jewelers.
Those same jewelers didn’t really care
for the competition with Joe. A source
out of the Diamond District in New York
that sells to many Detroit area jewelers
told me, “Joe essentially undercut the
market and the big boys didn’t like that.”
Recall that necklace with the minuscule
lab-grown diamonds? The
client wanted to confirm its quality
and took it for testing to a competing
jeweler. The results showed a dozen
lab-grown diamonds, many more than
MIKE SARAFA
SPECIAL TO
THE CHALDEAN
NEWS
the previous test when, years
earlier, Joe identified and replaced
lab-grown diamonds
with naturally grown stones.
So why did the test from
this other jeweler identify
even more lab-grown diamonds?
Joe and the client had
the same question. Together,
they took it upon themselves
to send the necklace to the
GIA. Using the most sophisticated
testing available, the
GIA did identify two additional tiny
lab-grown diamonds which, again, Joe
immediately changed out. Remember,
we’re not talking about large center diamonds
here. These were near the clasp,
unseen by anyone. In fact, few jewelers
test these tiny diamonds at all.
What could have caused such wildly
contrasting test results of the same
necklace? Hard to say, but there’s no
doubt that the test run by Joe’s wellknown
competitor was faulty, either
deliberately or by mistake. Even
worse, the faulty test results found
their way onto social media from yet
another competitor.
This story about this one necklace—and
it only impacted a necklace,
no engagement rings were ever affected—has
been used by Joe’s competitors
to cast a cloud over Joe and
Dash Diamonds. As for Joe’s reputation,
his most important asset, it’s
been tarnished. Ironically, this issue of
lab-grown diamonds mixing with naturally
sourced diamonds is one that
all jewelers face—every jeweler, from
the biggest names in town, to national
chains, to independents like Joe.
What I admire about Joe is his passion,
and his commitment to his craft
for his customers. In addition to his
personal guarantee, every diamond
ring worth more than $1,000 comes
with GIA certification, and is laser inscribed
with the GIA certificate number.
Talk to Joe. Explore his store. Learn
from his expertise. You’re not simply
buying jewelry, you’re making an investment
in something you can trust.
Mike Sarafa is one of the original
publishers of the Chaldean News who
has recently rejoined as contributor and
host of a new podcast, Mike’s Musings.
All tobacco use can increase your risk
for a number of oral health conditions.
This includes e-cigarettes and smokeless
(spit). Talk to your dentist about any
tobacco use. Don’t let it affect your smile!
Delta Dental of Michigan
FEBRUARY 2023 CHALDEAN NEWS 7