Dealers on 47th Street don't always agree on what it takes to get ahead. Manhattan's Diamond District can be a fiercely competitive place. But the businesses that survive and prosper here for decades are usually run by smart people with a reputation for being reliable and fair.

Fima Kandinov maintains straight shooting is the key to survival in the Diamond District. “Honesty and integrity are the keys to any business,” Kandinov says, and business conducted on 47th Street is no exception.

Many dealers on 47th Street take a somewhat more cutthroat approach. But Kandinov, primary appraiser and founder of Luriya, is not the only one to reach this conclusion.

Dealers on 47th Street don't always agree on what it takes to get ahead. Manhattan's Diamond District can be a fiercely competitive place. But the businesses that survive and prosper here for decades are usually run by smart people with a reputation for being reliable and fair.

Fima Kandinov maintains straight shooting is the key to survival in the Diamond District. “Honesty and integrity are the keys to any business,” Kandinov says, and business conducted on 47th Street is no exception.

Many dealers on 47th Street take a somewhat more cutthroat approach. But Kandinov, primary appraiser and founder of Luriya, is not the only one to reach this conclusion.

Whether you want to buy or to sell jewelry or watches, the first step in figuring out value is to identify what it is, when and where it was made, and by whom. A maker's mark can help but if jewelry has hallmarks, this process is almost foolproof.

In many cases, color in diamonds indicates a drawback - an unattractive tint that can detract from the price. Most of us look for the clearest, most colorless diamond we can find. But there’s color, and then there’s color. Sizable natural diamonds of fancy or vivid shades of pink, blue and yellow are exquisite – and rare. When they appear at auction, they go for astronomical prices.

That’s been happening a lot.