Diamond Banc: Helping Florida Diamond Owners to Grow Their Investment Portfolios

Mills Menser, owner of Diamond Banc, has brought to Florida a service never before seen in the state: a luxury, customer-driven company whose gemologists assist clients with receiving money for their diamonds via direct sale, consignment, or jewelry equity loans. With offices in Miami, Tampa, Boca Raton, and Orlando, Diamond Banc’s experts are helping Floridians to receive top funding for diamonds that are one carat or larger, and in the process, they are showing that walking into the company’s offices is an upscale, client-focused experience.

Mills created Diamond Banc in 2008 after running his family’s respected jewelry company, Buchroeders. “It was in the middle of the Great Recession,” he remembers, “and I could see a real need for individuals, investors and entrepreneurs to have access to short-term capital. Many of them had fine jewelry, including diamonds, that they hardly wore, so it made sense to create a company that could allow them to generate more capital by borrowing against the equity in their jewelry. We prioritized providing better pricing, transparency, and a relaxed but luxurious experience. Thirteen years later, Diamond Banc has grown into the country’s top provider of jewelry equity loans, a term that we actually pioneered, by the way.”

There are, of course, plenty of diamond buyers and lenders in Florida, so it’s fair to ask why Diamond Banc is so different from them. Mills explains that one reason is because its sole focus is acquisitions and lending. “You won’t see any cases in our offices because we don’t sell diamonds and jewelry to the public. Instead, we provide capital solutions for people who have diamonds.”

A crucial difference involves the superior knowledge of Diamond Banc’s employees. As Mills says, “With other diamond buyers and lenders, the employees are usually generalists, meaning the knowledge they have of your diamond is similar to hitting the outer rim of a bullseye. They can tell you that you indeed have a diamond, but they can’t give you its true value. The reason we hit the bullseye’s center is because we can immediately spot all the nuances of your diamond, including whether it’s a D color, SI1 clarity or F color, SI2 clarity which can impact the value by hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Diamond Banc’s Market Directors are so knowledgeable because they have worked at prestigious jewelry companies, including Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and other high-end brands. We are also owned by some of the largest independent jewelers in the nation. That kind of experience means you can trust the valuation we will give you for your diamond.”

The Diamond Banc experience is very low-key. A diamond owner can visit the company’s website and use its diamond value calculator to receive an idea on their gem’s worth. There is also a thorough guide to how the value of a diamond is calculated. This enables a client to digest the information without feeling pressured. Diamond Banc also makes it easy for a diamond owner to submit the picture of their gem and supporting documentation online. Almost immediately, a Diamond Banc Market Director will text or email the client about the diamond. If a client is interested in selling their diamond or obtaining a jewelry equity loan, those terms can be worked out in advance. When the client arrives at a Diamond Banc location, the Market Director is immediately ready to act. 

Diamond Banc has an extensive menu of buying and selling options. One is the Immediate Payment Option. Diamond Banc will make an industry-leading purchase offer for the client’s diamonds. These transactions are funded on the spot, and each one is simple, confidential, and fast. “We generally pay 70%-80% of the liquid value while most other companies pay only 50%,” says Mills.

He also states that Diamond Banc has the ideal solution for clients who would like to maintain ownership of their diamond. It’s their Jewelry Equity Loan, which magnifies the fiscal power of the client’s diamond when they borrow against it. They receive the same amount of proceeds as they would if they sold it. 

Effective Consignment is for clients who value a higher return over immediate funding. Their items are marketed to over 20,000 jewelry dealers, wholesalers, and retailers. Clients are paid a preferred return once their diamonds sell. Items that will sell for $10,000+ are eligible.

Diamond Banc’s Seller’s Agent Service is excellent for those who wish to maximize their return. Diamond Banc will market a client’s piece nationwide through a variety of platforms. The client is charged a transparent percentage commission.

The remaining option is the Interest-Free Sale Advance. Clients can receive up to 25% of their estimated proceeds interest-free. Partial sale proceeds are advanced for a defined period of time. If the item does not sell, Diamond Banc will fund the remaining balance of its purchase offer or the client can repay the advance proceeds and retrieve their item.

Mills states that jewelry equity loans are Diamond Banc’s specialty. “Our expert buyers and lenders take every value-adding factor into consideration to make industry-leading offers on diamonds. Our loan structures are pro-borrower: we give high loan amounts, set rates with the borrower in mind, and offer automatic monthly payments as well as custom terms based on the borrower’s needs. Clients can pay down the loan and then readvance it just like a line of credit, meaning a jewelry equity loan can be used as a revolving line of credit. All of these details mean that we are the best jewelry equity lenders in the nation.”

Above all, every Diamond Banc employee serves their client with kindness. “I can’t emphasize that enough,” says Mills. “How many times have you been treated rudely by an employee? That doesn’t happen at Diamond Banc. From the moment you contact us, be it on the Internet or in an office, you are treated with respect.”

Ultimately, Diamond Banc is an excellent option for Floridians who are wondering what to do with their diamonds that haven’t been worn in years. “It used to be that once you bought a diamond, that was it. There were no real options for you to leverage it for capital,” Mills states. “That has changed. With Diamond Banc, you have a diverse set of options that can fund your retirement or any other endeavor you would like to make happen.”