Certified Diamonds – What You Should Know?
Small deviations in diamonds can have a huge impact on their value. If you are offered a stone with self-certification or a certificate from a smaller local laboratory that is not as strict with its ratings as the large laboratories, it is so that the seller can get a better rating on the stone so that it has a higher rating for the customer. Then it would have received than at e.g. GIA. Keep in mind that these diamond certification can be misleading. Therefore, always ask for an internationally recognized certificate to be sure that your diamond has the quality you want.
What are Diamond Certification?
Some know that every diamond is unique, but what are diamond certificates? The unique character of the diamond is underlined by a so-called “gemological certificate”, which is like an ID for the gemstone and is offered by various institutions.
This “ID” contains information and ratings on the individual properties of the diamond. The certification process can lead to different results, as each institute has its requirements for the quality of a diamond.
The most expert and trusted certifications come from the non-profit GIA (Gemological Institute of America). But the HRD in Antwerp (Hoge Raad Voor Diamant) is also a renowned laboratory.
In addition to the GIA, there are four other significant players; AGS, HRD, EGL, and IGI. Of these four, AGS and HRD are reputable, while EGL and IGI may have errors in several of the steps of their assessments of, for example, diamond color or diamond clarity.
In addition, there are also several other players in the market of varying quality, but it would be impossible for us to map them all. It is always better to buy a diamond with a certificate from one of the slightly worse institutions than to buy a non-rated one.
Why Diamond Certification is Most Important?
A diamond certification is a report that brings diamonds published by a purpose third-party lab, representing the unique characteristics of a particular diamond.
For the lab to publish their findings, they test and assess the quality of diamonds based on classification standards. Only diamonds with a minimum of 0.30 carats are provided with a certificate. All the smaller stones are not provided with a certificate.
This is because the research and preparation of a certificate are too expensive compared to the purchase value of these small diamonds. It is required to differentiate between a real diamond certification from the main lab and an evaluation or a jeweler’s letter.
In a lab, trained experts use tools and specialized machinery to measure, examine and test a diamond. These tools and devices are simply not used in a valuation process and are not available in jeweler’s showrooms due to the high cost of the most advanced equipment.
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) CERTIFICATE
GIA offers three types of certificates:-
Diamond Grading Report
This is the most common certificate for diamonds over 1 carat and is more detailed than the others. The certificate shows, for example, where and how the different idea conclusions look, which can be practical if you want to buy a diamond that is completely pure to the naked eye.
It can also be good if you want to avoid a princess cut diamond with inclusions in the edges, as this to some extent increases the risk of the diamond cracking under the frame, even if it is unusual.
Diamond Certification Dose
A less detailed certificate and the most widely used for diamonds under 1 carat. Contains no “drawing” of the diamond showing the location of the inclusions, but is sufficient for most purposes. Like all the others, the certificate has several details, such as UV details and holograms. The certificate size is smaller than the full assessment report.
Diamond Certification E-Report
A relatively new type of the diamond certificate from the GIA, which is a very good way to give a real impression of the diamond. The disadvantage of this certificate is that it is only available in an electronic format and not in printed form. This type of certificate is likely to become more popular in the future.
Different Certification labs provides several types of Results
Every laboratory has its idiosyncrasies. Some are looser in grading color while others are looser with a Clarity rating. Some labs will always improve particular color ranges, while others prefer particular arrangements of inclusions. Smart diamond firms use this useful information – obtained by sending thousands of diamonds to several labs every month – to maximize their results.
Knowing which laboratories are reliable and consistent can assist you to avoid purchasing a diamond that is worth a lot less than what the certificate says to be true.
What to Look for in Diamond Certifications
Since diamond certifications aren’t produce both, it is essential to know how different certificates affect a diamond. Various laboratories will have their own accepted standard for grading and description of diamonds.
Sometimes the difference can be significant and be a clear sign of which lab entities are reliable and which are not. It is a few rules to keep in mind when it comes to correctly understand labs and their diamond certifications.
Consistency is more important than strict evaluation.
All labs have different standards for interpreting a diamond’s qualities. Consistency in degrees of color and brightness is often consideres a true marker of a laboratory’s reputation.
While it can be important to understand why an entity applies a particular rating. It is more important than the entity’s decisions are consistent across that rating category. For example, a group of diamonds receiving H color gradations from HRD should be very similar in color. This consistency illustrates the reliability of the format entity.
All diamond types are subjective.
It regularly comes as a surprise to people that there are no internationally establish standards for defining a diamond’s characteristic qualities. There has never been a leading organization that provided definitive clarity on definitions. And the two most subjective categories for grading diamonds are color and clarity.
So this tells us two points: first, that labs can determine different grades for the same diamonds. But it’s fine, as long as it’s done consistently; and two, a weak certificate from an unreliable entity that accompanies a high-priced diamond is a cause for concern about the diamond’s true value.
Different labs have their own set of standards for assessment.
Some are looser in the color classifications, while others have strict guidelines. The differences in these standards can be use to the advantage of diamond companies.
For example, if a diamond company deals in diamonds that are generally of lower quality in color, they may send them to a lab known for looser color grades. The certifications that come back show a diamond, of great value when it is worth much less.
Diamond certification is an uncontrolled industry.
There are no laws for gem labs. This means that every company can profile itself as a renowned laboratory.
It is generally accepts only the standards for who can write certifications. How diamonds should be tested, and which qualities and components of a diamond are listed on the certificate.
An immediate red flag that any diamond certificate should question is whether it gives value to your diamond. Credible labs judge and grade a diamond based on scientific standards only. They are not trying to indicate how the diamond should be valued in the market.
Diamond companies often engage in “upgrade shopping”.
Because color and clarity are very subjective qualities, a diamond can often appear between grades. If a seller or retailer has a diamond that falls into one of these ranges, they can send it to many labs looking for the best quality.
It wills more than makeup for the cost of sending a diamond to multiple labs for certification if one comes back with a better color or clarity. So your best defense is always to examine the diamond in detail, and comparison to other diamonds.
Do not assume that all stones with SI1 clarity will have the same appearance, or that all Excellent cut diamonds will have the same brilliance, or that all G-color diamonds will have the same colorlessness. You want to take a close look at each diamond and judge the levels of eye-perfect clarity, fire, and clarity.
The Usefulness of Diamond Certification
Thanks to the availability of diamond certificates, it is possible to proceed in an extremely well-informed manner. When select your diamonds and to easily compare the price and the offer at different diamond dealers. You can very accurately compare different diamonds of the same weight and quality to determine which diamond is the most valuable or which dealer offers the best price.
Always be wary if a jeweler offers you a loose diamond without a certificate. In that case, you buy purely based on trust in the word of the trader. An experienced diamond dealer or even another jeweler might estimate the quality (and therefore also the value) of the diamond offered completely differently than the seller.
We recommend only buying GIA or AGSL certified diamonds to be sure about the quality of the diamonds. After all, the price and quality of a diamond are linkes. The brod selection of certified diamonds can be found at Gemistone Jewelers.
Do you have questions about certificates, the Kimberley process, or anything else? So do not hesitate to contact us – 785-999-2163 or Visit www.Gemistone.com