If I get the diamond on my diamond engagement ring appraised, does the appraisal come with an official certificate?

No, a diamond appraisal does not necessarily come with a diamond certificate. In order to get a recognized diamond certificate, your diamond must be appraised in a lab, by one of the recognized gemology labs in the world. There are a few recognized gemology labs in the world that grade diamonds according to a more or less international standard: AGS (American Gem Society), GIA (Gemological Institute of America), IGI (International Gemological Institute), EGL (European Gemological Laboratory), and GemEx Systems. These are all independent gemological laboratories, but they all maintain the highest standards. There are other smaller gemological institutes around the world that may provide diamond certification, although there is a chance that these diamond certificates will not be recognized because the diamond labs may grade the diamonds according to less stringent standards and may offer a higher grading than recognized gemological institutes like the AGS or GIA.

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A diamond appraisal may come with a written document, but this is different from an official diamond certification. There are only about five diamond and gemstone organizations worldwide that officially certify diamonds, and chief among them are the AGS (American Gem Society) and the GIA (the Gemological Institute of America). The diamond certification is like a blueprint for your diamond. The diamond certificate is written up by expert gemologists after analyzing the diamond in a lab, and it lists all the diamonds physical stats and measurements, including carat weight, color, size, and grades the quality of the cut and clarity (how many blemishes there are inside and on the surface of the diamond). Diamond certifications, also known as Diamond Grading Reports, are recognized around the world. The diamond certificate describes the diamond's quality but it does not ascribe monetary value to the diamond. The diamond appraisal, on the other hand, declares a dollar value for the diamond but does not describe its quality. Actually, the diamond appraiser generally consults the diamond certificate in coming up with a monetary value for the diamond.

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Diamond appraisal and diamond certification are not the same thing. The aim of a diamond appraisal is to put a monetary value on the diamond, and it is useful if you want to get your diamond jewelry insured or plan to sell the diamond, so that you know you are getting a fair sum for it. A diamond certificate is a lab report that describes the diamond's specifications and grades its quality according to internationally accepted standards. The diamond certification is independent of any external factors and addresses the diamond alone, while a diamond appraisal considers the current diamond market and the value of diamonds according to the diamond exchange. A diamond certificate or diamond grading report basically does not change throughout the life of the diamond, while a diamond appraisal is temporary and only applies to the time when it was issued. You can get a diamond reappraised every few years and its value will change according to the status of economy at the time.

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