Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
Diamond & Jewelry News, Advice and Prices for Consumers
May 12, 2010
Though a diamond certificate is obviously a very important document for a diamond consumer, I have heard that sometimes such reports don't reveal every detail that a consumer would need to know. Is it true? If so, what details are neglected in a diamond certificate and how can a diamond consumer overcome this obstacle?
August 1, 2011
Well, not all diamond grading reports are created equal and some are more informative than others. A GIA lab report will give you a very detailed and accurate picture of your stones specifications and qualities, including all the 4 C's and if it has been artificially treated/enhanced in any way. A GIA diamond grading report won't tell you how much the stone is worth or what it should sell for, but it will tell you about carat, cut, color, and clarity,as well as many other things that just can't be seen by the untrained or naked eye.
May 17, 2010
When you purchase a diamond in a jewelry store, most chances are that you could visually examine whether a diamond has a high or poor light performance, so you could comfortably rely on the diamond grading report. If you purchase a diamond online you should try to receive as much information about the diamond as you can, and so should certainly inquire about the diamond light performance and not rely only on the GIA diamond grading report.
May 14, 2010
May 14, 2010
Reinforcing the answer above, the average angle number of a diamond could indeed be misleading in some occasions. A jeweler once showed me how an "ideal cut" diamond had received a lower grade in the Brilliancescope light performance test than a diamond which had higher table percentage than depth percentage. I was utterly shocked! It's amazing how the GIA could generate such a thorough diamond examination process, but still lack such crucial information in the diamond report. I hope that in the future the new machines used for diamond light performance examination will also be used and expressed in the diamond grading reports.
May 14, 2010
Unless you are a real diamond nut and need to know absolutely every single thing about your diamond, a GIA or AGS report will suffice. The way I see it, the average joe just wants to feel good about his or her diamond purchase. The average diamond jewelry consumer wants to have some idea that the diamond is valuable, shiny, brilliant and cut well. They don't really need to know every single little thing about the diamond.
May 13, 2010
Their is no question about the reliability of the GIA when it comes to diamond certifications. However, occasionally some important details could be missing from a diamond certificate, not intentionally but due to the manner in which the diamond grading is performed. The angles between the facets, for example, appear in the diamond report as average numbers. Sometimes this number is very representative and sometime the deviation is rather high, this number could be slightly misleading. Thus, facets alignment isn't addressed by the diamond grading report, leaving some doubts and open questions about the true light performance of the diamond.
May 13, 2010
What a diamond grading report or a diamond certificate will NOT tell you is how much your diamond is WORTH. This is why many people take their diamonds to an appraiser even if their diamond is 100% certified. The lab report, or certification, is an objective analysis of the stone's qualities and characteristics drafted by expert gemologists. These gemologists are not businessmen, however, and because the market sometimes sways in production, demand, and other details, certificates tell the consumer nothing about the diamond's price/worth.
