Read The Diamond Grading Report Before Getting An Engagement Ring

Not all sellers offer diamond grading lab reports (aka diamond top quality reports) to their shoppers. So my standard guidance to you is to maintain your money in your pocket when working with this sort of jewelers.

Only obtain a diamond engagement ring if it comes with the original diamond high quality report.

A lab report is an unbiased analysis of the 4Cs of a unfastened diamond and contains a plotted diagram of the stone’s clarity characteristics and a graphic representation of the stone’s proportions. Obtaining this sort of a report permits you to assess diamonds of different characteristics and eventually helps you make a a lot more informed buying decision.

A retailer may minimize corners and not provide a lab report or an unscrupulous vendor may possibly offer a bogus a single because of the time, trouble and expense he’ll bear to receiving a stone graded.

Yeah – there is a price for grading a diamond (however that cost is at some point paid by the consumer), plus the shipping and delivery and insurance coverage charges for sending the diamond to the lab. And enable us not forget the possibility price of a jeweler not possessing the diamond in his keep for sale for a couple of weeks while the grading takes place.

Nonetheless, a diamond grading report may also not be offered because the expenses to obtaining 1 could affect way too greatly on the final cost of the ring.

For example, a .3ct diamond ring costing $250 say, might value all around $seventy five to be graded and have the report number inscribed on the girdle on the diamond.

As you lookup for that excellent diamond engagement ring for your sweetheart, you will locate that there is an alphabet soup of labs declaring to provide trustworthy diamond grading studies. But I would only put my money on…

The Leading Diamond Grading Lab Reviews

Of course, all diamond good quality reports are not developed equal. In the industry, it is a consensus that the two leading labs are GIA-GTL (Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Trade Lab) and the AGS (American Gem Culture Laboratories).

The GCAL (Gem Certification and Assurance Lab) also delivers very regarded reports or “diamond certificates” as they are referred to by GCAL.

The GIA has the strongest worldwide status for independence and consistency. Owing to their continual colour and clarity strictness guidelines, the globe’s largest and most pricey diamonds have been sent there for grading a long time. In 2006, GIA-GTL extra a two-dimensional cut grading method for spherical amazing diamonds.

AGS makes use of the strictest lower requirements in the market. It uses a three-dimensional light-weight functionality metric that can quality a number of diamond designs. In fact, it is the only cut grading method that is identified by the scientific neighborhood.

What is far more, its Diamond Top quality Document uses a unique and proprietary to ten grading method to consider the 4 Cs – a technique which is less complicated to comprehend than GIA’s grading technique. In fact, AGS even goes the further stage by equating their -ten score scale to other forms of score.

For instance, the conventional VS1 diamond clarity score is a three on the AGS Diamond High quality Doc.

Diamond Reporting – The Disadvantages

1. Diamond grading is not standardized or regulated and consequently you may possibly occur throughout tier 2 labs that employ looser recommendations to the tier one grading labs described earlier mentioned.

If you purchase a diamond that has been graded by a tier 2 lab, you may conclude up having to pay a lot more for a lesser high quality diamond. So for instance, a diamond rated a “F” in shade at a tier 2 lab might get a G, H, or reduce color ranking at a far more reliable lab.

The business also discounts diamonds graded by lesser known labs by about fifteen-thirty% or far more. So possibly you only purchase a diamond graded by a tier 1 lab or you acknowledge that you may well be purchasing a lesser good quality diamond than what is said on the report if that diamond is graded by a lesser known lab.

2. A lot of large chain stores have huge contracts with lesser acknowledged labs with “softer” diamond grading recommendations. Some of these softer labs place “recommended alternative values” on the lab studies – values which are larger than what retailers intends market the diamonds for.

So a salesperson in a chain keep could say to you, “Look at the wonderful deal you are getting here. We are offering you this diamond engagement ring for $2500 but the report states that the proposed replacement worth is $4000.” Wow – what a offer – NOT! This is why it is much better that you trust only impartial tier one labs.

Also bear in head that trustworthy diamond grading reports are not appraisals and don’t offer appraisal figures. Diamond appraisals are frequently grossly inflated and are not one thing you may want to rely on.

3. Diamond reviews are riddled with disclaimers that specify that nothing at all is “accredited” or assured and that the labs are not accountable for problems. In reality, the GIA provides a disclaimer of types on their web site concerning the use of the phrase “certify.” The web site claims:

“It is incorrect to state that college students, graduates, their firms, or particular gemstones are “accredited” by GIA. The Gemological Institute of The usa does not certify anybody or anything. Neither a college student nor a graduate who has been awarded a certificate or diploma, nor a gem which has been graded or recognized by GIA has been licensed by GIA”.

So it is attainable that you the buyer is left keeping the bag must an inaccuracy in a report is later discovered. Courts have often ruled that sellers, not labs, are liable for such glitches. Why? Because the labs indicated beforehand that their stories could not be held liable.

Luckily, there are a few approaches to give yourself far more consumer security:

A. You could fly to India the place jewelers provide a life span buyback coverage to their buyers. Too costly to fly?

B. You could find one particular of the 20% of US jewelers who sell totally bonded diamonds. These are diamonds that are bought with life time breakage, lifetime trade-in and lifetime buyback policies.

C. Not as excellent a treatment as acquiring a totally bonded diamond but you could purchase a diamond that comes with an genuine “certificate” and not a report. “Licensed diamonds do arrive with guaranties” albeit for shorter durations.

Certification

Some sellers refer to a “diamond report” as a “accredited diamond” but technically this is not correct. From a legal standpoint, a diamond report is a merely an skilled viewpoint however in actuality, facets of a diamond grading report are not just views.

For instance, a diamond’s carat (fat) can be properly determined as effectively as its lower quality by measuring its optical effectiveness or by referring to a personal computer model. A certificate on the other hand is a assertion of truth – a doc for which the issuer accepts lawful accountability and will make restitution to the consumer for errors.

Some prime diamond grading labs offer each studies and certificates. AGS provides Diamond Quality Documents (non-qualified reports) and also Diamond Good quality Certificates. Diamond Good quality Certificates are ready solely for AGS retail jewelers and offers guaranties from taking part American Gem Culture member retailers.

GCAL certifies it’s diamond grading also. Its a hundred% money-back again assure policy is valid for a period of two years from the day on the applicable certification. This coverage ensures the precision of the minimize, colour and clarity grades and the carat fat.

A report or certificate need to will have a number on it that could or could not be inscribed on a diamond. You will be capable to enter that quantity on the internet site of the certifying lab to verify a report’s validity.

Aspects Of A Diamond Grading Report

Diamond grading reports are usually evolving but specified aspect need to continue to be the exact same. For occasion, the:

The Report #. This variety is given and recorded in a lab’s report and may possibly or may possibly not be inscribed on a diamond’s girdle. You can enter the report variety on a grading lab’s website to examine the authenticity of the diamond good quality report or to get far more info about the diamond.

Condition & Aspect Style: This is the outline and the chopping style used for the side arrangement. There are 3 fundamental facet types – “excellent lower, step lower and blended cutting fashion” and 12 simple designs which include notables such as spherical excellent and princess minimize” diamonds.

Measurements: This refers to measurement (not bodyweight) of a diamond. Size involves proportions this kind of as duration, width, weight and diameter. A measurement is generally listed to the hundredth of a millimeter. Measurements enjoy a huge role in how a diamond sparkles.

Carat Excess weight: The fat of a diamond is measured to the hundredth of a carat and some even give this kind of evaluate to the thousandth of a carat (one.123ct.). Carat is the most objective and the simplest to recognize of the 4Cs simply because all a single has to do is bodyweight the stone.

Colour Grade: This tells you the level of shade absence in the diamond. The much less color the greater the grade.

Diamonds are normally graded from D-Z the nearer to “D” the whiter the diamond. You need to by no means see diamond colour assortment this sort of as (G-H, I-J-K, and so on) on a diamond report. You should only see shade ranges on appraisals for stones that are mounted.

Clarity Grade: Almost every diamond has internal imperfections called inclusions and exterior imperfections called blemishes. A diamond is graded in accordance to the dimension, variety, place and volume of these flaws.

Clarity grades range from Flawless (FL) – Integrated. Labs use a few professionals to grade the clarity of a diamond in purchase to arrive up with a far more exact studying .

Minimize Grade: More recent diamond studies consist of a cut grade for common round amazing diamonds. Lower will take into thought the brilliance, fireplace and scintillation of the diamond. Lower grade ranges from Outstanding – Bad.