Diamonds have inflamed man's passions since the first moment at which they were discovered, and their power over emotions and desires has only grown since then. As a timeless and beautiful gift to yourself or as an emblem of your commitment to another, a diamond is an excellent investment. However, all diamonds are not equal.
When purchasing a diamond, it is important to consider its cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. These factors affect not only the appearance and quality of a diamond, but also its price.
A certificate is a "blueprint" of a diamond, and tells you the diamond's exact measurements and weight, as well as the details of its clarity, color, polish, symmetry, cut and quality. It precisely points out all the individual characteristics of the stone. Certificates also serve as proof of the diamond's identity and value.
A certificate is not the same thing as an appraisal. A certificate describes the quality of a diamond, but it does not place a monetary value on the gem. An appraisal places a monetary value on your diamond, but does not certify the quality of the diamond.
Before purchasing a diamond, you should expect to review a copy of its certificate as proof that it has undergone an unbiased, professional examination.
Diamond grading covers numerous aspects of each individual diamond's qualities. Quality assessments regarding grading are made by independent gemologists’ labs, such as GIA or AGS, and are recognized worldwide. The diamond is evaluated, measured, and scrutinized using trained eyes, a jeweler’s loupe, a microscope, and other industry tools, and these labs provide each diamond they examine with a report or “certificate”.
A certified diamond comes with a diamond grading report guaranteed by an accredited gem lab. This report assures the customer that the diamond is independently recognized as possessing all the qualities specified by that report. When you buy a certified diamond, you are getting a diamond with beauty and pedigree. You have tangible, legal assurances as to the particular nature and quality of the diamond you are purchasing.
An uncertified diamond is not accompanied by a diamond grading report, and therefore its stated quality is based only on the word of the seller. It is not necessarily a bad diamond; certainly, it can be as beautiful as its certified counterpart.
However, we encourage our customers to buy certified diamonds for the following reasons:
Acquaint yourself with gemological labs before purchasing your diamond. Lab reputations may vary and change over time. Popular labs that certify diamonds and gemstones include:
These are considered the industry leaders, and the final word on gem quality, among diamond dealers worldwide. They are known for their consistency and unbiased diamond grading systems. Diamonds that are accompanied by these grading reports are the most highly valued in the industry.
While plenty of other independent labs exist, some are a bit lax in their assessments of diamond quality and do not command the same respect for consistency and quality of grading that GIA and AGS do.
