How do you know when you intend to buy a diamond or a diamond jewel that the gem is corresponding to what the jeweler describes to you? What guarantee do you have that the diamond/gemstone that you are buying is natural, not synthetic? What should you know before attempting any important diamond/gemstone/ jewellery purchase?.
All diamonds are not equal. When purchasing a diamond, it is important to consider its cut, clarity, color, carat weight, fluorescence, treatments, etc. These factors affect not only the appearance and quality of a diamond, but also its price.
Diamond testing and grading covers numerous aspects of each stone’s qualities. Quality assessments regarding grading are made by independent gemological labs. The stone is evaluated, measured, and scrutinized using trained eyes, a jeweler’s loupe, a microscope, and other instruments, and a certificate of authentication is issued for each piece.
A certificate is like a “blueprint” of a diamond, and tells you its 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. It also tells you whether the stone is treated or not. Certificates also serve as proof of the diamond/gemstone’s identity.
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. An appraiser will only be able to appraise a diamond/gemstone/jewellery if it has a certificate of authentication.
Before purchasing a diamond, you should expect to review a copy of its certificate as proof that it has undergone an unbiased, professional examination.
A certificate 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 customers to buy certified diamonds for the following reasons:
- Shopping for certified diamonds allows you to make an informed choice about your selections, and to comparison shop. You can compare one diamond with a particular weight and quality with other diamonds of similar weight and quality to determine which the better value is. With uncertified diamonds, it is difficult to determine whether the quality assessments of one jeweler will be as stringent and precise as the judgments of other jewelers; that is, not all jewelers may agree about the quality of an uncertified diamond.
- A diamond grading report adds an increased comfort-level to your purchase. Because the quality of your purchase has been independently verified, you can feel assured that you have made a wise purchase and that you have received exactly what you have paid for.
- The quality assessments in a certificate are used by appraisers to determine the insurance or replacement value of your diamond. If you purchase an uncertified diamond, there is no guarantee that the appraiser will value your diamond at the same level at which the jeweler who sold it to you did.
- It is difficult to sell Diamonds/gemstones/jewellery without proper certification as they are considered to be suspicious and will most likely not be traded. Diamond vendors and retailers will not trade in diamonds/gemstones that lack a proper certificate of authentication as there is no way to determine whether they are truly authentic.