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Certified Loose Diamonds |
How and Where Diamonds Are Certified |
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Diamonds are premiere expressions of love. Before professing undying love to a woman, having a diamond ring is almost pre-requisite. However, choosing the perfect diamond is not that easy. Almost all established Jewelers would tell you that the only way to get a diamond is to get one with certification. This ensures the quality of diamonds you are about to purchase. Without this certification, your diamond will be of far less value. A diamond certificate is a statement. It means that at the time of evaluation, a diamond has been inspected by Diamond Graders to determine its characteristics to later be stated in the Certificate. An independent Gemological Laboratory examines a diamond. It is important to have a diamond evaluated by an independent laboratory because minute characteristics that are not visible to the naked eye can have major effects on the price. Therefore, if buyers are not meticulous, they might get a low value diamond while still paying a high price. If you happen to like a diamond but it doesn’t have a certificate, you can ask your Jeweler to send it to a reputable Gemological Laboratory for certification. If your Jeweler does not agree to this, you should start questioning this transaction because this request is a standard practice in the Diamond Industry. Independent gemological laboratories issue diamond Certificates. There are several grading laboratories including the International Gemological Institute (IGI), believed to be the most reputable. Other prominent grading laboratories are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA); the American Gem Society (AGS); the European Gemological Laboratories (EGL) and GemEx Systems. Remember that the most important item to look for in a Diamond Certificate is the name of the laboratory. With a Diamond Certificate, you would know the real diamond value. It has precise grading for each of the 4Cs – carat weight, cut, color and clarity. So what else does diamond certification measure? An additional certification exclusively measures Return of Light. Its Return of Light largely affects a diamond’s brilliance. Diamond Certifications measure several key factors of a diamond like its shape (round, pear, heart and oval) and cut. It also gives importance to a diamond’s measurements or its diameter. Minimum to maximum depth are calculated to the hundredth of a millimeter by a micrometer. Size also matters as diamonds are weighed to the thousandth of a carat. On the certificate, weight is rounded to the hundredth of a carat. Another factor a diamond certificate puts premium on is the girdle of a diamond. The girdle is the dividing line between the crown, or top part of the stone and the pavilion. A faceted girdle usually improves the look of the stone that’s why it is extremely important. Polish is also well checked because it reflects the care taken by the Diamond Cutter. Of course, the clarity and color of a diamond should never be overlooked. As they say, “On a clear day, you can see diamonds are forever”. Clarity ranges from the best grade IF down to through VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2 until I3. It is some sort of culmination as clarity reflects the number, size, placement and nature of inclusions and/or surface irregularities. Color on the other hand ranges from the best grade of D down to Z. After Z, there are only fancy colors. The Color grade of a diamond is examined by placing it next to a master set of color comparison stones under special lighting. |
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5/13/2008 15:35:20 |