Diamond Grading Reports (Certificates) – A report (certificate) is not the same thing as an appraisal

Certification is the 5th C of a diamond purchase.

Not every diamond sold comes with a Gem Lab report (certificate). If you purchase a diamond without a GemLab report, please, please, please go out and have it appraised by a gemologist not associated with the jewellery store or person you purchased the diamond from.

A Gem Lab report is not the same thing as an appraisal. A Gem Lab report describes the quality of a loose 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.

Please also note: a diamond graded by a person who graduated from the GIA course and now holds the designation G.G. (Graduate Gemologist) is NOT the same as a GIA Grading Report.

GIA, AGS, and EGL, are examples of independent diamond grading gem labs. These gem labs grade each loose diamond in a controlled environment and each is examined by gemologists trained in diamond grading.

The report does not give the monetary value of the diamond; it conveys straightforward product information that fully describes and evaluates the critical factors about the diamond that affect quality, beauty and proportions.

A gem lab has a collection of equipment allowing the gemologist to thoroughly inspect the loose diamond, determine and grade its qualities. In grading a loose diamond, gemologists have the correct lighting, use highly sophisticated spectrometers and other high-tech equipment. Also included in this list of high-tech equipment are:

• Binocular 10-power microscope with dark field illuminator
• Diamondlite or color grader
• Dichroscope
• Fiber optic lighting
• Filters and lenses
• Leveridge gauge, millimeter gauge, calipers, and ruler
• Long and short wave ultraviolet lights
• Master set of 5 GIA-certified color grading diamonds (not cubic zirconium stones)
• Master set of colored stones or color communication system
• Metal testing acids and gold tip needles
• Penlight
• Photographic equipment
• Polariscope with interference figure sphere or lens
• Proportionscope
• Refractometer
• Scale, preferably electronic, that gives weight in carats, grams and pennyweight, to .001 (adapted with a balance to determine specific gravity)
• Spectroscope
• Thermal conductivity tester

This equipment is used to determine the diamonds carat weight, color, clarity, and geometric proportions, whether it has been enhanced, whether it is synthetic or natural or imitation. Without a proper gem lab, a retailer cannot be certain of the quality of jewelry he/she is selling. You, the consumer, must then take the word of the jeweller.