Gregory Diamond
01-19-2009, 11:24 PM
Many Internet buyers are trying to find comfort in the very exposed world of buying diamonds online by putting their faith into grading reports issued by a Gem Lab. Many buyers feel that that piece of paper from some faceless entity somehow will protect them from being taken advantage of. The reality is rather that this false sense of security has enabled many less than honest merchants to fleece a trusting soul that was confident they were protected.
The truth is there is no substitute for buying a diamond from an honest seller. When making such an important purchase you need to make sure of not only the quality and value of the gemstone you are purchasing, but also the character of the trusted professional you are forking your hard earned cash over to.
Diamond grading is subjective. When a gem lab assigns a grade to a diamond they do so by seeking a consensus among multiple graders as to their educated opinion of the color and clarity of the diamond. There is no machine to grade the clarity of a diamond and the consistent and accuracy of color grading machines is suspect. A large majority of the work is done by a grader with a gem scope and a set of master stones. What is a VS2 one day may get and SI1 another.
As you can guess there is a bigger demand for labs that give easy or fraudulent grades on a diamond. In one example, if you have a 2.00 round diamond that GIA grades a K I1 and you can find another lab that will call it a J SI2 (just one grade higher) it just about doubles the retail price of the stone. There are many “labs” pushing out fraudulent reports and the Internet, Mall Stores and a disturbing number of Independent Jewelers are selling them to the consumer. You need to make sure that all the guarantees you get on your diamond are legitimate and if you follow a few simple steps you can help to avoid being ripped off.
• Insist on a report from an American Gem Lab
• Only buy from a reputable retailer local or online
• Have your diamond appraised by a local Independent Appraiser
• Examine your diamond under a Gem Scope
• Ask questions and make sure that all guarantees are in writing
My personal opinion is that if you are buying a diamond you should avoid any lab that is not based in the United States they do not have the same controls or restrictions that the labs here do.
The truth is there is no substitute for buying a diamond from an honest seller. When making such an important purchase you need to make sure of not only the quality and value of the gemstone you are purchasing, but also the character of the trusted professional you are forking your hard earned cash over to.
Diamond grading is subjective. When a gem lab assigns a grade to a diamond they do so by seeking a consensus among multiple graders as to their educated opinion of the color and clarity of the diamond. There is no machine to grade the clarity of a diamond and the consistent and accuracy of color grading machines is suspect. A large majority of the work is done by a grader with a gem scope and a set of master stones. What is a VS2 one day may get and SI1 another.
As you can guess there is a bigger demand for labs that give easy or fraudulent grades on a diamond. In one example, if you have a 2.00 round diamond that GIA grades a K I1 and you can find another lab that will call it a J SI2 (just one grade higher) it just about doubles the retail price of the stone. There are many “labs” pushing out fraudulent reports and the Internet, Mall Stores and a disturbing number of Independent Jewelers are selling them to the consumer. You need to make sure that all the guarantees you get on your diamond are legitimate and if you follow a few simple steps you can help to avoid being ripped off.
• Insist on a report from an American Gem Lab
• Only buy from a reputable retailer local or online
• Have your diamond appraised by a local Independent Appraiser
• Examine your diamond under a Gem Scope
• Ask questions and make sure that all guarantees are in writing
My personal opinion is that if you are buying a diamond you should avoid any lab that is not based in the United States they do not have the same controls or restrictions that the labs here do.