Diamond Certification
Increasingly the public want more information about the diamond jewellery they have purchased or are about to purchase.
However there are a number of vital questions that need to be asked and satisfactorily answered by the person/organisation offering a certificated item or service.
1 - What does the certificate detail e.g. colour and clarity plus weight are only part of the story?
2 - Was/were the stone/s unmounted when the evaluation took place. Diamonds in a setting cannot be accurately assessed and only approximations given?
3 - What is the reputation and independence of the gemmological laboratory / individual carrying out the certification? There can be pressure placed upon evaluators especially if their client is a regular and important one. Also grading is a subjective not a fully scientific process
4 - Is there a need for the diamond/s to be certificated? Many stones are small and/or of poor quality. The cost of having them graded reflects disproportionately on the price of the final item
These are probably the most important questions to ask and the answers you receive should help determine your purchase decisions.
N.B. Don't be afraid of asking a retailer to use or be shown how to use a 10x lens (loupe). This is the only way a diamond can be properly assessed. Any competent jeweller should be able to do this.