What is a certified diamond?
Certified is defined as a "document containing a certified statement as to the truth of something." "To guarantee, to attest as being true as meeting of standard."
In the diamond industry there are what people call "certified" diamonds. These "certified" diamonds are done by companies such as GIA (Gemological Institute of America), EGL (European Gemological Lab) as well as others.
The truth of the matter is that none of the laboratories that certify diamonds actually certify the diamonds per the definition of the word certified. These companies are actually gem laboratories. The papers they give with each diamond are actually a gem lab report and on all of the documents they provide the first item written is "this is not a guarantee," which contradicts the definition of certified. If it is not guaranteed, it is just an opinion. These lab reports were first done
many years ago for larger, major diamonds with a lot of time and care. Today, because it has become big business, the quality of the lab reports have suffered and some are very questionable. These reports became popular for people who weren't sure what they were buying or from whom they were buying from.
The one problem that happened from these reports is that diamonds with papers sometimes can be as much as 20% - 30% higher than they really need to be.
When we at IMG grade diamonds that are not already papered, our stones are graded against master stones for comparison of color and put on a machine that also reads color. The stones are then looked at inside by our diamond professionals who have been through GIA training and have over a combined 250 years of experience.
There is some good news for people who think they need to have a paper that is a guarantee. We have found a laboratory that does guarantee all their grading in writing. We have used this lab for people who want to feel 100% that two opinions agree.
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