Gemscan..

[davids]

Anyone ever heard of gemscan certificate ? are they reliable? apparently it comes with a laser inscription..

 

[joycer]

I don''t know how they''re doing lately but I know that I had heard the nickname Gemscam used in their place. I have only seen Gemscan certificates from mall stores. My opinion is quite extreme in that I feel if a jeweler is not using GIA, AGS, or possibly EGL, HRD or PGS, then I have to wonder why. GIA and AGS are the benchmark. If a diamond is valuable then the GIA and AGS certificate will back that up and actually offer a premium compared to the same diamond graded the same quality with another lab report. A 1.0ct G SI1 from the EGL will not sell for as much as a 1.0ct G SI1 graded from the GIA. The only reason I can see that someone would go with another lab is either to get a higher grading for the diamond, or possibly the lab is local to them or has a quick turn around time. I would ask for a GIA or AGS certificate or tell the jeweler you want an independent (one you choose that does not also sell diamonds) appraiser to verify the report.

-joycer

 

[noobie]

Many years ago, I had them appraise a loose stone. I had it appraised twice since then. Gemscan said it was D color. The two other appraisers called it an E, borderline F. One even showed me it next to the master stones. It definately was not a D.

Based on that expereince I would probably not use theri services again. Whether or not they have improved, I don''t know.

 

[dandoboy]

I''m not in a position to comment on the accuracy or usefulness of Gemscan, however I was told that Gemscan is used in Canada by People''s/Mappins for their ''Canadian'' diamonds so they can say that the stones have never left Canadian soil (the diamonds are graded in Toronto). I can only assume that many more factors come into play here, such as a bulk deal with Canada''s largest diamonds retailers, the reported retailer-bias in grading stones, and avoiding holdups with cross-border appraisals, but those are merely speculation.