HOW DO I SEND A STONE TO GIA TO GET GRADED!

[YMA]

How and where would I send a stone to get GIA graded and certified?

Just to match up the EGL Cert, can you even do that???? How much does it cost and how long does it usually take.

Thank,
YMA

 

[oldminer]

It can be done, but rarely is. If you have an full sized EGL cert, you have more of the physical measures than are found on a GIA paper. The issue of exact color and clarity grade might be foremost in your mind. Do you really need to know if there is a discrepancy? It will cost plenty to find out and the diamond will not be any different in the end. Save the money. I would assume the original diamond seller had a choice about which lab to use and they chose EGL as correct for this diamond. Maybe the grade was a bit liberal, maybe the lower cost of the document made sense, maybe EGL does the work faster.

GIA will take several weeks to do the work for you..... You''ll need to contact them in advance if this is what you want to do. They are in 580 Fifth Ave. NYC. The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory.

 

[denverappraiser]

www.gia.edu

Expect at least 6 weeks, plus shipping time both directions if you aren''t local to one of their labs.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[kenny]

YMA wrote, "How and where would I send a stone to get GIA graded and certified?
Just to match up the EGL Cert, can you even do that????  How much does it cost and how long does it usually take"

GIA has laboratories in two locations:
NY NY 212 221 5858
Carlsbad California 760 603 4500

If you live near one of them you can bring your stone in person to speed things up.
I did.

I brought a stone to the GIA myself with a GIA report for a letter of verification ($70).
I called first and made an appointment.
I am not a pro, I am a private individual.

They said if I bring it in right when they open I could pick it up the same day.
They said the same day for a full (about $150) report might be possible but next day is more likely.

Call them yourself.

I would not mention the EGL report.
Why bother?
I'd prefer to be certain that the GIA report was not influenced one way or the other.

 

[strmrdr]

Id just send it to Richard S., Neil, Dave A. or Rockdoc for a full report.
It would be worth more to me than a gia report.

 

[Kaleigh]

Storm does have a point. If it were me that''s what I would do too.

 

[kenny]

Isn't it against PS rules to promote your own business here?
I could understand if YMA was asking about such services but the poster is not even asking about appraisals.

(S)he asked about getting a GIA report.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 10/28/2005 11:14:17 PM
Author: kenny
Isn't it against PS rules to promote your own business here?
I could understand if YMA was asking about such services but the poster is not even asking about appraisals.

(S)he asked about getting a GIA report.

Kenny,

I appreciate your first post here, but don't really get your second one, except that the comment wandered from the initial poster's query. Was anyone who was an appraiser here suggesting they be used instead of GIA, let alone themselves? (edited to add...oh, yes, and for those who could make ready travel to NYC and Carlsbad CA, you did offer them the worm hole options of same day service).

It occurs that Pricescope is a lot like Heaven, but could be like Hell, if you don't behave. Like the allegory of people with arms too long so that they cannot feed themselves, they can be well fed if they look after each other.

Of course, we don't have arms that are too long. And so, this makes the question of "enlightened self-interest" moot, and the possibility of Heaven on earth all the more real. And, I'm Jewish, making this a rather odd set of examples.

 

[Kaleigh]

YMA asked a question about how to get a diamond certed by GIA and he got valid answers to his question. The answers he recieved involved no self promotion at all. For my answer I was taking from personal experience when I bought an EGL OEC for my SIL and did not want to send it to GIA to be certed, rather I had it certed by a well known PS appraiser. It saved me a lot of time and money. And my SIL got her ring a whole lot quicker than if I had sent the stone to GIA.

 

[kenny]

I answered the poster's question by giving both of GIA's lab phone #s.
I also relayed my personal experience with GIA, which didn't take 6 weeks.

Instead of answering the question others redirected the poster to the service of another kind of business, and ones, I might add, that happen to have a relationship with PS.

I don't think that is in line with the sprit of PS, which I understand to be unbiased consumer education.

 

[MissAva]

Date: 10/28/2005 11:47:45 PM
Author: kenny
I answered the poster''s question by giving both of GIA''s lab phone #s.
I also relayed my personal experience with GIA, which didn''t take 6 weeks.

Instead of answering the question others redirected the poster to the service of another kind of business, and ones, I might add, that happen to have a relationship with PS.

I don''t think that is in line with the sprit of PS, which I understand to be unbiased consumer education.

Perhaps others felt educations could equal options.

 

[kenny]

Kaliegh
Clearly you are happy with the choice you made.
It was the right choice for you.
But still, you don't have a GIA report.
You don't care.
Others might care.
Some feel the GIA report is the gold standard.
YMA asked about how to send a stone to GIA.
Granola may be more healthy, but some people just want their Cheerios.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/28/2005 11:47:45 PM
Author: kenny
I answered the poster''s question by giving both of GIA''s lab phone #s.

I also relayed my personal experience with GIA, which didn''t take 6 weeks.


Instead of answering the question others redirected the poster to the service of another kind of business, and ones, I might add, that happen to have a relationship with PS.


I don''t think that is in line with the sprit of PS, which I understand to be unbiased consumer education.

I just stated what I would do in that situation.
If you have a problem with that well tough :}

I would take any of the appraisers mentioned reports when they are working for me over a gia cert any day in that situation.
Why? More information for less or the same amount of money.
Just as trustworthy if not more so in light of GIA''s recent problems.

I havent seen any of Marty''s reports to know what he puts on them but id take his over GIA''s too.

 

[kenny]

I am making no comparisons.
I am not dissing anyone.
You are inserting that implication; it did not come from me.

I'm only saying the poster asked about GIA. Period.
Then posters direct him/her to other services.


If somebody comes here asking about round do we tell them princess is what they should be buying?

 

[flutterby]

To answer the question, if you dont live near GIA your local jewler should be able to send it to them. I live in Chicago and my jeweler sent my ring for GIA certs (after initially just wanting a lab report, I felt I wanted GIA and mine is a colored stone). It took almost 5 weeks for a report.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/29/2005 12:00:48 AM
Author: kenny
I am making no comparisons.

I am not dissing anyone.

You are inserting that implication; it did not come from me.


I''m only saying the poster asked about GIA. Period.




If somebody comes here asking about round do we tell them princess is what they should be buying?

yea and if you noticed it was answered before i gave options.

it was actualy answered 3 times once by yourself.

otherwise id have linked the gia info first.

giving options is educational and what this forum is about.

No way, I''d tell them rounds are soo out you have to get an Asscher :}

 

[Regular Guy]

Something tells me we''re in circles, and no one''s convincing anybody of anything here.

Still, two points:

1)

Date: 10/28/2005 11:47:45 PM
Author: kenny

Instead of answering the question others redirected the poster to the service of another kind of business, and ones, I might add, that happen to have a relationship with PS.

I don''t think that is in line with the sprit of PS, which I understand to be unbiased consumer education.

None of us, including you, are paid, or represent anybody, when we make our comments, and so if we serve Pricescope, we are not self serving in doing so. Pricescope doesn''t employ us. We, like you, have some interest in sharing the wisdom we''ve learned here, and also, our good fortune with others. That''s why you''re here, right? Also,

2) You''ve noted:

"If somebody comes here asking about round do we tell them princess is what they should be buying?"

Actually, if you read here, we do. The point to address, though, is that you are genuine in your recommendation of GIA, you sought them out based on your value of their services, and you are happy to make it easy to help this person get to them. But, we could also respect that other people have other values, and are happy to share those. To them, your question should more properly be:

"If somebody comes here asking about round, and saying they''ve been shopping for cut and color..."

we might well them them to consider cut, by the way.

We could respect each other''s point of view that way.

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes Kenny, I chose not to get the GIA cert. For me, I didn't need it as I have had a lot of experience in the business and knew for this stone it just needed to be certed by a reputable appraiser. But for you to say I don't have a GIA cert and don't care, well you are wrong. I did what was right for me and my SIL. She also was able to get her ring by mothers day, and that was a biggie as she just adopted a baby boy. She lost her original OEC out of her setting and went for a long time without it, and I was happy to be able to find her a beautiful replacement.

 

[kenny]

I see the points you are making and do agree.
It is good to introduce options that we feel are better.

I guess I just have seen other forums self destruct when they turn into advertising for their vendors.
It starts in subtle ways.
I dont'' want to see that happen here.

I like this place.
There is lots of precious expertise and it has a real pro-consumer atmophere.
I guess I''m just hoping PS stays healthy and independent.
I mean no offence to anyone or any business.

And frankly I would use the services of the mentioned appraisers in a heartbeat.
I am a very skeptical guy but I get a very good feeling after reading their posts all these months.
And if someone asked for an appraiser I''d refer to them with no reservations.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 10/29/2005 12:36:19 AM
Author: kenny

I guess I just have seen other forums self destruct when they turn into advertising for their vendors.
It starts in subtle ways.
I dont'' want to see that happen here.


And frankly I would use the services of the mentioned appraisers in a heartbeat.
I am a very skeptical guy but I get a very good feeling after reading their posts all these months.
And if someone asked for an appraiser I''d refer to them with no reservations.

Careful, now, Bruce Banner probably said things like you''ve done, too, and look where that got him (he becomes the Incredible Hulk!)

Several of us have checked the length of your arms, and they have not changed in length one iota since the beginning of this thread.

So, sorry, we''ll have to evolve together.

 

[kenny]

Huh?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/29/2005 12:36:19 AM
Author: kenny
I see the points you are making and do agree.

It is good to introduce options that we feel are better.


I guess I just have seen other forums self destruct when they turn into advertising for their vendors.

As long as complaints are fairly heard and pressure is put on the vendor no matter who it is to resolve it then its not much of a problem.

The vendors here know I will become their worst nightmare if they dont fix it when they mess up.
Notice I said dont fix it.
Every vendor is going to mess up once in a while they are only groups of humans but those that act quickly and currect the problem are the ones worthy of support.
Those that dont well they dont last long around here....

At one time or another iv blasted most of the vendors here to correct a problem and have never been asked to shut up about it.
The day I am you will hear about it and it will be my last day here.
I dont see that day happening as long as Leonid and Irina are running things here.

Iv also never been asked not to recomend a vendor because they havent paid for advertising.
There are a few vendors that for the protection of consumers arent allowed to be mentioned here, a decision im 100% in agreement with.
Those vendors brought it on themselves thru there own actions.

Im glad your concerned about the forum and it would be nice to see more people feel that way instead of seeing that they can get by with or what they can take from the forum.

 

[Regular Guy]

Sorry if I''ve taken myself too seriously, as to think people actually read what I write, whiich can be thick sometimes. Was referrign to my first post in this thread, and the heaven metaphor.

 

[WinkHPD]

If you do not live near one of the labs I recommend you take it to a good local jeweler and ask him to send it in for you. He will have experience in the packaging and shipping of valuable stones and is charged a lower price for the cert than the public so that you end up paying the same as if you had done it yourself. (You can always call GIA and get a quote then verify the price with your jeweler to be sure.)

Wink