anyone ever heard of AIG lab?

[airborneangel]

When I baught my fiance''s ring the jeweler said that he didn''t have the cert (it was at one of the other stores) and that I should come back in a few days, as he would have them mail it to his store. When I went back and got the cert it wasn''t from one of the labs that I was expecting, i.e. GIA, AGS, EGL. It was from a lab called AIG or American International Gemologists. Obviously, this makes me very nervous. I did look online and found that, yes it is a lab, and that their gemologists are GIA trained, but still... I do have the 30 return policy, and I am having it independantly appraised, but was just wondering if any of you knowledgable folks have heard about this lab?

Also another question. With the other three c''s documented in very clear terms, the cut is not. The certificate doesn''t include the crown or pavillion angles. I would like to use this sites cut advisor but can not do so without those numbers. The salesman told me that it was an ideal cut diamond but I have no way of verifing this. I paid a lot of money (for my budget) and sacrificed clarity and color to size and cut. This stone is one of the Robins Brothers signiture diamonds with 98 facets instead of the traditional 58, which I''m sure helps the look of the diamond but does not mean that it is an ideal cut stone. I still don''t want to spend the money of an ideal cut on something that isn''t.

The cert reads:


Carat 1.00
Color H
clarity SI2
cut round echo brilliant
6.28 x 6.23 x 4.09 mm
depth 65.40%
Table 53.90%
Girdle medium/slightly thick faceted
cuelet none
polish very good
symmetry good +


The price for the stone was $6250, $7013.45 after ring and taxes.
Starting to feel way out of my league

, I''m waiting for the appointment with the appraiser. For what its worth everybody that I have shown the ring thinks it looks marvelous. Any comments would be helpfull. Hope someone here could help.

 

[denverappraiser]

airborneangel,

Welcome to Pricescope.

Make sure to get the appraisal done within the 30 day window and then don't stress about it too much. This is why they gave you the time and this is why you're hiring the appraiser. Here is some general advise on getting the most out of your appraisal session. AIG does not enjoy the same reputation as the labs you've listed, but this doesn't mean that they're wrong.

If the stone is mounted it is a little difficult for your appraiser to confirm or refute the claim of idealness in a precise way but they should be able to come pretty close.

You can use the search box near the top right corner of this page to find discussions about them but be careful not to confuse them with other companies that have the same acronym.

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

 

[airborneangel]

thank you for the response denverappraiser. After using this site to search for comparable rings I am coming up with similar numbers, as long as this diamond is very well cut. This site has been an amazing source of information, I only wish that I had found it before buying. Are all appraisers equal? Assume of coarse that they are certified gemologists?

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 1/8/2005 8

2:25 PM
Author: airborneangel

thank you for the response denverappraiser. After using this site to search for comparable rings I am coming up with similar numbers, as long as this diamond is very well cut. This site has been an amazing source of information, I only wish that I had found it before buying. Are all appraisers equal? Assume of coarse that they are certified gemologists?

Heavens no.

An appraiser is someone you are hiring to give you expert assistance about your property. For this to be worthwhile, the appraiser must understand the merchandise, understand the markets that are being discussed and be able to communicate their findings in a way that is useful. There are plenty of people who call themselves appraisers who seem to understand none of these things. Formal gemological training is often helpful for the first part of this equation but in no way addresses the other two areas. It's like asking which is the most important leg on a three legged stool.

Unfortunately gemological schools, like all other schools, can not guarantee the competence of their graduates. The student may or may not have actually learned the material during their tenure at school, and they may have forgotten some or all of it since. There may be important information that wasn't available at that time or that simply wasn't covered due to time constraints. Knowing everything about every stone on the earth is a pretty big body of knowledge and no school can really teach it. It's incumbent on the student to keep on learning forever and to research individual areas as questions arise during assignments. There are many fine gemological schools including GIA, Gem-A, Canadian Gemmological Society, HRD, AIGS, and many others. There are also a few that I wouldn't recommend. None of them will certify their graduates. It's certainly a good indication for an appraiser to have credentials from such schools but it's a beginning, not an end.

I realize that this all makes the shopping process difficult and I wish it weren't the case. As with every other professional service, the details matter.

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

 

[Moonlight Gemologist]

Moonlight Gemologist

Rough Rock

Total Posts: 1
Last Post: 1/24/2005
Member Since: 1/24/2005
Subscribe to this author

Yes, I have heard and used Aig Gem labs for my diamonds. I found out there are only Gia Graduate Gemologist doing their grading. Some of these Diamond experts have come from other labs, such as EGL, PGS, and GQI. I know they also do full certs for Robbins Brothers to supplement mini certs from GIA, EGL, and other large Labs. You must be in the Los Angeles area, I know they are a smaller laboratory nearby. They have been right on the mark, but they need to market themselves.
You must have bought the new ECHO. RB has been marketing their new dimonad cut on the radio, I have seen it and it is beautiful. I like the color and clairity you purchased, and as for the money, I have never seen someone go wrong at Robbins Brothers......

 

[norman_in_L.A.]

Hello airborneangel:

Write back with the AIG Report Number & we will send you the crown and pavilion information for your diamond. We can even e-mail the Sarin report to the gemologist/appraiser doing the appraisal for you.

Thanks for visiting our website. http://www.aiglabs.com


Norman Monteau
Laboratory Director