Believe it or not!

[oldminer]

We graded a 2ct round diamond a few weeks ago as GIA "J" color. It had no unusual nature or fluorescence. The client said that five years ago they were told "H" color. We showed them how we grade color, with GIA Master Diamonds and they could see the color was not equal to our GIA "H" Master stones. However, they were quite happy believing it was "H" and insisted that they wanted a major lab to grade the stone again.

The diamond was sent to a major lab in NYC, but not the GIA, because they take 6 weeks to do a grading report. The stone came back graded "H". Now the customer is so very pleased with the stone. They are not upset with our grading and they agree that they cannot understand why it got the "H", but in spite of all reality they like the stone better and want to dream on that it is indeed a GIA "H"... And it isn't. It never will be. But it is "H" on a piece of paper that cost them $130.

This is something that consumers need to truly contemplate and understand. There are major sources of diamonds flogging huge amounts of diamonds with other than GIA, AGS or AGA reports with color grades that are just wishful thinking. This fudging is big business and accounts for possibly the majority of the diamonds being sold today in the USA for engagement style rings. The diamond dealers know the diamonds are mis-graded. The retailers know, or avoid knowing, the diamonds are mis-graded, too. The reason the diamonds are way below Rap prices is not their spectacular "value", but the value based on misgrading.

I want consumers completely aware to get the grades of their diamonds in writing by the seller that the grade of color and clarity on their diamond is a GIA or GIA equivalent grade, not a different system's grade that simply uses the same letters or numbers as the GIA, but with a different basis of color and clarity grading. I have no idea what the legalities of all this is, but being aware will save many people from being badly abused.

I can't save everyone, but those who know can protect themselves better.

 

[geo10000]

David, I can't agree with you more. It is a sad reality of the jewelry industry when there is such blatant dishonesty amoungst some of these "spin off" labs. It is their attempt in obtaining business to be more liberal in their grading as it puts more money in their client's pocket and allows them to be so much more seemingly competitive. I have even had first hand experience of one of these labs actually doing a "diamond grading report" over the phone without ever seeing the diamond! My concern lies with the inconsistency of these labs. My experience however with the GIA Gem Trade Laboratories and the AGA labs has been consistently accurate. They are not perfect but they do a very good job as the "world court authority" on diamond grading.
Don't take this as only GIA and AGS reports are the only accurate ones out there. I am simply saying that there seems to be more inconsitency amoung many of these other labs.
Another point I would like to bring out here is that the consumer go to a qualified independant appraiser for verification of the grades and report.

 

[Rhino]

Hi Dave,

And they say ignorance is bliss ... well ... what would we call willful ignorance?

I don't get a chance to review too many EGL stones as I avoid them but recently had a call for a marquise and the nicest looking stone (according to the #'s) was this 1.32ct marquise graded by EGL as an F Si1.

The cut on the stone is really nice. 60 depth with a 58 table. Nice crown pavilion combo, 2:1 ratio. The color did not look like an F to me (against my masters)and the clarity ... well ... to call it an SI1 ... maaaaybe but a weak Si1 at that if not just a good Si2. In any case I was ready to send it back but for the cut and when I started looking at value noticed that I got it at more of a G Si2 value than an F SI1. The particular cutter I get many of my fancy stones from does grade them in house and prices them accordingly and the goods they carry that are EGL are ALWAYS priced lower.

Here are the scans I've got up thus far. You'll see the colorimeter also confirmed my assessment of it's color. If it wasn't valued at a G SI2 I would not have scanned this in at all for the client who's considering it.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/mq_1_32ct_f_si1.htm

What I feel is a disservice to people who are purchasing blindly is some chap would be left to believe he was getting the deal of the century on a *real* F SI1. That's why when I hear of deals that seem to be out of this world ... whenever I get to inspect the goods personally always find the reason why.

Peace,
Rhino