Bought an AGS diamond, nervous if it''s actually certified now. Help!

[Stevesanders808]

Recently purchased an engagement ring, AGS certified .71 diamond. Ideal cut, G color and SI 1. AGS cert. # is 0010322709 Went wedding band shopping today and had a chance to put the stone under a microscope. Jeweler said "most" AGS stones will have the certification number enscribed on the girdle. Neither he nor I could find any number on the girdle.

So I''m a little nervous at this point. How do I know I really got an AGS stone? I received a couple documents stating AGS certification but who''s to say that even matches the stone I received?

Thanks for your help!

 

[kenny]

Measuring the dimensions, weighing it, and especially matching inclusions to the plots on the report are a more sure way to match the stone to the report than an an inscription on the girdle.
Those laser inscriptions can be removed, or forged or may never have been there if the customer didn't want to pay for them.
Some cleaning processes can remove the embedded graphite, which makes the inscription hard to see.
The jeweler should know this.

 

[Stevesanders808]

Thanks for the info Kenny. I guess my question is: Will an AGS stone have it''s certification number enscribed on the girdle or somewhere else? If this is common practice from AGS then the stone I have is misrepresented.

 

[kenny]

I don't know whether AGS laser inscribes every diamond they grade. Someone here may know.
GIA only does it if the customer wants to pay for that service.

Again, an SI1 should have inclusions you can see with a 10x loupe.
Match them to your report.

This snip from their site leads me to believe they may not laser inscribe every diamond they grade because it starts with the word, If.

Link

snip

If your diamond has a laser inscription take special care when handling and caring for it. Preservation of the inscription is of the utmost importance, so proper handling techniques should be followed. Avoid such procedures as stripping, or polishing with a harsh brush embedded with a condensed cell compound, since these methods will wear away the embedded graphite. Instead, try alternative methods to avoid damage or removal of your inscription: steam cleaning, mild pickling, polishing with a fine brush, and ultrasonic cleaning.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Date: 1/1/2010 5:46:22 PM
Author: Stevesanders808

Thanks for the info Kenny. I guess my question is: Will an AGS stone have it''s certification number enscribed on the girdle or somewhere else? If this is common practice from AGS then the stone I have is misrepresented.

Not all AGS stones have the number inscribed on the stone. I have an AGS stone and there is no number on the diamond itself. I don''t know how ''common'' this practice is but it certainly doesn''t happen all the time.

If your jeweler deals in AGS or GIA stones, he should know that and he should have shared it with you.

As Kenny said, the best way to know if your stone matches the cert is to have it verified by an independent appraiser - certainly not your jeweler.

I''m sure the stone probably matches the cert but for your absolute peace of mind, find an appraiser. In the meantime, don''t fret!

 

[Stevesanders808]

Thanks guys, that''s reassuring news. I''ll need to find an appraiser like you mentioned just to make sure everything is on the up and up, so to speak.

Oh, I''ve had quotes from $75 to $135 to get it appraised. What''s a reasonable price to pay?

Thanks again!

 

[kenny]

I once paid a reputable Los Angeles jeweler $25 to just tell me if the stone matched the report.
I just called him on the phone and was honest, "I just bought a diamond on the Internet with these specs, how much would you charge me to verify it's real and matches the report?"

He looked at it with his microscope to match the inclusions, touched it with a diamond tester and measured it with a calipers and weighed it on a scale.
Took all of 5 minutes.

Yeah Yeah Yeah, appraisers can do so much more.
They are legitimate professionals worth what they charge.
If you want/need those other services the use a professional appraiser.
But if all you want/need is to verify the stone is the one in the report that may be good enough.

Miss Got Rocks you wrote this but I did not say that: "As Kenny said, the best way to know if your stone matches the cert is to have it verified by an independent appraiser - certainly not your jeweler."

Frankly, anyone with vision and a $10 10x loupe should be able to match inclusions in an SI1 themselves.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Date: 1/1/2010 7:15:39 PM
Author: kenny
I once paid a reputable Los Angeles jeweler $25 to just tell me if the stone matched the report.
I just called him on the phone and was honest, ''I just bought a diamond on the Internet with these specs, how much would you charge me to verify it''s real and matches the report?''

He looked at it with his microscope to match the inclusions, touched it with a diamond tester and measured it with a calipers and weighed it on a scale.
Took all of 5 minutes.

Yeah Yeah Yeah, appraisers can do so much more.
They are legitimate professionals worth what they charge.
If you want/need those other services the use a professional appraiser.
But if all you want/need is to verify the stone is the one in the report that may be good enough.

Miss Got Rocks you wrote this but I did not say that: ''As Kenny said, the best way to know if your stone matches the cert is to have it verified by an independent appraiser - certainly not your jeweler.''

Frankly, anyone with vision and a $10 10x loupe should be able to match inclusions in an SI1 themselves.

You are absolutely correct and please accept my apologies. I took a phone call in the midst of that post and lost my train of thought. I meant to say ''the best way......'' as coming from me and meant to reference something else you said. It all got comingled! Sorry!

 

[kenny]

No prob!