Fake GIA Reports?

[harry]

I don''t want to sound paranoid, but it seems to me that the GIA report is just a report printed on a piece of paper. Does anyone ever wonder about it''s authenticity? I would think that it would not be very difficult for a dishonest jeweler to produce a fake GIA report. The same goes with the AGS and Safin reports. Unless the analysis is done "live" in front of you, how can you be sure these reports correspond to the stone you picked?

Harry

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Fake GIA reports are pretty easy to spot. They usually are doctored up Xerox copies. The originals are on high security laminate paper with holographic logos.

As far as telling if the report corresponds to the stone, any gemologist or professional dealer could tell you by the characteristics listed. No two diamonds will have the same characteristics.

 

[canadianice]

I'm looking at the GIA report for the diamond I recently purchased, right now...

First, a GIA report isn't simply printed on a piece of paper. There are numerous security features, including a hologram, microprint lines, and a security screen to prevent duplication and modification.

The paper is fully laminated, and the report itself is on substantial, nearly corrugated paper.

The report also claims to "exceed document security industry standards".

New GIA reports with these features came into play on January 1 2000.

Hope this helps!

 

[harry]

Thanks Richard and canadianice. I do have some follow up questions though. I would think that someone with access to professional printing equipment can produce a genuine looking GIA report. The fake GIA may not be as perfect as the original, but lamination, corrugated paper, holograms, microprint lines aren't that sophisticated, are they?

I guess I'm just wondering if this is something to watch out for and the likeliness that a genuine looking GIA report may be a fake one.

 

[niceice]

It is possible to fake anything, which is why the various laboratories have implimented a variety of "security features" but those are good if somebody knows what they are looking for and the average consumer doesn't. The best thing to do if you are concerned is to contact the laboratory that issued the report and ask them to confirm the characteristics listed on the report. We have advised people to do this in the past and the laboratories seem quite willing to accomodate their request. Be advised that the labs will only confirm the information that you provide, they will not volunteer anything - or at least they aren't supposed to by their own policy. So you can call them and provide them with a lab report number and say "it says here that the diamond weighs 1.24 carats and is of VS-2 clarity and F color with no fluorescence and measures 6.54 - 6.57 x 4.56 mm and has a total depth of 61.8% with a 57% table with a thin to medium, faceted girdle and no culet and has excellent polish and symmetry" and they'll say yes or no, etc.

 

[RubyBleu]

Dude...

The amount of time and energy required to successfully fake (using the latest techniques etc) a GIA report would be cost prohibitive....I mean, basically, to make money a guy would have to be going for a pretty big swindle, but anything significant enough should be easily spotted ie, your diamond is q color, and your cert says it's an F - pretty obvious... so it just doesn't happen like that.

RB

 

[trichrome]

By the way,

Does anyone has a picture of a GIA laser inscription???

Trichrome.