Get clarity photographs before you buy!

[niceice]

Those of you who are familiar with us are likely to be familiar with our pet peeve which is Internet Dealers who sell off scripts and who never see the diamonds that they sell... Here is a prime example of why we feel it is important for you as a consumer to (1) buy from a dealer who personally evaluates the diamonds that they sell (we're not the only one who does this); (2) provides detailed clarity photographs of the inclusions; and (3) is willing to lose a sale rather than sell a diamond that should never have been produced... We had this puppy pre-sold "off paper" but wanted to see it before it went to our client and boy are we glad that we did because according to the cutter "it's a gorgeous SI-1 that we would love!".

Here is a copy of the plotting diagram that we were faxed. It looks as if the primary inclusions are a diamond crystal in the center of the table facet and a small feather that crosses over the star and bezel main facets in the nine o'clock region.

Now here is a copy of the actual plotting diagram from the original diamond grading report, it shows a myriad of feathers on the top and bottom halves of the stone. If you were to fold the plotting diagrams over each other so that the crease in the paper was between the two halves you would see that the feathers line up with each other but this was not visible on the faxed copy of the lab report.

Now while we would have passed on the stone "off paper" if we'd been able to see all of the feathers plotted along the girdle edge, not everybody would have done so... Some people still would have purchased it thinking that all those feathers are pretty small and insignificant, but would you if you had access to a clarity photograph that showed you this:

Need we say more? Get those clarity photographs before you buy on-line! And if you're buying in a traditional brick and mortar environment, you shouldn't expect any less in terms of service, ask the jeweler to show you the inclusions through the GIA Gem Scope that is probably sitting on their front counter...

 

[Abazias]

Excellent point!

When a customer is considering an SI1 or SI2 diamond, especially if the diamond is graded by EGl, it is very important for the diamond dealer to make all the necessary arrangements to view the diamond in question before sending it to their client. An SI2 diamond might look eye-clean to one person and not to another. A picture does not lie. If a customer has any reservations about the clarity of a particular diamond, we are pleased to take a picture under our GIA microscope and email it to our customer.


Thanks,
Felicia

 

[DiamondExpert]

Your general point is well taken, i.e., that the crown and pavilion inclusion projections need to be checked for continuity, and the example you show has some unsavory (and probably surface-reaching) girdle feathers.

However, if I understand your description, the plots of crown and pavilion would be incorrectly matched if folded in the manner you suggest. When grading, the face up diagram is flipped top-to-bottom in producing the pavilion plot orientation - i.e., the crown 12 and 6 o'clock positions are exchanged in the pavilion plot, while the 9 and 3 o'clock positions remain the same in both plots.

This, however, does not detract from your main points that both plots have to be checked for matching girdle-area incusions, that FAXed plots are impossible to read, and that stones should be personally checked before shipping to the customer.

 

[magna2]

Unfortunately when diamond grading reports are faxed, the fax machine will tend not to pick up the lighter colors that are used to denote the various inclusions and hence a diamond will appear better than it actually is. For that reason, I would rather have vendors scan the actual grading report and then e-mail it to the buyer. Scanning an image will tend to provide the more complete picture of the diamond.