GIA Certificate Query

[gutzy333]

Hi There

I have seen the GIA certificate for the diamond I am purcashing however having had a good read on this website I''ve realised that there is some information missing on the certificate.

I know its an authentic certificate as our family friends have sold and are setting my engagement ring, however I wondered why my certificate doesn''t have the cut grade on it or the pavilion measurements?

This certificate does date back to 2003 so I was wondering if it was perhaps because the format of the certificates were different back then?

Is someone able to help answer thie query? I have sent an email back to our family friends querying the same thing but they are currently on leave so I thought I''d ask the question on here.

I appreciate all you resposnes.

thanks
Stefanie

 

[JulieN]

yes, they look different from the ones being issued now.

notably, no cut grade and no proportions

 

[DBM]

cut grades only began about a year ago. you can check the authenticity of the report specs though on the GIA website if you have the report number and the diamond weight

 

[gutzy333]

Thanks for that info - so in terms of finding out the cut grade and pavilion and crown measurements - should I be asking our jewellers for that? Will they have that information even though the GIA Certificate doesn''t?

Thanks
Stefanie

 

[hikerchick]

Ask the jeweler for a sarin report, this will give you all the cut numbers.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 1/16/2007 4:56:38 PM
Author: hikerchick
Ask the jeweler for a sarin report, this will give you all the cut numbers.

...though only extraordinary jewelers would have the equipment on premises to provide this. Ask, of course...they may have a "guy" that they can go to, to get this. DC area has less than 5 such machines, for example, I''m pretty sure.

 

[belle]

Date: 1/16/2007 4:55:12 PM
Author: gutzy333
Thanks for that info - so in terms of finding out the cut grade and pavilion and crown measurements - should I be asking our jewellers for that? Will they have that information even though the GIA Certificate doesn''t?

Thanks
Stefanie

if there is no cut grade on the report, there is no cut grade.(period!) a ''cut grade'' can only be issued by the labratory doing the grading. there are those who may try to tell you ''oh, this stone would get *this or that* grade if it had been sent to xxx lab.'' but you will have to take that info with a grain of salt. there is no way to know what grade a stone would be given if not sent to the lab that issues the grade.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/16/2007 7:05:30 PM
Author: belle
if there is no cut grade on the report, there is no cut grade.(period!) a ''cut grade'' can only be issued by the labratory doing the grading. there are those who may try to tell you ''oh, this stone would get *this or that* grade if it had been sent to xxx lab.'' but you will have to take that info with a grain of salt. there is no way to know what grade a stone would be given if not sent to the lab that issues the grade.

Ditto.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 1/16/2007 7:12:36 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 1/16/2007 7:05:30 PM
Author: belle
if there is no cut grade on the report, there is no cut grade.(period!) a ''cut grade'' can only be issued by the labratory doing the grading. there are those who may try to tell you ''oh, this stone would get *this or that* grade if it had been sent to xxx lab.'' but you will have to take that info with a grain of salt. there is no way to know what grade a stone would be given if not sent to the lab that issues the grade.

Ditto.

Girls, I''m not sure if I''m getting this emphasis. If you could choose between a contemporary GIA cert graded "excellent," but with an HCA of 4.5 (or some other mediocre score, which we know it can get), or an older GIA cert, and measurements from a high quality sarin that gives it under 2...I''d go for the latter, wouldn''t you?

 

[belle]

Date: 1/16/2007 7:35:29 PM
Author: Regular Guy

Date: 1/16/2007 7:12:36 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 1/16/2007 7:05:30 PM
Author: belle
if there is no cut grade on the report, there is no cut grade.(period!) a ''cut grade'' can only be issued by the labratory doing the grading. there are those who may try to tell you ''oh, this stone would get *this or that* grade if it had been sent to xxx lab.'' but you will have to take that info with a grain of salt. there is no way to know what grade a stone would be given if not sent to the lab that issues the grade.

Ditto.

Girls, I''m not sure if I''m getting this emphasis. If you could choose between a contemporary GIA cert graded ''excellent,'' but with an HCA of 4.5 (or some other mediocre score, which we know it can get), or an older GIA cert, and measurements from a high quality sarin that gives it under 2...I''d go for the latter, wouldn''t you?

the ''emphasis'' was to the question asked that i quoted and answered ira, nothing more.
but, in response to your question yes, i would take the latter. with an idealscope image of course.

 

[Ellen]

Question. If no new cert is obtained, would it cause any problems down the road with a possible upgrade? Just a thought.

And yeah, what belle said.

 

[niceice]

The GIA only recently began reporting the average crown and pavilion angle measurements on their lab reports. The addition of an overall cut grade by the GIA is a recent addition as well. Regardless of the fact that new GIA lab reports provide the average crown and pavilion angle measurements, I still like to see a Sarin, OGI, or Helium facet-by-facet graph of the diamond in order to determine how precisely each section has been crafted. Keep in mind that an average crown angle of 34.5 degrees can be the average of a tighter range like 34.3 - 34.7 degrees or a broader range like 33.5 - 35.5 and better light return will be found with the first option, providing of course that the pavilion angle is crafted with the same precision.

While diamonds don''t mold or get stale like a loaf of bread, the 2003 lab report gives me reason to pause. Depending on when the diamond was graded in 2003, the diamond hasn''t sold in 3 - 4 years and that is kind of unusual. I wouldn''t blink at a lab report that is a year or two, but three to four? It might be worth having the diamond sent back through the laboratory to ensure that the current grade remains as previously accessed.

 

[gutzy333]

Thanks for all that information - in fact you raised a good point.............was does it necessarily mean if the diamond I am purchasing has a 2003 GIA Certificate.

Does that mean no one has wanted it for this long a period??? is this a usual occurence?

Thanks again
Stef