GIA Clarity Grading?

[Marge_C]

Hello there.

I have a question about GIA clarity grading.

I recently purchased a 3X .35 GIA E/IF to complete a trio of ear studs. BEAUTIFUL blingy stone with HCA .07. Then I louped it at 10X and... there is an indented natural that reflects from the bottom, a red needle, and a white blobby thing that looks like a calcite crystal (I'm not sure if diamonds can be included with calcite) all in the middle of the stone which makes it look just like a VVS2 plot.

I called a customer rep. who said that he was a GIA grad. He said that they grade with extremely bright light that may mask inclusions due to RI, and from the top down only. He also said that there was no side illumination used in grading, and although I asked twice, would not answer my question of whether darkfield illumination is used.

I am interested in colored stones so I have an inkling, a 10&20 loupe, and a microscope.

The two other GIA E/IFs are indeed IF.

So...

Should I be able to see any inclusions in an IF at 10X in any lighting conditions?

Does GIA use darkfield illumination for diamond clarity grading?

This stone is still within the return period, and I paid for an E/IF and feel like it is not on the mark.((But oh that .07 HCA ))

Monday I'm taking it to my appraiser for a second opinion and possibly a trip to a grading lab.

I also cancelled delivery of a larger stone that's also graded IF due to budding mistrust of the lab. Is this warranted? I'm not paying IF prices for VVS2 quality, and I'd rather hit B&M inventories than spend my seven year itch money returning stone after stone.

Is this a typical experience for those who are more familiar with the ropes?

Whew.

Thanks,

Marge

 

[mastercut]

No, nothing internal is allowed, only some external blemishes. Of course any good lab uses darkfield illumination. What the customer rep. says is a rubbish. Well, it happends that a human being makes a mistake (overlooks something) in grading. But even so it is not anything normal, but a mistake. I would return it anyway.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Grading is only done from the top of the stone, but I hope one of the appraisers comes and answers your question in more detail.

 

[Marge_C]

Thanks for the replies.

There's a lot of beefy tidbits coming up to my right in the similar topics section.

I originally found PS due to an internet search on 35.5/41.2/62.3 3X grade diamonds. All of the beautiful pics. combined with the wealth of info. prompted my membership.

Caveat Emptor

 

[kenny]

A $10 20x loupe will reveal less than a $400 10x.

Magnification has nothing to do with optical quality or resolution.

 

[2023]

Is this for real?

 

[denverappraiser]

Grading is only done from the top of the stone, but I hope one of the appraisers comes and answers your question in more detail.

Mastercut said it well up above. Graded faceup only. No internal inclulsions visible to a trained grader at 10x. Darkfield illumination.

 

[Marge_C]

For a twenty dollar loupe it's working! Interesting to think what I would see with something more James Bond.

 

[denverappraiser]

If you’re unhappy with the stone, take it back for THAT reason if no other. You’re spending a lot of money and you should get what you want.

That said, the definition of an IF is a stone that GIA is likely to call an IF if submitted. That’s not exactly the same as a stone that they called IF sometime in the past, but that's a pretty darned good place to start. If you don’t trust the lab, find someone you do trust. It’s a highly competitive business. Maybe consider an AGSL graded stone?

 

[nehalkind]

I would suggest

a)Verify laser inscription registory number and verify a report on GIA website or Guege of the stone to confirm if the stone is the same which certificate explain. as i dont thank such easily visible inclusions GIA allows in IF. it allows only natural. the natural which mostly located near girdle and doesnot affect the outline.

b) the decision of visiting lab is correct. they will be perfectly able to guide.

c) while posting you may paste picture of natural so one can guide better.

d) kindly clean the diamond in acid, it might has dusts like things about other inclusions.

 

[Christina...]

My VVS1 lists a natural and a pinpoint, I couldn't locate either with a 20x loupe.

 

[Marge_C]

Thanks again for the replies. The appraisal came down on the side of the certificate. He suggested that my twenty dollar loupe may be stronger than the 10X stated due to manufacturing error margins. The inclusions are there, only not visible when dialed out to 10X with good equipment. What a wake up call. I'm going to invest in a higher quality loupe.

Marge