GIA sealed packaging

[rkuk]

Hi all,

Does every GIA diamond come in a sealed proof package? So for example if I arrived at a vendors and wanted to see the stone in it's original packaging and watch the stone being set, should I expect to see it in the sealed packaging? A vendor has told me GIA doesn't make the sealed pack diamonds, it will come in normal packaging with the certificate. Just checking.

Thanks!

 

[Texas Leaguer]

GIA does not normally seal the diamonds they grade. Some merchant might, but that would be sort of a red flag. As a consumer you need to be able to see the diamond in normal conditions before being able to determine if it is right for you.

If as a buyer you are prohibited or even discouraged from examining the diamond outside of sealed packaging, I would be very cautious.

 

[rkuk]

Thanks @Texas Leaguer, I was partly concerned the other way! I read on the GIA website about the packaging, so thought I should expect to see the stone in the little packet. I had already wondered 'how can the jeweller examine it when in a packet' - that's a bit of a catch 22 situation.

Anyway, it will be sealed, and I guess the other safety net is checking the inscription. I just wanted to make sure the stone is:
a. the genuine stone,
b. new

Any other tips regarding authenticity?

 

[rockysalamander]

Thanks @Texas Leaguer, I was partly concerned the other way! I read on the GIA website about the packaging, so thought I should expect to see the stone in the little packet. I had already wondered 'how can the jeweller examine it when in a packet' - that's a bit of a catch 22 situation.

Anyway, it will be sealed, and I guess the other safety net is checking the inscription. I just wanted to make sure the stone is:
a. the genuine stone,
b. new

Any other tips regarding authenticity?

You can confirm that the inscription matches a certification. Have a look online to see what font GIA uses. The vendor should also be able to show you the grade setting inclusions to confirm the plot matches the stone. Both of these will require they show you the diamond under 20-40x. After the diamond is set, you can do the same process (although part of the number might be blocked by the setting). Scope and check diamond number when checked-in and when checked-out. That's my mantra.

There is no way to confirm it is "new" unless it was a custom cut stone or branded stone and the vendor can give you that history. Any diamond can be sent to GIA to get re-certified and that then becomes the "new" date for that diamond.

 

[rkuk]

Thanks @rockysalamander good tips, and interesting point on how the stone can be re-certified to gain the new date. Thanks for that.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

I would recommend you get an independent verification from a qualified third party (not connected with the sale or the seller) gemologist before you are fully committed to the purchase. He/she can verify the diamond as matching the GIA report and also tell you things about the diamond that the seller may or may not have mentioned.

 

[WinkHPD]

Back in the bad old days, when people who were lady's shoe salesmen one week and "expert" diamond investment salesmen the next week, many vendors were selling their investment packages in sealed containers. Break the seal and break the deal, no buy back or trade ups. Of course, most of them were selling at more than you would pay a retail jeweler, but there was no internet to check the pricing with, and the RAP sheet was just getting started. Sealed packages were, and are, in my opinion, a very shaky deal.

The investment craziness drove the price of a 1 ct D-IF with GIA report from about 4k in the early 1970's to $65,000 per carat between dealers in the NY Diamond Dealer's Club in February of 1980. The price then crashed along with the price of gold and silver.

I was involved as an expert witness in the Federal Court case against De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc. Absolutely no relationship with De Beers Consolidated Mines, LTD, the real De Beers. These con artists had sold a package of twelve diamonds to my client for X number of dollars and he had paid all but $18,000 of the amount when the Feds raided their office in Scottsdale, AZ and found twelve empty parcel papers with his name on them. They agreed to provide twelve diamonds of the agreed upon value to my client, all he had to do was pay the $18,000 balance.

After inspecting the diamonds I told him I could provide 12 decently cut diamonds of the sizes, and claimed colors and clarities for retail at less than the $18,000 he still owed. I recommended he walk. He did, and when we stopped at the US Post office and met with the postal inspectors I then found out I was working for a client who had already promised to testify against the bad guys. Since I was the only gemologist who had inspected the diamonds in the offices of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc, I was hired as the expert witness.

When it came time to go to trial, I was scheduled to go with my client on a Wednesday in his nice twin engine Cessna that we had made the first trip in. I got a call the day before departure and was told my testimony would not be until the following Monday and not to come with them on Wednesday.

The Cessna went down and all aboard were killed. The plane was flying in instrument conditions and the backup vacuum pump failed, meaning there was no artificial horizon and Cessna eventually paid his family many millions of dollars since there was no warning light when the original vacuum pump failed.

At the time I did not know that. I thought it was sabotage and I notified the FAA. I snuck into town on a different flight under an assumed name and showed up at the prosecutor's office Monday morning, having also stayed at a different hotel than the one being provided by the Feds.

I did not actually get to testify until Wednesday. When the trial was over, one of the principles went to prison for a few years, but one of the jurists was unwilling to vote guilty for the head honcho, he just seemed to nice to her to actually have been guilty.

Sorry for the thread jack. Stay away from sealed packages and the folks who try to sell them. If you can not touch it, look at it and inspect it outside the sealed package, buy somewhere else.

Wink

 

[MarionC]

Wink, amazing story!!! Glad you were not in that plane.

 

[rockysalamander]

Back in the bad old days, when people who were lady's shoe salesmen one week and "expert" diamond investment salesmen the next week, many vendors were selling their investment packages in sealed containers. Break the seal and break the deal, no buy back or trade ups. Of course, most of them were selling at more than you would pay a retail jeweler, but there was no internet to check the pricing with, and the RAP sheet was just getting started. Sealed packages were, and are, in my opinion, a very shaky deal.

The investment craziness drove the price of a 1 ct D-IF with GIA report from about 4k in the early 1970's to $65,000 per carat between dealers in the NY Diamond Dealer's Club in February of 1980. The price then crashed along with the price of gold and silver.

I was involved as an expert witness in the Federal Court case against De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc. Absolutely no relationship with De Beers Consolidated Mines, LTD, the real De Beers. These con artists had sold a package of twelve diamonds to my client for X number of dollars and he had paid all but $18,000 of the amount when the Feds raided their office in Scottsdale, AZ and found twelve empty parcel papers with his name on them. They agreed to provide twelve diamonds of the agreed upon value to my client, all he had to do was pay the $18,000 balance.

After inspecting the diamonds I told him I could provide 12 decently cut diamonds of the sizes, and claimed colors and clarities for retail at less than the $18,000 he still owed. I recommended he walk. He did, and when we stopped at the US Post office and met with the postal inspectors I then found out I was working for a client who had already promised to testify against the bad guys. Since I was the only gemologist who had inspected the diamonds in the offices of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc, I was hired as the expert witness.

When it came time to go to trial, I was scheduled to go with my client on a Wednesday in his nice twin engine Cessna that we had made the first trip in. I got a call the day before departure and was told my testimony would not be until the following Monday and not to come with them on Wednesday.

The Cessna went down and all aboard were killed. The plane was flying in instrument conditions and the backup vacuum pump failed, meaning there was no artificial horizon and Cessna eventually paid his family many millions of dollars since there was no warning light when the original vacuum pump failed.

At the time I did not know that. I thought it was sabotage and I notified the FAA. I snuck into town on a different flight under an assumed name and showed up at the prosecutor's office Monday morning, having also stayed at a different hotel than the one being provided by the Feds.

I did not actually get to testify until Wednesday. When the trial was over, one of the principles went to prison for a few years, but one of the jurists was unwilling to vote guilty for the head honcho, he just seemed to nice to her to actually have been guilty.

Sorry for the thread jack. Stay away from sealed packages and the folks who try to sell them. If you can not touch it, look at it and inspect it outside the sealed package, buy somewhere else.

Wink

Talk about a crazy close call! Glad you are still with us!

 

[rkuk]

Wow wink!! Call that fate or destiny!!
I've just got side tracked googling the GIA inscriptions...it looks as they can be faked too! Jeeez. Naturally a fake product from a vendor would crush their reputation, and they seem to have a very positive one. Communications has been very good so far too. I'm just asking you guys everything! I think it would be hard but not impossible to detect a fake inscription.

As rocky said, inscription and looking for the inclusions to marry with the GIA drawing, and the weight should help!

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Wow wink!! Call that fate or destiny!!
I've just got side tracked googling the GIA inscriptions...it looks as they can be faked too! Jeeez. Naturally a fake product from a vendor would crush their reputation, and they seem to have a very positive one. Communications has been very good so far too. I'm just asking you guys everything! I think it would be hard but not impossible to detect a fake inscription.

As rocky said, inscription and looking for the inclusions to marry with the GIA drawing, and the weight should help!

That's why the independent gemologist is a smart safeguard. They can match the diamond against the stone plot and details on the report and protect you from misrepresentation.

The seller may be completely legit, but getting an independent assessment just confirms it and removes any doubt about the transaction. Peace of mind does not cost very much.

 

[Wewechew]

Back in the bad old days, when people who were lady's shoe salesmen one week and "expert" diamond investment salesmen the next week, many vendors were selling their investment packages in sealed containers. Break the seal and break the deal, no buy back or trade ups. Of course, most of them were selling at more than you would pay a retail jeweler, but there was no internet to check the pricing with, and the RAP sheet was just getting started. Sealed packages were, and are, in my opinion, a very shaky deal.

The investment craziness drove the price of a 1 ct D-IF with GIA report from about 4k in the early 1970's to $65,000 per carat between dealers in the NY Diamond Dealer's Club in February of 1980. The price then crashed along with the price of gold and silver.

I was involved as an expert witness in the Federal Court case against De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc. Absolutely no relationship with De Beers Consolidated Mines, LTD, the real De Beers. These con artists had sold a package of twelve diamonds to my client for X number of dollars and he had paid all but $18,000 of the amount when the Feds raided their office in Scottsdale, AZ and found twelve empty parcel papers with his name on them. They agreed to provide twelve diamonds of the agreed upon value to my client, all he had to do was pay the $18,000 balance.

After inspecting the diamonds I told him I could provide 12 decently cut diamonds of the sizes, and claimed colors and clarities for retail at less than the $18,000 he still owed. I recommended he walk. He did, and when we stopped at the US Post office and met with the postal inspectors I then found out I was working for a client who had already promised to testify against the bad guys. Since I was the only gemologist who had inspected the diamonds in the offices of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc, I was hired as the expert witness.

When it came time to go to trial, I was scheduled to go with my client on a Wednesday in his nice twin engine Cessna that we had made the first trip in. I got a call the day before departure and was told my testimony would not be until the following Monday and not to come with them on Wednesday.

The Cessna went down and all aboard were killed. The plane was flying in instrument conditions and the backup vacuum pump failed, meaning there was no artificial horizon and Cessna eventually paid his family many millions of dollars since there was no warning light when the original vacuum pump failed.

At the time I did not know that. I thought it was sabotage and I notified the FAA. I snuck into town on a different flight under an assumed name and showed up at the prosecutor's office Monday morning, having also stayed at a different hotel than the one being provided by the Feds.

I did not actually get to testify until Wednesday. When the trial was over, one of the principles went to prison for a few years, but one of the jurists was unwilling to vote guilty for the head honcho, he just seemed to nice to her to actually have been guilty.

Sorry for the thread jack. Stay away from sealed packages and the folks who try to sell them. If you can not touch it, look at it and inspect it outside the sealed package, buy somewhere else.

Wink

You have the best stories!

 

[metall]

Back in the bad old days, when people who were lady's shoe salesmen one week and "expert" diamond investment salesmen the next week, many vendors were selling their investment packages in sealed containers. Break the seal and break the deal, no buy back or trade ups. Of course, most of them were selling at more than you would pay a retail jeweler, but there was no internet to check the pricing with, and the RAP sheet was just getting started. Sealed packages were, and are, in my opinion, a very shaky deal.

The investment craziness drove the price of a 1 ct D-IF with GIA report from about 4k in the early 1970's to $65,000 per carat between dealers in the NY Diamond Dealer's Club in February of 1980. The price then crashed along with the price of gold and silver.

I was involved as an expert witness in the Federal Court case against De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc. Absolutely no relationship with De Beers Consolidated Mines, LTD, the real De Beers. These con artists had sold a package of twelve diamonds to my client for X number of dollars and he had paid all but $18,000 of the amount when the Feds raided their office in Scottsdale, AZ and found twelve empty parcel papers with his name on them. They agreed to provide twelve diamonds of the agreed upon value to my client, all he had to do was pay the $18,000 balance.

After inspecting the diamonds I told him I could provide 12 decently cut diamonds of the sizes, and claimed colors and clarities for retail at less than the $18,000 he still owed. I recommended he walk. He did, and when we stopped at the US Post office and met with the postal inspectors I then found out I was working for a client who had already promised to testify against the bad guys. Since I was the only gemologist who had inspected the diamonds in the offices of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Inc, I was hired as the expert witness.

When it came time to go to trial, I was scheduled to go with my client on a Wednesday in his nice twin engine Cessna that we had made the first trip in. I got a call the day before departure and was told my testimony would not be until the following Monday and not to come with them on Wednesday.

The Cessna went down and all aboard were killed. The plane was flying in instrument conditions and the backup vacuum pump failed, meaning there was no artificial horizon and Cessna eventually paid his family many millions of dollars since there was no warning light when the original vacuum pump failed.

At the time I did not know that. I thought it was sabotage and I notified the FAA. I snuck into town on a different flight under an assumed name and showed up at the prosecutor's office Monday morning, having also stayed at a different hotel than the one being provided by the Feds.

I did not actually get to testify until Wednesday. When the trial was over, one of the principles went to prison for a few years, but one of the jurists was unwilling to vote guilty for the head honcho, he just seemed to nice to her to actually have been guilty.

Sorry for the thread jack. Stay away from sealed packages and the folks who try to sell them. If you can not touch it, look at it and inspect it outside the sealed package, buy somewhere else.

Wink

Wow! It's like reading a wild west novel!!

 

[OoohShiny]

An evening meal at a restaurant with Wink would never be boring!

 

[WinkHPD]

Thank you all for your comments. I have led a very blessed life and had a lot of fun. The best part is that I am still having a lot of fun and doing what I love.

Wink

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Thank you all for your comments. I have led a very blessed life and had a lot of fun. The best part is that I am still having a lot of fun and doing what I love.

Wink

Live long and prosper Wink.