How to get GIA certification
- Thread starter sueg128
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Contact information for GIA Gem Trade Lab is at www.gia.edu
They have a lab in New York and a lab in Carlsbad CA. They will issue grading reports for anyone who brings them a stone and pays their fee.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
They have a lab in New York and a lab in Carlsbad CA. They will issue grading reports for anyone who brings them a stone and pays their fee.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
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If you are not in NY or LA you can also call and find out the fee, call local jewelers until you find one who will do it for the same price. They have more experience probably than you do at shipping diamonds. They pay less than you do if they are GIA clients so you pay the same and someone else does the work.
Wink
Wink
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Wink.
GIA changed their policies at the beginning of 2006 and all clients now pay the same fees, including consumers. It''s still, of course, possible that any particular jeweler would be willing to offer this service for free in the hope of earning future business from their customers, but I would not hold it against them if they expect to be paid for their time and expertise.
Sueg128,
Why do you want to do this?
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
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Well bummer, I did not know this. We used to do it as a service, charging only our actual cost and the postage and insurance. Only happened once or twice in the past few years, so it is good to know that they have changed their policy.
Currently I am recommending AGS to anyone who asks if they have a well cut diamond. I better ask them what their policy is too...
Wink (or maybe you already know and can tell me.)
Currently I am recommending AGS to anyone who asks if they have a well cut diamond. I better ask them what their policy is too...
Wink (or maybe you already know and can tell me.)
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Wink,
AGS Lab won''t accept stones directly from consumers.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
AGS Lab won''t accept stones directly from consumers.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
- Joined
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No.
GIA will only examine unmounted stones. Most appraisers are asked this question regularly and should be able to help you out with it.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
f0rbidden
Shiny_Rock
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So then, it must be a common thing to ask a store or retailer of diamond jewelry to send a ring directly to an appraiser after purchase, and if everything checks out the buyer will either pick it up at the appraiser, or arrange to have the ring shipped to them from the appraiser directly?
Just trying to figure out the best way to proceed - I am comfortable with my jeweler and I have no reason to believe they would do anything as underhanded as switching stones, but on the other hand, I feel the ''buyer beware'' addage is a good one to keep in mind and would feel better knowing it''s been checked and verified.
Just trying to figure out the best way to proceed - I am comfortable with my jeweler and I have no reason to believe they would do anything as underhanded as switching stones, but on the other hand, I feel the ''buyer beware'' addage is a good one to keep in mind and would feel better knowing it''s been checked and verified.
Richard Sherwood
Ideal_Rock
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It''s a common thing for internet vendors, less so for a bricks & mortar retail store.
They''re just now starting to get in the swing of things in this respect. Some do it without hesitation, others are a little non-plussed that you would ask this of them. Many will ask that you pay for the ring, and then take care of these details yourself. The most important thing is that you make sure you have a reasonable right of return period for ANY reason.
Some internet vendors give up to thirty days, which is extremely generous. You will find a lot of retailers more comfortable with 10-15 days, and some not willing to do it at all, offering only store credit if you''re not happy with the diamond.
Make sure you''re clear on this point with your jeweler before purchasing. Any hesitation on their part might be perfectly innocent, but would make me a little wary.
f0rbidden
Shiny_Rock
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funny that you should mention being nonplussed about the request. my jeweler said " you''re going to receive the GIA certificate for the diamond and we''ll provide an appraisal for your insurance company." they were surprised, I think, that I asked that the diamond be sent for appraisal before mounting it in the setting.
I''ve reread their return policy and I understand that my ring is being custom made and is therefore not returnable, but the diamond should be. I will clarify that point with them today - before any additional payment is made towards my purchase, before it''s too late if there are any problems.
Thanks for the great advice!
I''ve reread their return policy and I understand that my ring is being custom made and is therefore not returnable, but the diamond should be. I will clarify that point with them today - before any additional payment is made towards my purchase, before it''s too late if there are any problems.
Thanks for the great advice!
The Joker
Shiny_Rock
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Wink:
This is how I got familiar with how to send a stone to GIA GTL for a "Colored diamond grading report". Some of the "Many" pictures I took of my diamond are found in this thread.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/craterofdiamondsstatepark-com.40055/
If you would like a copy of the entire story, let me know and I''ll snail mail you a copy.
I''m always happy to talk about the day "The Joker" got lucky.
Joker....
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Thanks for the link to the thread. I enjoyed reading about it. Do you have Mr. Hoefer''s incredible treatise on colored diamonds? It is a ten or twenty pound book with tons of pictures. It is not light reading, but very educational for the dedicated colored diamond buff.
Wink
Wink
Sorry no response for awhile....thanks to all the replies. I have an ering now that I want to update. The stone can be removed from the setting for grading (actually I would prefer this), since I am getting a new mounting.
My stone is 15 years old and was never graded. I thought that a grading from GIA or AGL would be better than a private grading/appraisal. Am I right? I think that the cost is about the same.
My stone is 15 years old and was never graded. I thought that a grading from GIA or AGL would be better than a private grading/appraisal. Am I right? I think that the cost is about the same.
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