HRD Revisited

[cowboystu]

I have read the posts stating that HRD is a respectable cert...however, my concerns come into play when I found out that HRD''s come in a sealed small plastic package. You cannot open this package to look at the stone without purchasing.

Is this policy correct? or are the dealers I am dealing with just not cooperating?

While it is a respected cert, can it be trusted enough to buy w/o opening?

Any thoughts, opinions, or redirections are welcome!

Thanks,
Stu

 

[DiamondOptics]

I beleive this policy is correct, because HRD does provide
these small plastic packages, which can not be opened unless they are cut open.

Kirk

 

[ccuheartnurse]

This seems to be an antiquated way of trying to sell a gem. We all know how important it is to get under the loops & microscopes & other gadgets that are available. Ok, perhaps we're a bit of a different breed here on Pricescope, but I cant see how "oops, you broke the seal now you have to pay $10K for it" makes any sense in relation to buying a stone even to the general public.
I didnt run into too many places here in Toronto that even had HRD certs so I never ran into this issue.

Judy

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Whether or not HRD's come in a sealed package depends on the seller, and not on HRD.

Generally, it is a service, often used by sellers working on the Middle Eastern market. Apparently, people in Dubai and thereabout only wish to buy when the diamond is sealed, in order to be sure that the diamond fits the grading report.

In a market like the U.S., a seller who sells sealed goods, should be carefully looked upon. Because not only do you wish to be sure that there is no mistake in the grading report, also you wish to check whether it is a high or low range colour and clarity, not to mention thoroughly check the cut quality further than the info on the grading report.

Some sellers claim that they work with seals because of the fear of stones being switched. Well, if they would keep records of the measurements of the stone, the whereabouts of inclusions and the appearance through specific scopes, they would surely be able to verify that their stone does not get switched. And if, as a seller, you cannot trust your buyer, why would the buyer trust you?

Hope this clarifies your question,

Live long,

Paul

 

[newenglandgemlab]

Hi Stu,

We had a client bring in a HRD stone he bought in Antwerp in that neat little sealed plastic container. He did some homework on diamonds and thought he would be smarter than those traveling to the islands to make their diamond purchases. We have found that HRD is a very good certificate and usually they are fine. But, in this case, if you looked at the plot, the largest inclusion wasn't even plotted! When we showed it to the client under the scope he was pretty upset. It didn't have the clarity he thought he was buying. He didn't negotiate the pricing at all and felt he was paying a fair price. Fortunately for him, he travels there for business once a month. He was more upset with himself for not being savvy enough to examine the stone under a scope before purchasing it. He was buying by the report.

This does happen once in a while with any report as most of the folks that frequent this forum know. We had another stone come in with a GIA certificate. Everything matched except the plot looked like someone started to do it but left for lunch and never finished it! I did a plot which verified a very fair I-1 grade but not the SI-1 it had been given. Fortunately for the consumer he was able to get another stone with the grading he thought he was purchasing.

Again, this doesn't happen that often with HRD or GIA stones but you do see it once in awhile. I have yet to find an AGS cert off like that but it may happen. This may be due to the fact that we see many more GIA certs. This is due to human error. But, when we see EGL and IGI we almost expect it and when the client comes in we know it will be a lengthy discussion helping them understand what is going on in the diamond market and diamond grading.

Cindy

 

[Giangi]

Really Cindy??? I've seen very few HRD reports that were in error...
Also, I should add that here in Italy there are almost only HRD and IGI Antwerp certs... They do both seal the diamonds in a 'Safety Seal' with some security bars and a message that lets you know if the seal has been opened; well, let me tell you that if someone sees an IGI/HRD stone that isn't sealed anymore, they ALWAYS ask for a reseal!!!!!!!

. They say that a unsealed diamond has no value

!!!!!!!!!! This is true! It happens all the time!
The new seal allows you to look at the stone under the microscope pretty easily, though...

Giangi

 

[trichrome]

Keeping the diamond sealed makes no sense.
Try to find a stone weighting the same as
yours, with the same diameter, height,
map of inclusions......... very very
difficult.. So the fear of the stone
being switched makes no sense. However,
you want to be 100% sure that the stone
you're buying is what you think you're
buying! So cut that seal please!

Trichrome.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

I re-read my post, and apparently, I did not make it sufficiently clear that I am against sealing.

However, like you can see from Giangi's post, in some markets, buyers do not accept unsealed stones. Imagine the stir-up if an Italian version of pricescope would become popular.

Leonid, ché piense, andiamo gioccare in Italia?

Live long,

Paul

 

[Giangi]

Grazie Paul

!!