ident. numbers on diamonds

[mikethesign]

Dear all,

I'm new to all this but for a very special forthcoming event I am buying my wife a certificated diamond solitaire ring. .54 carat / clarity E / VS2 etc. etc. I've done my homework on 'buying diamonds' and have found the ring I want BUT...

...I saw some 'Leo' diamonds that had IGI certificates and the corresponding numbers etc. on both the shank and the stone(I was shown it using an eye glass thingy) - However, the ring I have decided on (I think), which is from a long established local jeweler, has a full GIA certification and the shank is stamped to match BUT the stone has no number on it...

a) what is the 'norm' regarding numbers on stone - should they have them or not?

b) should I buy a stone that has no number?

c) is it worth having it sent away to be laser etched with the number?

d) am I being paranoid!...lol

I do not doubt the integrity of the jeweller at all - but...

any help on this matter would be much appreciated.

regards

mikethesign (UK)

 

[Tarams]

I'm thiking, the 2 major reasons to have a stone identifyable by inscription are incase it's stolen (it MAY be found), or if you're going to have it reset in the future, to know that you are getting YOUR stone back. Anyone know of any other reasons?

My stone has an inclusion that is identifyable to me, (so to me, that's it's "mark"). If it were loose with a bunch of other stones, I'm pretty positive that I could pick it out. And if it were to get stolen, what are the chances I would ever get it back anyway? Unless some idiot advertised it on eBay with the stones #, there would be no way to find it again. As you can tell, I chose not to have mine inscribed. But it's also a personal feeling, so yours may be different. And who knows, maybe someone else will post other valid reasons for having it done, and I could change my own mind. But for now, those are the only 2 I can think of.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[jknapper]

I like the inscription concept mainly because if your going to spend the money, you want to make sure that if you take the stone to a jewler to be repaired, set, ect, you KNOW you'll get your stone back. I would be interested in any statistics on how many people don't get their same diamond back. I would hope that it would never happen with it inscribed (but there are some stupid jewlers I suppose). Re: stolen, your right, you'll never see it again so that is pointless.

I think it would be a harder to prove ownership by saying "that inclusion was in my diamond" then saying "here is my certificate with that number"

 

[mikethesign]

thanks for your replies Tara and Knapper...it all helps!

I'd still like to know if it is normal practice for someone like GIA and IGI to put numbers on the stones at the point of certification, or not, or is it down to the jeweller who is paying fo the cert.?

...or maybe I'm just not understanding how the whole thing works?

anyone?

 

[geo10000]

At this point in time no diamond grading facility mandates a stone be laser engraved to correspond with it's respective diamond grading report. It is an extra service which helps the public easily identify their stone as one matching a report they are looking at. You can have a diamond laser engraved with virtually anything...it does not affect the clarity, color, carat weight, cut or integrity of the diamond (if properly done). As for the shank being engraved with the report number...this is common for several of the large chain jewelers in that THEY can give the proper paperwork to their customers. I can't tell you how many times I have had customers receiving the wrong paperwork with their diamond. This inner shank engraving is a way to curtail this.
Good luck to you.

George