IDEX article about GIA court grading case

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It is hard to post direct links to their stories
Go here and it is in a box at the top left:
http://idexonline.com/NewsLetter.asp?id=151

Chaim Even-Zohar
Privileged Access
“Why are you keeping silent about the GIA certification scandals – are you scared?” This is only one of a few similar e-mails in my inbox. Scared? No. “Reluctant” probably describes it better. I vividly remember (no ...
Go to full memo


Here is part of a long story


The GIA certification business can be divided in two categories. The “mass production” producing tens of thousands of certificates (let’s say up to one caraters) and the special market of the larger goods. This group includes the “specials”. In the latter category a few grade levels can be translated in hundreds of thousands of dollars – so every grade counts. A system is in place for review of such stones by multiple teams reporting to a supervisor.

Many of those submitting large stones are so called “members” of the GIA. They pay an annual membership fee and their goods are “fast tracked” – and the owners have a special access direct line to the supervisors at the laboratory. Needless to say that this membership costs money – but it is a good investment. Many large companies will employ a specific person (preferably ex-GIA) that maintains the sole liaison with the GIA lab – only he/she will submit the stones to be certified. In some instances the submission may be followed or preceded by discussions with the relevant GIA lab supervisors (sometimes even during the cutting process itself the owner may be getting advice) and contacts are maintained during the grading process. Then there is this whole process of “second opinions” – additional submissions (more money), preview of certain grades on clarity, color etc. Opportunity to make comments (without costs) or resubmission (with costs).

The GIA will argue that the process is totally “name-blind”, that those who are doing the grading don’t know the identity of the stone. Said one frequent client to us: “if they wouldn’t know, why would we spend so much money on having people on our payroll for liaison with the GIA? Why would relationships be developed with lab supervisors and others? Why would we make so many donations?”

 

[belle]

here is the link directly to the article

gia is non-profit...the benefits must be attractive to those who hold the purse strings.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

How did you do that link Belle?
My browser just has the url for idexonline.com

 

[WinkHPD]

No joy for me, the page is marked priveledged access and there is no article to read...

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

Hmm,

Gary, I tried your route too and discovered the Article is entitled priveledged access, but I do not get to see any text. Strange...

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 9/30/2005 8:34:29 AM
Author: Wink
Hmm,


Gary, I tried your route too and discovered the Article is entitled priveledged access, but I do not get to see any text. Strange...

wierd the third time i opened it in internet explorer it came up with the article.
In firefox and the first 2 times in ie i got the same thing as wink.

 

[strmrdr]

Having read the article I cant say im surprised at all.
After all gia is part of the trade and the trade is their customers not consumers.
follow the $$$

 

[belle]

garry, the trick with linking idex articles directly, is to email them to yourself first. then click on the link in the email.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 9/30/2005 9:45:33 AM
Author: belle
garry, the trick with linking idex articles directly, is to email them to yourself first. then click on the link in the email.

Belle, is there any limit to your knack for things? I was happy to see you master posting of pics for others, impressed to watch you grasp DiamCalc so quickly, intrigued by your understanding of reflectors and wowed by your participation in techie threads. This is another log on the fire... Will you come repartition my hard drive & equalize my home audio surround for me?

 

[belle]

Date: 9/30/2005 10:41:49 AM
Author: JohnQuixote

Date: 9/30/2005 9:45:33 AM
Author: belle
garry, the trick with linking idex articles directly, is to email them to yourself first. then click on the link in the email.

Belle, is there any limit to your knack for things? I was happy to see you master posting of pics for others, impressed to watch you grasp DiamCalc so quickly, intrigued by your understanding of reflectors and wowed by your participation in techie threads. This is another log on the fire... Will you come repartition my hard drive & equalize my home audio surround for me?

wow. i thank thee kindly for the generous words sir john.
it has been necessity and an inherent stubborness that are responsible for the 'knackyness'. a flaw by which, hopefully, more than just myself will benefit.
you'll be happy to know that you can repartition your hard drive with a simple click, but there is no way i would go near audio anything belonging to a musician.....unless you need some radio stations pre-set in your porsche....that i can do!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

What about massages Belle?

 

[MissAva]

"“Within several weeks the first visible signs of the remedial steps we are taking will become noticeable. Some measures will become apparent quickly; others may take some more time. But what was is not what will be,” says one GIA source privy to the measures which are being contemplated. Clearly, the “membership” practice will be discontinued. But that is only a small part of the changes. "
What would these changes be? How will they affect the industry, and the consumers?

 

[Allium]

In response to the liason comment I''ll say this; the person taking the call at the lab knows the client, the graders do not. And grades do not change because the client calls back to complain about how their stone graded (and trust me, they complain a LOT).

 

[RockDoc]

I regularly read IDEX.

This is going to parlay into some very interesting change.

This is the primary reason that I do not work for dealers. When you do a report for someone who pays you, and the results of it are used for a forseeable addition party''s reliance, it raises a multitude of ethical considerations as to liability if the report is incorrect or accurate, as well as questions of independence made by a reader/relier of the report.


It will be very interesting to see how the Piccinoe lawsuit proceeds, and the trier of facts considersation and opinions of the above and the issues raised in the lawsuit.

Just standing on the sidelines to see how the pie throwing emerges.

Rockdoc