IGA

[dyb225]

Looking at a fancy color diamond. It has IGA certs. Respectable? Thanks for your time.

 

[dyb225]

I''m not sure if I should be asking this question in this forum; however, it is a diamond, although fancy colored. The
certs are from International Gemological Association. Does anyone have any information about this company and if the
certs should be respected? Thanks for your time.

 

[stone-cold11]

maybe cross post in in the colored stone forum?

 

[oldminer]

IGA has a website. It is VERY basic and incomplete. It looks like a NYC lab by the area code 212 in the contact number.

In the "GRADING" segment of the site is the following, copied verbatim:

Grading.
Our diamond grading is based on the scale which the Gemological Institute of America has developed.Our diamond grading is based on the scale which the Gemological Institute of America has developed.


If a lab can leave such an obvious error up and running in their website one might infer all sorts of things about the credibility of the firm in other matters of accuracy.

There are other, less obvious, examples of limited ability, but the above is the most glaring.

 

[dyb225]

Would you trust that a stone graded by them as not enhanced could be just that? The clarity grade or cut I realize are separate issues. But, do you think
they could be trusted as far as treatment is concerned? I know I seem to be fishing; but, I like the stone and, if it''s not enhanced, it''s a steal. What
do you think? I know your time is valuable; I appreciate it very much.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/28/2010 10:37:15 AM
Author:dyb225
Looking at a fancy color diamond. It has IGA certs. Respectable? Thanks for your time.

another Micky Mouse lab.

color stones w/o GIA report = NO DEAL!!

 

[Tom Gelb]

Date: 4/28/2010 4:29:42 PM
Author: dyb225
Would you trust that a stone graded by them as not enhanced could be just that? The clarity grade or cut I realize are separate issues. But, do you think

they could be trusted as far as treatment is concerned? I know I seem to be fishing; but, I like the stone and, if it''s not enhanced, it''s a steal. What

do you think? I know your time is valuable; I appreciate it very much.

I may be biased as I worked at the GIA for a long time in their colored diamond origin determination lab, but I would be suspect of a diamond without a report from a larger, more well-known lab. Determination of the origin of a diamond''s color is a very tricky business and the GIA spends a great deal of time and money on research to try to do this as well as possible. I am unfamiliar with this particular lab, but given that it is likely in the same neighborhood as the GIA, probably on the same street, one wonders why the seller did not go to the GIA for the report. They may have gotten it right, but it is very difficult to know for sure. As the adage goes ,"If a deal seems too good to be true it probably is not true."

Good luck