Shady Certificate

[SYR]

The certificate given with my ring is from EGL. I now find out it is not the EGL USA but EGL Antwerp. To top it off the certificate is not laminated and the type is in two different fonts. How can I find out if I have been had by the jeweler? I have tried calling Antwerp but no answer and EGL USA says they dont know anything about other EGL labs. The diamond is supposed to be a 2 carat but every jeweler who has seen it says it is more like a 1.86. Any suggestions?

 

[marriahlyn]

Sorry was trying to attach a picture of my EGL Antwerp certificate which is laminated. I'll try again in a bit. I think I'd take it to an independent appraiser to verify then he would probably let you know how to proceed.

 

[valeria101]

Is the stone certified in some setting ? Otherwise it is hard to believe any lab would get the weight wrong of all things

The diamond could still be a good stone and a good buy though. Maybe an appraiser can help ?

 

[denverappraiser]

SYR,

Counterfeit and mis-matched reports are not especially common but I see several per month. Take it to an appraiser and ask them about it. Is there a date on the report? Older Belgian reports are not laminated but I don't know when they started this practice. It does seem like the weight is a pretty easy thing to check.

If this is a new purchase, and you are suspecting that the stone is not the one described on the report, go back to the dealer selling the piece and have THEM remove it from the setting, weigh and measure it. The appraisers are estimating the weight from the dimensions and it's easy to miss by 5%.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[lmurden]

Why not just return the diamond ring!
You shouldn't patronize a jeweler that you believe that has ripped you off.
End of discussion!

 

[SYR]

yes the date on the report is July 12, 2002 but the typing is in different fonts. Is that common?

 

[denverappraiser]

SYR,

Is this a new purchase? Have you spoken to the jeweler about your concerns?

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[SYR]

Yes I have told him that I am not happy with the certificate. I told him that I thought it should be laminated but I was told not all labs laminate. He also told me that certificates really dont matter. You wont be wearing the cert on your hand but the stone. I agree but I am just concerned about resale. I dont plan on selling my ring but I would like to think that if I buy an expensive stone that it really is what was sold to me. Are Certs important in a purchase. He has since said he would trade my ring up for me. Should I only ask for a GIA certificate or is EGL sufficient?

 

[SYR]

No this is not a new purchase. I purchased the ring over two years ago. I didnt think anything of it until I started going to other jewelery stores to purchase a setting. They would look at the cert and tell me something was wrong. I tried asking the jeweler I purchased it from but was told it was normal.

I am trading the diamond up with him for a radiant cut. He seems to want to talk me out of trading in my princess cut for a radiant cut. I also told him that I really want to have a GIA certificate. He kind of thought it was not necessary. He said if you want to pay all that money for a piece of paper that is fine.

Is there a diiference in labs. When purchasing a diamond what is the reasoning for wanting a GIA certificate. I mean as far as selling the diamond some day. Does it add anthing to the value? I am more comfortable having a GIA for some reason but I dont want to pay the extra money if it is not necessary.

 

[denverappraiser]

SYR,

The primary reason that people want a lab report is as an independent statement of some of the attributes of your stone to assist you in wisely shopping. Since you already own the stone and it isn''t for sale, this doesn''t seem like it would apply to your situation.

If and when you decide to sell the stone, it will be necessary for you to tell the buyer what the grading on the stone is and they will decide if they want to take your word for it. Smart buyers won''t. This is when a lab report may come in handy but they still are only a declaration of the opinion of the grader at that lab on that particular day. The potential buyer may choose to ignore it if they disagree. EGL Antwerp does not enjoy the same reputation in the US as GIA for consistent grading and dealers are inclined to place less confidence in their opinions. The result is that you may find it more difficult to sell the stone than you would with a different brand report.

I would not recommend changing it until you decide to sell the stone. You then might consider getting a report from a US lab depending on what your plans are for marketting the stone. Most customers seem to prefer a report with a date that is fairly close to the date of their purchase although this shouldn''t actually matter.

The lamination and font questions are interesting for our collective learning but not really very important to your issue at hand. I don''t recall ever seeing an EGL report that isn''t laminated but this doesn''t mean that none have ever been produced. They have quite a few different labs and different formats for their various reports. Can you post a scan of the report?

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver