Some graded stones do not have laser inscription - why?

[haagen_dazs]

Some graded stones do not have laser inscription - why?

Apparently I found out that not all graded stones have the ID laser inscription on the girdle.
Why is that so?
I wanted to get more view points on this.

Laser inscription is very cheap relative to the cost of the diamonds.
Why do some jewellery sellers not request for laser inscription when they sent it in for grading?
With a report and no number on the stone, I feel that it is quite pointless since the stone is still not "linked" to a report....

 

[kenny]

Laser inscription is optional and costs money which must be added to the price of the stone.
A stone IS linked to the report by the inclusions and dimensions.

Anyone can buy the laser equipment and if a crook is dishonest enough to swap a stone they can also polish off the old inscription or put any report number on any stone.
Recognizing your inclusions is a more positive way to match a diamond to a report than an inscription.
Personally I feel the inscriptions give a false sense of security.

 

[stone-cold11]

yap, inscription feels pointless to me, maybe for an IF stone.

 

[kenny]

With my IF stones I usually just take another diamond and scratch something into the table.
If you use another IF stone to do this it remains IF even with the scratch.

(Just kidding)

 

[Regular Guy]

I believe it''s specifically the custom, for below 1 carat stones, to send to GIA for a type of cert to get a recording of an inscription, and an inscription...and for above 1 carat stones to not get the inscription, and a different, somewhat more expensive cert, that comes with a plotting diagram instead of the inclusions.

The inscription does make sense to me (a thief might not really know about removing inscriptions, really), and can help to ID a diamond in more trivial circumstances, without having to fight with someone about impressions of inclusions, even if YOU can identify your stone...

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 9/21/2009 11:16:22 AM
Author: kenny
Laser inscription is optional and costs money which must be added to the price of the stone.

A stone IS linked to the report by the inclusions and dimensions.


Anyone can buy the laser equipment and if a crook is dishonest enough to swap a stone they can also polish off the old inscription or put any report number on any stone.

Recognizing your inclusions is a more positive way to match a diamond to a report than an inscription.

Personally I feel the inscriptions give a false sense of security.

Good points.
The inclusions is a good way to identify the stone.
However inscription costs are really not very expensive in the grand scheme of things.
I think it does give additional security and like Regular Guy said, helps make things less complicated when the time comes to claiming ownership of the stone.

Its great hearing insights from different people.

 

[denverappraiser]

If they have the stone inscribed at the time of grading they can’t send it to several different labs and choose the one with the highest grade to use as a sales tool.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 9/21/2009 4:11:22 PM
Author: denverappraiser
If they have the stone inscribed at the time of grading they can’t send it to several different labs and choose the one with the highest grade to use as a sales too.


Neil Beaty

GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA

Professional Appraisals in Denver

thats a great point!
i know that some vendors will want to sell their stones with the "best" grading so as to make more money ...
i dont consider that as unscrupulous since the grading after all is fair and performed by a trust agency.
i guess thats the way they make money.

i wonder if its possible to have 2 engraving on the stones done by 2 labs... eg. GIA and AGS.
hahah...

 

[Todd Gray]

Date: 9/21/2009 4:11:22 PM
Author: denverappraiser
If they have the stone inscribed at the time of grading they can’t send it to several different labs and choose the one with the highest grade to use as a sales tool.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

Oh so true! But then a lot of cutters inscribe all of the diamonds in their inventory as they clear the laboratory (Paul from Infinity is an example of this and he only uses the AGS) because the cost of having the diamond inscribed at the time of grading is very reasonable.

Inscriptions used in conjunction with the inclusions within a diamond can be a very effective way to verify the identity of a diamond - the key phrase being "used in conjunction with the inclusions" because as noted, inscriptions can be forged with the right equipment.

It is true that inscriptions are not considered to be permanent because they can be removed with a diamond polishing wheel, however this is of little concern to the general public who are primarily using the inscription as a means to help assist them with identifying their diamond when dropping it off and picking it up from a jewelry store.

Laser inscribing an "IF" stone can be tricky, it''s possible to downgrade the clarity from "IF" to VVS if the inscription becomes visible through the crown facets! That would be an expensive inscription