CERTIFICATES EXPLAINED
As a potential diamond buyer you must be aware that there is no single set of parameters diamond laboratories grade to and every laboratory has a different set of standards.
A non-independently certified diamond and an independently certified diamond might look exactly the same, and that is because they are. Certification of a diamond doesn't change it, and doesn't necessarily mean it is superior. An independently certified diamond has paperwork stating it is a certain type and quality of diamond, however it is not a guarantee of any kind just as the paperwork you get with a non-independently certified diamond.
For insurance purposes a valuation certificate (also known as appraisal) is required by the insurers, and this is a separate document to the diamond certificate. Diamond certificates do not include an estimated retail replacement value as appraisals do.
Which Diamond is More Beautiful? Can You Tell by Looking at These Reports?
We Can't. Not Without Looking at the Actual Diamond.
See if you can tell the difference Now!
Two diamonds - even with virtually identical certification - can still look very different. You are welcome to come and view your diamond before making a purchase.
Nothing beats seeing a diamond in person to determine the true quality visibly. Diamond appreciation is a very personal thing and different people will prefer different things about different diamonds. At the end of the day all the numbers, certificates and photos in the world mean nothing if you do not like the look of the diamond and it does not sparkle displaying excellent Brilliance, Fire and Scintillation.
Before you purchase your diamond you may wish to consult in person and view a selection of diamonds. Our non-commissioned diamond & jewellery consultants will assist you with your purchase and explain the difference between various diamonds. If you make an appointment you will have the opportunity to do a Diamond Comparison before you make your decision. We encourage people to view a selection of diamonds in our London office, so that they are able to purchase their chosen diamond with complete confidence.
If you are unable to come to our London office, and need further advice or guidance in choosing the best diamond for your budget, you may wish to consult by telephone or email. Diamond Manufacturers will endeavour to guide and advise you with your selection of the best possible diamond.
Many jewellers and diamond dealers will use terms like Russian Cut, Belgium Cut, Fine Make and others to describe their diamonds, with the intention of portraying them as 'better' than others. Be wary of accepting these terms.
Other factors such as fluorescence can affect how the colour of the diamond appears but this is not shown in a lab grading report. For example some diamonds with an I colour can have yellow tints that make the diamond look like a K colour despite what the certificate says. On the other hand, some diamonds with a J colour can face up white however a lab diamond grading report will not tell you that the stone looks like an H-I colour, it just gives you the J colour grade.
How to determine the sparkle of a diamond from the 4Cs or from the certificate details?
The simple answer is: you can't.
The most important factor is the beauty and sparkle of the diamond. Many diamonds with a high colour, clarity and cut grade will not have excellent sparkle, in fact most diamonds don’t have this superior level of sparkle as can be seen in the High Street. This is the reason why we reject 90% of all the diamonds we inspect before buying. We ensure that all the diamonds we purchase are of the utmost quality, which translates into beautiful diamonds with great brilliance and sparkle, as we are buying them into stock. Most companies work from a database and they can only advise you on the diamonds based on the information from the diamond grading report, this results several times in a different diamond to what was expected based on its grading.
Most companies sell from a database and don’t even see the diamonds that they sell. They can only advise you on the diamonds based on the information from the diamond grading report, this can result in a different diamond to what was expected based on its grading.
Diamond Grading, Specifications and Certification don’t necessarily match with the diamond’s beauty
Why don’t I need a diamond with a laboratory cert?
The only factor that is usually missing from all certificates or grading reports is the transparency of a diamond. At present there has not been a set standard to grade the transparency of a diamond so it cannot be quantified. Without these detail there is no way to know if a diamond regardless of the 4Cs and other criteria will look beautiful and be full or life and fire.
We reject most of the diamonds we assort because they don’t pass the transparency test, which is even more important than cut.
Transparency is the degree to which a material transmits light, directly relevant to the cloudiness or haziness of the material, therefore making the diamond appear cloudy or milky. In other words, it is a comprehensive assessment of light performance based on the quality of the diamond crystal itself. Transparency, also called pellucidity, is the material property of allowing light to pass through.
Everyone seems to forget along the research/learning process of what’s important and the objective (great value, for her to love it). Do you want a diamond that looks good on paper or in reality?
- What diamond cut should I choose?
- What diamond colour should I choose?
- Why buy your diamonds from us
