A
diamond certificate represents independent verification that the
stone purchased has all the qualities of cut, color, clarity,
shape, and weight expected. It is a further indication of the
condition and value of that diamond. Such certificates are issued
by several agencies employing highly trained gemologists and provide
an unbiased and accurate evaluation of the diamond. These gemologists
scrutinize each stone to analyze its dimensions, clarity, cut,
color, finish, symmetry, and other details.
The
major indepemdent certification bodies are:
American Gem Society Laboratories (www.agslab.com)
Gemological
Institute of America (www.gia.org)
International
Gemological Institute (www.igiworldwide.com)
Shopping
for certified diamonds allows you to make an informed choice about
your selections. You can compare one diamond with a particular
weight and quality with other diamonds of similar weight and quality
to determine which is the better value.
If a jewelry shop offers to sell you diamond without a certificate,
keep in mind that it means you are buying the diamond based only
on the salesperson's claim about its quality, and that a trained
gemologist or even other jewelers may disagree with the salesperson's
assessment.
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