Posts Tagged ‘GIA’

 

The Importance of Buying Certified Diamonds

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Because an engagement ring is one of the most important purchases in a couple’s lives, you want to make sure you buy a quality ring that will be worn for many years as a symbol of your love and devotion. Buying an engagement ring with certified diamonds will help ensure that you are purchasing a quality diamond and help guarantee the true worth of your engagement ring.

 

Certified Diamonds

Because an engagement ring is such a large purchase, it’s important to guarantee the quality of the ring you are buying. When you buy certified diamonds, you are gaining additional reassurance of the quality of your ring. When a diamond has been certified by an independent party, a certificate will be issued that lists the characteristics of the diamond, including the cut, size, and any flaws or imperfections that may be present. However, keep in mind that just because a diamond has been certified does not mean you are guaranteed to pay a specific price.

 

Diamond Certifications

There are several associations that issue diamond certifications. Different jewelers will offer stones from varying institutes depending where they have their diamonds certified. They are as follows:

  • Gemological Institute of America

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA for short) has been in operation since 1931 and provides diamond grading certificates here and abroad. If your diamond has been certified by the GIA, you should be reassured that the diamond you are buying is of the utmost quality, as the GIA is arguably the most widely renowned institute that issues certifications.

  • The American Gem Society

Professionals in the jewelry industry can join The American Gem Society (AGS) but must follow very strict requirements before acceptance. Because of their commitment to excellency and moral business practices, AGS certified diamonds are a good indication that you are dealing with a quality organization that takes pride in their ability to determine the value of a gemstone.

  • The European Gemological Laboratory

The EGL, one of the oldest independent gemological institutes worldwide, was originally founded in Europe. The the late 1980′s, EGL USA became its own independent institution and no longer is affiliated with any EGL branches outside of North America.

 

International Diamond Dealers

When purchasing international diamonds, you need to make sure you are not only doing business with a reputable dealer but that the certification issued has come from one of the recognized organizations listed above. This is to help avoid buying conflict diamonds and help you to guarantee you are purchasing a quality diamond that has been issued a legitimate certification.

 

Buying an engagement ring with certified diamonds helps guarantee that you are purchasing a quality ring that will be worn for many years. While certified diamonds are more expensive than ungraded stones, couples are advised to choose diamonds that have been certified to guarantee you have purchased high quality gems from a reputable source.

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Engagement Rings: Does Size Matter?

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

When you are going to purchase an engagement ring, there are many factors that you need to consider. Of course you want to stay within the price range that you feel comfortable with, and the fact is, you can get a very nice ring in any reasonable price range, so the buyer has a lot flexibility on that score. But what about size? Does the size of the diamond really matter? Should you try to buy the biggest diamond that you can possibly afford?

 

The perfect ring is different for different couples depending upon their unique taste and sense of style. Some people are very traditional and would never consider an unusually colored diamond, and others are blown away by a diamond with a blue or champagne hue. There are couples who demand intricate complexity in their setting, and others who prefer the neat and simple statement that a diamond solitaire ring makes. There is no right or wrong in matters of taste. When you are shopping for a diamond engagement ring it is all about you. Which ring stands out in your eyes?

 

Many people are impressed when they see a really large diamond on someone’s finger, but there are subtleties at play that a jeweler would notice but a layman would miss. The size of a diamond is not the only indicator of the cost of the ring. There is such a thing as diamond quality, and if a ring is not GIA certified for quality, you can get a larger stone for the same price as a smaller on that is in fact GIA certified.

 

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is not a for-profit entity. They are an independent body of diamond and gemstone experts who are dedicated to preserving the integrity of the diamond industry. When they certify a stone, their seal is etched into it (it is invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen under a jeweler’s magnification tools). So when you are considering the question of whether or not size matters when you are shopping for a diamond, you have to consider the quality of the diamond that you are going to get as well as the size. A Gemological Institute of America certification is very important to some couples, and they may wind up with a smaller diamond than a couple who is willing to settle for a lesser quality stone that is not certified. Once again, this is a matter or personal opinion and preference. There are no absolutes concerning what “the best” course of action is.

 

Many are of the mind that it is not the quantity of something that really matters, but the quality. This seems like a wise assessment in most instances, and it may be the best way to approach the purchase of a diamond engagement ring. However, an engagement ring is a very personal purchase. In the final analysis, when you are asking the question, “does size matter when you are purchasing a diamond engagement ring?” the answer is this: size matters as much as you think that it does.

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