European Diamond Certifications

In Europe the HRD has evolved its own standards resembling those of the GIA in the EGL. The HRD lab was established by the Belgium diamond council a semi official body which is the most important diamond trade association in Belgium. The lab therefore has tremendous importance and certificates are is highly prized in Europe as the GIA and EGL. Yet another live the international gemological Institute for RGI opened its office in New York in 1980. The eye G.I. was established in 1975 and enjoys a good reputation in Europe. As sort of defective division of labor has emerged among laboratories. In the carats sizes that is stones of 1 carat and greater the market almost exclusively belongs to the GIA except in Europe where the HRD is equally prominent with its impeccable credentials. Largely because the GIA has almost stopped grading the stones entirely.

The EGL also great stones above 1 carat but even though it standard or as good as the GIA's there has been a tendency for carat size stones not greeted by the GIA to sell a discount of as much as 10%. This discount on EGL certified 1 carat stones which is a natural consequence of the Jay's decade old tradition of dominance seems to be disappearing however. Anyone can send a diamond to one of these labs for creating an certification. The GIA and other labs have a sliding scale of charges for their services. For instance the GIA currently charges $55 to certify one carat stone and $80 for a 2 carat stone. The EGL charges $30 dollars per carat for certification plus $10 dollars for the special EGL see you. Verification which simply means verifying that a stone and it certification match costs 75% of the normal fee at the GIA.

It is important to distinguish between grading an appraisal. None of the labs mentioned hear a pre-stones. That is they do not put a dollar value on the stones degrade. Been nearly a test to the quality of the stone the specifics of the foresees discussed earlier. It is then up to the owner of the diamond to place a value on the assignment. How this is done for the purpose of selling will be just shortly. Other laboratories do not set prices on the diamonds they grade they have made a diamond pricing and price comparisons much more objective uniform and reliable. The not all of the guesswork has been taken out of the buying and selling of diamonds. In fact because of this there was resistance from segments of the diamond industry for a time to the introduction of sophisticated grading standards and certification fragment that no longer content time and merchant whatever his intentions simply declare diamond to be of such and such quality using vague core descriptions and set a price accordingly.

Certification is now accepted and used threats to trade. Many a New York cutter and broker has told me that the availability of certificates has revolutionize the business making time and purchases more dependable for the average person. Probably the most important factor in winning acceptance for certification has been the investment diamond dealers. They more than anyone else have promoted and propagated certification. The wall investment diamond dealers have consulted laboratories certificates many miss uses a certificates buy some of the less reputable firms that are in business have occurred. Most common offense is the bogus certificate put up by the firm itself. More on that later but suffice it to say it is very important to get a certificate with your stone from one of the laboratories mentioned earlier. Do not buy a stone graded according to the GIA standards or by Gia change of mileages. The diamond should have a certificate from the lab itself. Except no substitutes.