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Why is certification
important?
When purchasing a diamond whether via website or in a
retail store, you are purchasing a look, a dream, a lifetime
of enjoyment. What you see is not exactly what you will
get. The average consumer does not have the ability to
determine the exact color, clarity, cut grading, carat
weight or whether the diamond has been treated or color
enhanced.
This is where the Master IJO Jeweler and diamond Certificate
play a major role in helping you determine the “unseen”
conditions that impact the look, value and longevity
of the diamond you buy.
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Gemological
Institute of America (GIA) |
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The most respected and recognized
laboratory world-wide is the Gem Trade Laboratory of the
Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA, which is
a non-profit, educational institution founded in the 1940s,
developed the color and clarity grading systems which
are used throughout the world today. GIA is recognized
throughout the diamond industry for their unbiased integrity
and their strict, comprehensive grading standards as seen
in every grading report they produce. |
Other Certification
Laboratories
Throughout the country and abroad you will find many other
recognized laboratories including International Gemological
Institute (IGI) and European Gemological Institute (EGL)
which will provide certification for diamonds. |
American Gem Society (AGS)
Second to GIA would be a certificate obtained from the
American Gem Society (AGS). AGS holds a similar recognition
and respect throughout the world to that of GIA certificates.
AGS certifications are most often used by diamond cutters
who wish to confirm near ideal or ideal cut diamonds.
The AGS grading laboratory director just happens to be
the past founding director of GIA’s Gem Trade laboratory.
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HRD
Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) is the Diamond High Council
of Belgium, a non-profit organization of the Belgian diamond
industry founded in 1973. Located in Antwerp, the world
diamond center, HRD is one of the world’s most reliable
and respected institutions that certify diamonds. |
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The HRD Diamond Certificate guarantees the
authenticity of a diamond and rules out the possibility
of it being an imitation or synthetic diamond. The certificate
also contains a complete quality description of the diamond
including shape, weight, clarity grade, fluorescence,
color grade, measurements, proportions, and finish grade. |
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