GIA Certified Diamonds- FAQs

You are likely to come across the term GIA certified diamonds when shopping for an engagement ring. You are bound to find many of the retailers stress this fact by promoting the certified rings as being truly valuable. It is always better to ask questions and clear all doubts before spending a huge amount on a ring.

An acronym for “Gemological Institute of America,” it is a nonprofit organization that conducts extensive research on the quality of precious gems such as diamonds. It sets the standards of quality and educates gemologists about the features that may enhance the value of a particular diamond.

The GIA is concerned with the determination and grading of the 4Cs, namely color, clarity, carat, and cut of each diamond it examines. GIA follows its methodology while assessing and grading each C related to a diamond. It uses several scientific standards and provides information about the quality of a diamond by using specific terminology.

GIA assesses and evaluates the diamonds independently. The organization does not have any commercial interest in selling and buying diamonds. Moreover, GIA is not involved in the mining of natural diamonds either. However, many prospective buyers of loose diamonds or jewelry ask for GIA-certified stones. You are welcome to do it, as quality is directly proportional to the price of the diamonds. Rest assured, you will get a grading report endorsed by the GIA believed to be unbiased in its assessment.

Even after going through the above information, you may be tempted to ask a few questions such as the following: –

Do all diamonds stocked by retailers come with a GIA certificate?

The answer must be negative as not every diamond is graded professionally to have its quality evaluated. However, you are likely to be offered certified diamonds when you are hopeful of shopping for the best possible diamond for yourself or your loved one. Well, this does not mean that every diamond is graded perfectly, but bears testimony that most retail jewelers trust the GIA evaluation and are willing to endorse it to the customers.

Be sure to inquire about the grading report to check the particulars related to the 4Cs. Sure, you will find each C described in special terminology that the retailer would be able to explain. Moreover, you may find a unique number used to denote the diamond. This number will be inscribed on the girdle of the diamond. Feel free to take a closer look at the stone to discover the number. You are welcome to cross-check the number with GIA’s database available online.

Will a GIA certified diamond be expensive?

Sure, this is a concern common to all customers. No! You are not expected to part with a King’s ransom to buy GIA certified diamonds. The certificate is an assessment of quality, allowing you to compare a gemstone with other diamonds of similar cut, color, or carat weight.