Labs & Certificates

Where a diamond has been assessed by a laboratory it is termed a certificated or certified stone. The codes for the different laboratories used are as follows:

We sell jewellery made with IGL certificates but other certificates may be available on request.

The Grading Laboratories

Certified Diamond Reports provide this information:

G.I.A. The Gemological Institute of America

GIA is the industry standard for grading.
Certificates provide

Shape Measurements,
Weight
Depth Percentage
Table Percentage
Girdle Thickness
Culet Size
Polish
Symmetry
Clarity Grade
Color Grade
Fluorescence
Comments about Diamond
Plot of Internal and External Inclusions

A.G.S. - American Gem Society

The A.G.S. gemological laboratory is equal to or more strict than G.I.A. AGS quality reports are most often used by diamond cutters who wish to confirm near ideal or ideal cut diamonds. The A.G.S. grading laboratory director is Peter Yantzer, past founding director of G.I.A.'s Gem Trade Laboratory. The A.G.S. was founded by Robert Shipley the founder of G.I.A. A.G.S.. Diamond Quality Reports provides this information:

Description Shape and Cut
Weight Measurements
Depth Percentage
Pavilion Depth Percentage
Table Percentage
Crown Angle
Crown Height Percentage
Pavilion Angle
Culet Size
Girdle Thickness
Polish/Symmetry
Clarity Grade
Color Grade
Cut Grade
Fluorescence
Comments about Diamond
Plot of Internal and External Inclusions

HRD Laboratory Hoge Raad voor Diamant
The Diamond High Council:

H.R.D. Certified Diamond Reports provide:

Shape and Cut
Measurements
Weight
Proportions
Girdle Percentage
Table Percentage
Crown Percentage
Pavilion Percentage
Girdle Thickness
Culet Size
Finish
Clarity Grade
Color Grade
Fluorescence
Comments about Diamond
Plot of Internal and External Inclusions

E.G.L. - The European Gemological Laboratory:

E.G.L. provides a detail diamond report. The E.G.L. certification does provide more proportion information than the G.I.A. diamond report by including the important pavilion and crown angles in their diamond report. Be aware that plots of internal and external blemishes on E.G.L. certifications are much less detailed than G.I.A. or A.G.S. quality reports. Many diamonds under one carat in size are certified by E.G.L. due to the benefit of lower cost and faster service. E.G.L. also provides a economically priced miniature version of its full certification. E.G.L. Certified Diamond Reports provide this information:

Shape and Cut Measurements
Weight
Depth Percentage
Table Percentage
Crown Angle
Pavilion Angle
Girdle Thickness
Culet Size
Polish
Symmetry
Clarity Grade
Color Grade
Fluorescence
Comments about Diamond
Plot of Internal and External Inclusions

I.G.L. - The International Gemological Laboratory:

I.G.L. provides a detailed jewellery report. The I.G.L. certification does provide more information on the jewllerybase3de on the diamonds studded and as mountinh permits as perthe international parameters . The certifications are much less detailed than G.I.A. or A.G.S. quality reports. Many diamonds under one carat in size are certified by E.G.L. due to the benefit of lower cost and faster service. I.G.L. also provides a economically priced miniature version of its full certification. I.G.L. Quality Appraisal Report of Diamond Jewellery provides this information as its mounting permits:

Date
Supplier Design No
Gross weight
Diamond weight
Shape
Colour
Clarity
Cut
Comments

Certificate Abreviations

Girdle

EXTN, ET, XT, EXN = Extremely Thin
VTN, VT, VETN = Very Thin
T, TN, TH = Thin
M, ME, MD = Medium
STK, ST, SLTK, SLTH = Slightly Thick
T, TK, TH = Thick
VTK, VTH, VETK, VET = Very Thick
ET, EXTK, XT, XTK = Extremely Thick
F, FA, FAC = Faceted
S, SM = Smooth
P, PO = Polished

Fluorescence

N, NO, NON, - No Fluorescence
F, FB, FT, FA, - Faint or Faint Blue Fluorescence
SL, SLB, SLT, - Slight Fluorescence
M, MO, ME, MD - Medium or Moderate Fluorescence
S, ST, STB, STG, - Strong Fluorescence
E, EX, EXB, EF, - Extreme Fluorescence

Culet
N, NO, NON, - No Culet
P, PO, PN, PNT, - Pointed
VS, VSM, VRSM, - Very Small
S, SM, SML, - Small
M, ME, MD, MM, - Medium
L, LA, LG, - Large
VL, VLG, VRLG, - Very Large
EL, EX, EXLG, - Extremely Large

Symmetry

EX or E - Excellent, Flawless at 10X power
VG or VGD - Very Good, Extremely difficult to locate under 10X power
GD, GO, G - Good, Very diffucult to see under 10X magnification
F, FR, FA - Fair, Noticable under 10X power
PR, PO, P - Poor, Easy to see under 10X / Visible to unaided eye
VP, VE, - Very Poor, Relatively easy to see with the unaided eye
EP - Extremely Poor, Obvious to see with unaided eye

Polish
EX or E - Excellent, Flawless at 10 power
VG or VGD - Very Good, Extremely difficult to locate under 10 power
GD, GO, G - Good, Very difficult to see under 10 power
F, FR, FA - Fair, Noticeable under 10 power
PR, PO, P - Poor, Easy to see under 10X / Visible to unaided eye
VP, VE, - Very Poor, Relatively easy to see with the unaided eye
EP - Extremely Poor, Obvious to see with unaided eye

Characteristics - External

Scratches are usually fine surface lines that can be polished away. If you have a scratched diamond, we will be pleased to estimate for polishing.
Nicks are areas where a portion of the diamond has chipped away. Small nicks are sometimes repaired by polishing them to create an extra facet.

Pits are holes in a diamond's surface. Some pits aren't noticeable, but a pit on the diamond's table facet is more likely to be visible, and can affect the diamond's clarity grade.

A natural is a portion of the diamond's original surface that hasn't been polished. Naturals are sometimes left along a diamond's girdle if doing so allows the cutter to produce a larger cut stone. Naturals don't normally impact the diamond's clarity grade if they are confined to the girdle.

A trigon is a natural that looks like a small triangle,
or triangles within triangles see image to left.

Polishing lines are sometimes left over from the cutting and polishing process and are a sign that the makers are cutting corners to reduce costs.

Extra facets are created to remove blemishes and can have a detrimental effect on the diamond's appearance and value.

Characteristics - Internal
Pinpoints
Pinpoints are tiny light or dark crystals that appear by themselves or in clusters. Larger clusters of minute pinpoints can create a hazy area, called a cloud, which can detract from a diamond's clarity.

Laser Lines

Laser lines are not a natural inclusion. These vapor- like trails are left behind when lasers are used to remove dark inclusions from the diamond. The machine-made trails look like tiny strands of thread that begin at the diamond's surface and stretch inward to the point where the inclusion was removed.

Feathers

Feathers are cracks within a stone that resemble feathers. Small feathers do not usually affect a diamond's durability unless they penetrate the surface on the top of the stone. A feather that breaks through the surface in a vulnerable area increases the risk of breaking the stone.

Girdle Fringes, Bearding

Girdle fringes, or bearding, are stress hair-like lines that can occur around the girdle during the cutting process. Minimal bearding is usually not a problem, but extensive fringing can often be polished away or removed by recutting the diamond.

Cleavage

A cleavage is a straight crack with no feathering. A cleavage has the potential to split the diamond apart if it is hit at the correct angle.

Graining Lines, Growth Lines

Graining lines are created by irregular crystallization that takes place when the diamond is formed. Colorless graining lines do not usually affect diamond clarity unless they are present in large masses. White or colored graining lines can lower a diamond's clarity grade.

Inclusions are like fingerprints, a characteristic that gives us all a special signature. Getting to know your diamond inside and out makes the stone a more personal possession.