Facts About Jewelry Appraisals

Diamonds may be forever, but not all are created equal – and a diamond appraisal by a qualified specialist can be invaluable in determining whether yours are indeed rare gems or little more than glorified lumps of coal.

Diamond Appraisal vs. Gemological Analysis

It is important to understand the difference between a diamond appraisal and a gemologist’s analysis. Although both are important in determining the quality and value of your diamonds, a diamond appraisal and a lab certificate are two entirely different things.

certified "Loose diamonds" have been scientifically examined and analyzed by professional gemologists in a state-of-the-art laboratory. This is important, because industrial science now has the means to produce artificial diamonds that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Now, if appearance is all that is important to you, artificial diamonds are just fine for crafting attractive wholesale gemstone jewelry. However, if you are looking at diamonds as an investment that will appreciate in value, there’s no substitute for the real thing.

Reputable diamond wholesalers will provide a certificate from an independent gemology lab when you purchase loose certified loose diamonds. This brings us to the other side of the equation, which is diamond appraisal.

Why a Diamond Appraisal is Important

While a gemologist’s analysis can tell you if your diamond is genuine and whether or not any color variation is natural or the result of artificial chemical processes, a diamond appraisal can give you specific information about your stones, such as:

- Whether or not the quality of the diamond reflects the grading document
- If the grading document has sufficient data
- If the gem has been cut correctly

The latter is especially important. Even if a diamond is genuine and flawless when it comes out of the ground, cutting the gem improperly means shards of nearly worthless carbon. At best, certified loose diamonds that have been improperly cut will be worth substantially less than those which have been cut be trained craftsmen. While less-than-perfect stones can be made into discount wholesale gemstone jewelry readily enough, they are not investment quality.

Avoiding Potential Conflicts

The diamond trade is controlled worldwide by a relative few institutions, partially because they are found in so few remote parts of the world. Because there is so much money at stake, confidence games and “rip-offs” are common, and there are many opportunities for conflict of interest.

It is vital that both your gemologist’s report and your diamond appraisal be done by separate, independent labs that have no connection to the diamond wholesalers from whom you plan to make your purchase.