.png)
GIA Diamond Grading Scales: The Universal Measure of Quality
The prospect of purchasing a diamond may seem daunting, but through GIA, an unbiased authority on diamonds, you have several handy resources to help you select the highest quality diamond. First up, an overview of the 4Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight.
Grading Color
Since light source and background can have a significant impact on the appearance of color, the diamond's color is graded in a standardized viewing environment. Color graders submit their independent opinions into the system. During this phase, graders are not privy to color opinions entered previously.
Grading Clarity and Finish
Clarity is graded with 10x magnification under standard viewing conditions. The preliminary grader carefully examines the diamond to locate clarity/finish characteristics and evidence of any diamond treatments, such as fracture filling or laser drilling.
Grading Cut
GIA provides a cut quality grade only for standard round brilliant diamonds that fall in the GIA D-to-Z color range.
Inspection, Care and Handling Procedures
At every step of the grading process, special inspection, care, and handling procedures are in place to protect a diamond’s identity and ensure the diamond is managed with the utmost care.
Inventory Control and Routing
GIA’s Inventory Control Department serves as the hub for laboratory operations. Between grading process steps, a diamond is distributed from and returned to this department, ensuring that the distribution of diamonds to graders is completely random. This is just one of several critical measures in an independent and impartial grading process.
Is Every Diamond a GIA Diamond?
No, not all diamonds have been graded by GIA, although it may seem that way given the sheer quantity of GIA-graded diamonds in the marketplace. This volume is a testament to the trust jewelers and their customers place in GIA’s accurate and objective grading services.
To be sure your diamond was graded by GIA, ask to see its GIA grading report. In addition to a full assessment of a diamond’s 4Cs, each GIA report contains a unique number, which is also sometimes laser inscribed on the diamond’s girdle (the outer edge of the stone).
You can use the report number to access GIA’s online global report database, GIA Report Check, to verify that the diamond is GIA graded and view all its grading details.
What Does it Mean for a Diamond to be a “GIA Certified Diamond”?
“GIA certified diamond” is a misnomer. GIA doesn’t certify diamonds – it grades them. The terms “GIA certified” and “GIA cert” are commonly used in the jewelry industry to refer to diamonds that have undergone GIA’s rigorous grading process and to the reports that accompany them.
This process applies not only to natural diamonds but also to lab-grown diamonds, which GIA grades with the same thoroughness. The report will clearly indicate if a diamond is lab-grown, ensuring transparency for the buyer.
GIA itself does not use the word “certificate” to describe the document it issues. GIA examines diamonds, assesses their quality based on the 4Cs, and describes them.GIA does not certify diamonds or their value. Rather, like other scientific laboratories, GIA issues reports based on the results of its evaluation and believes “report” is the appropriate term to describe its grading results.
How Do You Get a Diamond “GIA Certified”?
Again, “GIA certified” is really a misnomer for GIA graded diamonds. There’s a false notion that ”GIA diamonds” cost more, often based on comparing diamonds by price tag alone.
The price of a diamond, a car or any other item of value is tied to quality. If you can’t be sure of the quality you’re getting, how do you know if you’re paying too much or getting a good deal? That’s why it’s important to compare prices for diamonds that have the same 4Cs quality characteristics and whose qualities have been accurately and objectively graded by the same independent laboratory like GIA.
Having a diamond graded by GIA is relatively inexpensive. GIA charges as little as $48 for a grading report for a diamond weighing 0.70 ct to 0.99 ct, and as little as $80 for a diamond weighing 1.00 ct to 1.49 cts. Most jewelers factor grading fees into the price of the diamond. Considering that couples spent an average of $5,500 on an engagement ring in 2023, the cost of a GIA Diamond Grading Report is a small price to pay for peace of mind.