Tag Archive: diamonds

The Importance Of Appraisals In Diamonds And Gemstones Transactions

The importance of a certified diamond and gemstones appraiser is increasing more and more in today’s changing market environment. Consumers are more educated and sophisticated, while diamonds are more and more expensive. That’s why it’s so important to know the exact value of a diamond and make the best use out of the information provided by an expert gemologist. Now a day, a diamond is not appraised only by clarity,color or weight, because there are plenty of other factors to be taken into consideration:

  • Did the diamond have any temporary or permanent treatments applied?
  • Is the stone a synthetic diamond, a real diamond, a color-altered one, loaded with filler or a plain fake?
  • Is the information stated in the documentation accurate?
  • Is there any damage to the diamond?
  • Is the diamond really cut correctly?

Given those factors and for a buyer’s own safety, it’s recommended to use a third party appraisal service in transactions involving diamonds or other gemstones, as a matter of fact. The only other things people buy without having a “list price” are houses, so it’s obvious diamonds are a big investment for any person. Appraisers are therefore needed to confirm these type of transactions.

Gemology is the science and art of gemstones. Certified gemologists have special training in grading of gems, especially diamonds. The appraisal process involves two important components: the authentication of an item and the assignment of an appropriate value.

Over the years, jewelry stores, pawn shops, auction houses or other types of businesses would make appraisals of their own, based on previous experiences and using charts, such as the Rapaport Diamond Report to establish their own prices. Of course, these appraisals are not accurate and the need for independent appraisers was obvious. A fair appraisal is beneficial for both the seller and the buyer, and using the services of an independent appraiser ensures exactly this. Appraisers don’t buy or sell jewelry at all, they are just providing their services, so they don’t have any interest in the outcome of the appraisal. This is something most diamond and gems shoppers found to be useful, as serious sellers allow a period of time from the moment of purchase to return them, time that can be used to get an evaluation from an independent appraiser to confirm the information provided by the seller, or to receive more details.

Depending on a client’s needs, an appraisers is able to provide retail replacement value reports (used to confirm the quality of a gemstone), establish market value and fair market value, sale prices and other types of evaluation, varying from liquidation appraisal, damage reports or collateral appraisal.

AGI New York (Accredited Gemological Institute) offers all the services involved in diamonds and gemstones transactions with the help of state-of-the-art technology. The AGI laboratory is able to deliver customized reports and a wide range of appraisal services. Even more, the AGI gemologists are available for training, through seminars covering topics in the industry from treated gemstones to synthetic ones, to prepare business staff in better selling certified diamonds. The institute’s reputation for meeting client’s timetables is unsurpassed, making it a priority to treat each client with prompt and individual attention.

 

 

The Spectrum of Colorful Diamonds

colorful diamonds

Did you know that diamonds aren’t limited to just the colorless variety? While the colorless diamond is the most common, the jewelry market has seen a marked increase in colorful diamonds. Colored gem stones allow you to give your jewelry an added flair. Since each color represents a different mood, you can pick and choose your daily jewelry selections according to the way you feel that morning. Since diamonds represent luxury and opulence, with the emergence of colors of diamonds it has become easier for the upper crust to customize their jewelry without having to settle for one of the lesser known stones on the market.

Rarity of Color Diamonds

Colored diamonds are incredibly rare. They actually only tend to appear once out of every 10,000 diamonds mined. This rarity is what lends the colored diamond its desirability and hefty price tag.

One of the most sought after colored diamonds is the blue diamond. Recently, a 29.6 carat blue diamond was found in the Cullinan mine near Pretoria in South Africa. Some of the larger blue diamonds have actually sold at a price of over $1 million a carat. Out of the 1 in every 10,000 diamonds that yield a colored diamond, blue diamonds are only found in only a fraction of those.

The rarest of all colorful diamonds, though, is the red diamond. There are probably only 20 red diamonds in all of existence. In this case, if you have your heart set on a red stone, you may want to stick with rubies or garnets. Depending on how deep your pockets go, red diamonds may be out of your price range.

Available Colors

There are several different colors available when picking out your diamond, although you might be surprised to learn what actually causes each one.

Nitrogen is one of the most common elements found in diamonds and has the ability to turn them yellow and brown. Brown diamonds have seen a sudden boost in popularity thanks to them being marketed as chocolate diamonds. Blue diamonds are created when boron is introduced to the gems while green diamonds are created by irradiation by alpha particles. Plastic deformation is also responsible for turning diamonds brown, pink, and red. The popular black diamond isn’t actually black. Instead it is just full of dark inclusions that give it the appearance of being black.

The truth is, even though colorful diamonds are incredibly expensive because of their rarity, the reason they have their colors is due to impurities and defects. This is probably the only time a defect will actually make you pay more for an item rather than less. No matter how they got that way, fancy color diamonds are a unique way to add a pop of color to your fine jewelry without having to sacrifice quality. Just be sure to have their quality verified before committing to a purchase. You wouldn’t want to spend tens of thousands on a stone only to find out later that it was one of the lesser quality gems instead.

 

What are Certified Diamonds? Want to know?

Certified Diamonds

Another term for a diamond certificate is the diamond report. These reports come from accredited gemological labs and they tell you about the diamond in question. In the report, they cover the 4Cs of diamonds – the color, cut, clarity, and carat. Today, the labs will use high-tech gear and equipment along with the expert eyes and experience of the gemologists to provide the most accurate diamond report possible. Anyone who buys a diamond, for whatever reason, should request a diamond report.

 Benefits of Buying Certified Diamond

Why should you buy certified diamonds? One of the biggest reasons is so that you can be sure you are getting a real diamond and that you are not paying too much for it. The report gives you a rundown of the diamond so you know exactly what it is you are buying. You can look at the report and know what the diamond will look like even without seeing it. In addition, certified diamonds tend to be able to hold their value better than those that do not have certification. By looking at the diamond reports, it makes it possible for non-experts to understand what they are looking at when they are examining a diamond. They can also use the reports to compare several different diamonds and know which one is the best. Since most people buying diamonds are not experts, the certificates serve as shorthand for understanding the diamond. Of course when buying, it is important to make sure that the certification comes from a high quality, accredited laboratory that has a good reputation when it comes to certification.

The Difference Between Diamond Reports and Appraisals

Many people do not realize there is a difference between appraisals and diamond reports, but the difference is actually huge. The report, as mentioned, covers the color, cut, clarity, and carat of the diamond in terms that the readers of the report can easily understand. The appraisal on the other hand is an actual valuation of the diamond from an expert. People will often need to get an appraisal if they want to insure their diamonds, which is always a good idea. The next time you are shopping for a diamond, make sure you ask for the diamond certificate so you can give it the once over for your own safety. It will help ensure you are making the right decision when you spend your money.