Clarity grading of diamonds

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi! Goodday to all! I have been lurking for a while now but, finally,
have the courage to post a query to the well-informed members of this
forum.

I have read somewhere that GIA has explicit rules regarding clarity
grading of diamonds. If so, I wonder if anybody would be able to
share them with me. I’ve checked GIA’s website but drew a blank;
hence, this query.

Please contact me off list at @Rasesh_Chasmawala

Rasesh in Mumbai, India.

2

GIA does not have explicit rules that you can ascertain simply by
looking at their website. They have guidelines which most people who
train with them learn throughout the course of their training.
Clarity grading is a subjective field and even GIA has multiple
graders look at stones to ensure that there is some consensus on the
grades. I suggest that if you want to learn their method of clarity
grading you take their courses. Daniel R. Spirer, GG

Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6000
@spirersomes
www.spirersomes.com

3

Rasesh, I became a Graduate Gemologist at G.I.A. in 1972. At that
time, the way one learned diamond grading was by actually DOING it.

As far as I know, that is still the ONLY way to learn.

You need to take the diamond grading class, OR find someone in India
who can teach you. You need to look at HUNDREDS of diamonds…tell
your teacher what grade you would give it, and compare that with the
’established’ grade.

Diamond grading is NOT scientific and quantifiable, it is a matter of
experience. Those who do it, often cannot tell you specifically what
factors led to a decision, only that they ‘know’ it is XX.

Oddly enough, the system works. Any two graders might differ by one
grade, but with three people grading one diamond, usually two will
agree, if not all three.

David Barzilay
Lord of the Rings
607 S Hill St Ste 850
Los Angeles, CA 90014-1718
213-488-9157

4 
GIA does not have explicit rules that you can ascertain simply by
looking at their website.  They have guidelines which most people
who train with them learn throughout the course of their training.

Thanks Daniel and David, for your suggestions.

I have taken a diamond grading course in India and have been in the
diamond jewelry business for a while now. I understand that diamond
grading is very subjective and that, in a way, is the beauty of the
field. However, occasionally, it does result in differences of
opinion between business associates, especially when they are located
on different continents.

We understand this and, to be on the safe side, we always try to err
on the side of caution. However, occasionally, that’s not enough.
Even if they are guidelines, if we had something in writing with a
‘GIA tag’, it would help us a great deal. Therefore, would somebody
email them to us?

Thanks,

5

What you are looking for simply isn’t available. Take the GIA
courses.

Daniel R. Spirer, GG
Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6000
@spirersomes
www.spirersomes.com

6

Hi Rasesh,

If it is a GIA tag you are interested in, then why not send your
diamonds to the GIA to obtain their certificate. I had been working
for a diamond company on 47th street in New York City for the past 9
months and there were many jewelers that would specifically ask for a
diamond with a certain color and clarity and only wanted it with a
GIA certificate.Then there were jewelers who would ask for a
certifiied stone and did not have a lab preference. There were also
jewelers that did not need a certified stone. That sometimes became
tricky because their view of what an SI 1 or SI 2 was might differ
from what we saw as an SI 1 or SI 2. I would often explain the
inclusions over the phone before the diamond was sent out to save
everyone time and money.

Best Regards,

Diane Sadel
http://www.sweetgemstones.com

7

Hi Rasesh…

If you want a “GIA Tag”… The only way you can get this…is to
send it to GIA for grading…

You may mention that you grade to the “GIA System”…but as stated
before, this is subjective…

But for a “GIA Tag”, you have to go to them…

If you think about it…it makes sense…

Gary W. Bourbonais
AJP (GIA)