Was: [Orchid] Your favorite stone…
Regarding the discussion about “certificates” for diamonds, if you
Google G.I.A. lab report images, you will see different images of lab
reports from G.I.A. and other sources. Several of the images other
than G.I.A.'s contain something like:
First a quick note. G.I.A. has contacted us requesting that we use
the term Diamond Grading Report rather than Certificate. Their
concern seems to be that a Certificate might imply that the lab is
certifying the diamond, which some may view as an endorsement of the
item rather than a description. That is an important distinction, one
that probably came years after GIA’s lab started offering reports.
However people in the trade still use the term certificate or cert
for short. So we will respect GIA’s wishes, but want you to be aware
of the issue.
Nowhere on a lab report can you find the word “certificate”. The
word certificate in this context is used as documentation, not
certification.
It would be good if people who come in contact with diamonds in the
process of making or selling jewelry or those that teach people who
might come in contact with diamonds the distinction. If G.I.A. makes
a distinction about their product, it is up to the industry to know
and educate the public as to the meaning of the terminology.
As I have posted previously, there are diamond sales people who
grade = diamonds themselves that have no lab report and use the color
and clarity terminology used by G.I.A.
and I have seen the terms misused.
There are people who do not respect what G.I.A. does. There are
gradingsystems for stamps and comic books to help establish a
criteria for value. It has always seemed to me that some people
either resent having to learn something new, or they resent the fact
that a grading report reduces their ability to fraudulently
misrepresent color or clarity of a diamond.
Richard Hart G.G.
Denver, Co.