If you are buying loose diamonds online you’ll find much help. Most of the loose diamonds sold on the Internet will have been certified. This certification indicates that the loose diamonds have been evaluated by a professional gemology laboratory that is independent of the merchant selling the loose diamonds.
This gemology lab will use a device called a Sarin. This machine is designed to measure the diamonds precisely, looking at specific characteristics that help determine diamond value. These characteristics are its length, its width, the size of its girdle and table as well as every angle created by the diamond cutter. The second step is for the loose diamonds to be examined by trained gemologists, whose job it is to assign grades of both clarity and color. The grading system requires a highly competent diamond professional as the process has not tool or machine that offers any precision on the grading itself.
The color of loose diamonds is determined through a comparison of a control diamond group with a known color against the diamond being evaluated. The gemologist then assigns the color of the studied diamond based on its matching one of the loose diamonds in the control group more closely than the others. This process relies heavily on gemologist judgment and experience.
The gemologist then determines the clarity of the loose diamonds through examination for inclusions. Once the inclusions are found they are then counted, and their size and location noted – all of which affect the grading of the loose diamonds.
There are numerous noteworthy and highly regarded gemology labs in the loose diamonds business, but the best known and perhaps most highly respected is that of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA.) The International Gemology Institute (IGI) is highly regarded as well.
Once the gemology lab has finished grading the loose diamonds, each is issued a certificate. This certification describes each loose diamond’s weight, measurement, clarity and color. Most gemology labs don’t give written appraisals for loose diamonds, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
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