CERTIFIED WHEN? WHY THE DATE MATTERS…

“Always buy a certified diamond!”

That’s what everyone tells you.

It’s good advice…

But what they don’t tell you is this:

Check the date, as well.

Because the date is much more important than you would think.

The date tells you the last time that diamond was inspected by an expert (diamontologist).

The date is the date printed on the actual diamond report, as shown below:

Think about this…

So much can change in the span of ten or twenty years. Look at yourself, for example. Have you changed? Are you in the same condition you were 20 years ago? Probably not…

Diamonds can endure the same kind of physical damage. Not being graded currently tells us:

1. The report hasn’t been updated
2. The diamond’s value could be way off
3. That diamond was probably someone’s trade in
4. That report could be inaccurate and misleading

How do you know that the diamond hasn’t been chipped or broken in the last couple of decades?

You don’t!

Many older diamonds do show signs of wear and tear, it’s normal; hairline fissures around the edge of the stone, chips, even cracks…

And if any of these occurred after the report date, it’s not the same stone. That diamond, which appears in mint condition on the paperwork, is not. It’s farce.

Diamonds with older dates should be sent back to the diamond grader (like GIA) to be reassessed and updated. Just to make sure that the diamond is still intact and not something less valuable. For if it drops the clarity of the diamond, or the cut, it could drop the price of the diamond by hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Resubmit the diamond:

Ask if the diamond can be resubmitted to the diamond grader (GIA will allow any diamond or gemstone they’ve graded to be sent back for confirmation and updates). And, you can even submit the diamond yourself here.

So do yourself a favor:

If you’re buying a diamond, always buy it loose (you don’t know what the prongs or mounting could be hiding), and always check the certificate date (date on the diamond report, not the date on the appraisal). If the stone hasn’t been officially looked at in the last 5 years, I would think twice about that purchase.

Otherwise, you don’t know what you’re buying

You could be buying a diamond that’s chipped, cracked, damaged, and worth much less than you believed. So protect yourself, and protect your investment; check the date first!

And yes, always buy GIA certified!

Just to make sure it’s up-to-date.

Cheers! :)