Diamond Certificate

Diamonds are considered to be one of the most precious stones everywhere around the world, thanks to the ever so popular marketing campaign of De Beers which was launched in 1947. Who hasn’t heard about the advertisement that “diamonds are forever”? This simple line unquestioningly changed the diamond market forever.

Indeed, diamonds have come a long, long way. Now, diamonds are considered prime choices for engagement rings to signify lasting relationships. They are also considered as family heirlooms and as wise investment pieces. With almost everyone holding on to their cherished diamond jewelry, the demand for these stones continues to increase dramatically. Without doubt, diamonds are among the most highly coveted gemstones. As such, if you consider buying some, you would certainly want them to be worth exactly what the jewelers claimed them to be. And how do you do it? Ask for a diamond certificate!

A diamond certificate can be accurately described as the blueprint of a diamond. It tells you the exact measurement, weight and the details of the cut and quality of the diamond. In a nutshell, it spells out all the individual properties of the stone itself and provides proof of the stone’s identity and value. You may be required to pay for the certificate but its cost is usually quite low. Plus, securing a certificate will provide you a much-needed peace of mind knowing that you are getting your money’s worth.

These certificates provide an unbiased description of the diamond, since it is issued by diamond grading laboratories and not by your average dealer or jeweler. At present, there are many laboratories which issue diamond certificates, but the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) are by far the most credible diamond grading laboratories in the world.

Here are some reasons why you should not buy a diamond without a diamond certificate:

• You can find the best deals in town. A diamond certificate gives you the exact details of the gem you are considering to buy. Why is this important? Well, knowing the exact features of the stone will allow you to do some comparison-shopping before doing the actual purchase. Hence, you have the chance to find the best deals in town!

• You get your money’s worth. How unfortunate would it be if you find out that your jeweler has tricked you into paying an extremely high price for the diamond you bought? With a diamond certificate at hand, there will be no more worries about overpaying for a particular piece of diamond jewelry. A diamond certificate allows you to make an informed choice. Therefore, you pay for the stone based on its qualities. No more, no less!

• You get to sell the diamond at a better price. In case you want to sell your diamonds for one reason or another at some future time, you will have the necessary documents to authenticate its value. Plus, selling diamond jewelry, or loose diamonds, without a certificate to back it up is nearly impossible.

• You can safely insure your diamonds. To insure your diamonds, a copy of the certificate will be required to provide a proof of its value. Who else can argue over the actual value of a diamond when it is authenticated by a diamond certificate?

There are many good reasons why you should never even consider buying a diamond without a certificate issued by a credible laboratory. So, if you are planning to go shopping for that precious diamond, ask your jeweler for its certificate. It will definitely save you a lot of trouble!

Conflict Diamonds

Conflict diamonds are called such because these diamonds came from conflict-ridden countries that suffer from terrorism and human right abuses. Conflict diamond are also otherwise known as blood diamonds, because many people have died or have been killed by several groups that want to control the diamond trade in Africa. The money from conflict diamonds is also used to fund illegal activities for military and terrorist groups in different African countries such as Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The citizens of these countries then suffer at the hands of these groups.

For these reasons, it is important to stop the sales of conflict diamonds. There are efforts being made by the United Nations, including several South African countries, to stop this kind of trade. The South African countries determine all the origins of the rough diamonds in the market, then stop its refining process and distribution if it is established that it came from conflict areas. They have devised a process known as the Kimberly Process, which aims to track the rough or uncut diamonds that enters another country. The shippers then have to provide documentation proving that these diamonds did not come from a conflict country before being allowed entry.

Despite all the potentials being seen in the Kimberly Process, not all countries are participating in this program. You should note that this is quite normal because the Kimberly Process is a comprehensive program that requires the complete cooperation of dozens of governments and agencies for it to work perfectly. Not all countries can agree to all the terms of the Kimberly Process. You should also note that despite all these setbacks, the Kimberly Process has achieved remarkable developments in stopping the trade of conflict diamonds. In time, the Kimberly Process can be a significant force in minimizing the illegal diamond trade.

While there are programs being implemented to stop the illegal diamond trade in Africa, consumers should also do their part in stopping these activities by avoiding the purchase of conflict diamonds. Currently, the retailers of diamonds cannot give consumers the assurance that the diamonds they are buying did not come from a conflict area. However, consumers have the power to change that - if they demand the necessary information that can prove that the diamonds they buy did not come from an illegal trade. The act of demanding information alone sends an important message that consumers are not willing to settle for blood diamonds. Changes in the way diamonds are traded will not happen instantly. But when consumers are committed, it is inevitable that change will happen and lives will be saved.

There are consumer programs being implemented nowadays to assure the consumers that the diamonds they are buying are not conflict diamonds. One noteworthy program is a Canadian program named Voluntary Code of Conduct for Authenticating Canadian Diamond Claim. This program verifies that a diamond came from Canada and not anywhere else. Similar programs should be implemented worldwide to ensure that there would be no more conflict diamonds for sale in the future.

Man-Made Diamonds; A Buyer's Guide

By Gary La Court

It seems nearly impossible to watch TV or open a newspaper without seeing something about man-made diamonds. For hundreds of years science has tried to create a perfect synthetic diamond. Finally, 21st-century technology has made that prospect a reality.

There are many reasons to purchase synthetic diamonds instead of the mined variety. The prices charged for mined diamonds are, in the very best verbiage, an illusion. To put it more bluntly, Cecil Adams, in his award-winning newspaper column “The Straight Dope” says: “Diamonds are a con, pure and simple.” Diamond prices are largely controlled by the DeBeers diamond cartel, and they are not a fair reflection of diamond scarcity. Additionally, studies show that one out of three diamonds sold in the US today has been altered to artificially increase its value. Further studies have shown that on average a couple pays 40% too much for their diamond engagement ring.

Beyond deceptive pricing, there are the issues of “blood diamonds”, forced child labor, and a myriad of other disturbing diamond facts.

Recently, socially conscious celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Minnie Driver, and Angelina Jolie have made a vocal issue of wearing only synthetic diamonds to the many gala events they attend.

Good synthetic diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from the mined variety, but without the baggage, and additionally, they cost thousands of dollars less. But, which synthetic diamond is the best choice?

There are many types of man-made or synthetic diamonds available. The choices are numerous, but unbiased information is scarce. Here is an overview and comparison of the synthetic diamonds currently unavailable on the market:

Cubic Zirconia

The grandfather of simulated diamonds, Zircons are available widely. In their best examples, CZ’s are actually a fairly decent diamond replica. Unfortunately, the commodity-like availability and vast differences in quality have made the stone synonymous with low-cost fashion jewelry. Perhaps a good choice for cheap bling, but not for fine jewelry. Many sources are available, a decent one is: http://www.czfantasy.com

Russian Diamonds

Including Russian Brilliants, Russian Stars and others, they are in fact nothing but high quality cubic zirconias. This is not mentioned prominently on their web sites and they will only cop to it when pressed, but that is the fact. Russian diamond simulates are priced around $280 per carat.

Russian Diamonds are a fine jewelry selection and are usually mounted in quality precious metal settings.

Russian Brilliants are one of the best and oldest sellers of “Russian Diamonds” available at: http://www.russianbrilliants.net

Moissanite

Moissanite is a lab-created mineral that is a very good diamond simulant. Moissanite has been on the market as a fine jewelry choice since the early 90s and has picked up quite a few fans. Moissanite is a hard mineral that, like diamond, will cut glass. There are a couple of minor downsides to moissanite however. First, it is quite expensive, (though still cheap compared to diamonds) usually priced about $500 per carat for good samples.

Secondly, moissanite does not have the same optical qualities as diamond and there are several indicators that make them easy to spot with the naked eye for an experienced practitioner. It is difficult to produce a pure white moissanite and they often appear slightly green when viewed in natural light. Also, moissanite has significantly higher radiance and brilliance factors then natural diamond, causing them to appear “too sparkly” to some. Overall though, moissanite is a beautiful synthetic diamond choice.

“Moissanite From the Sky” at http://www.fromthesky.com is a good source of fine moissanite jewelry.

Diamond Nexus

Diamond Nexus gemstones are the result of a fairly new scientific advancement in processing technique, and have only recently been available in the United States.

Diamond Nexus gemstones are excellent diamond simulants and come very close to matching the properties of mined diamonds at many different comparison points. They cut glass, being virtually identical to diamond on the Mohs (hardness) scale. They refract perfect “hearts and arrows” and have radiance and brilliance readings extremely close to flawless diamond.

Best of all, they are currently introductory priced for the U.S. market, and are a steal at $79 per caret. Diamond Nexus gemstones are only available in precious metal, solid-gold settings.

Diamond Nexus is only available from Diamond Nexus Labs at: http://www.DiamondNexusLabs.com

White Sapphire

Sapphire is the second hardest natural mineral on the Mohs scale, surpassed only by diamond. They are, unlike the others in this review, a natural stone. Their radiance and brilliance are not up to the standards of diamond however. Nevertheless, quality white sapphires priced at around $220 per carat are a good diamond alternative.

A quality source is: http://www.TheNaturalSapphireCompany.com

Gemisis Cultured Diamond

Gemisis diamonds are beautiful and almost perfect diamond replicas. Unfortunately, they are not available in a clear, white color, so they are not a good choice for traditional diamond settings. However, if a yellow, orange or pink diamond is what you crave, Gemisis offers stunning choices in beautiful precious metal, fine-jewelry settings.

Gemisis Cultured Diamonds are only available at: http://www.gemisis.com

Recap:

Synthetic diamonds offer many advantages over the mined variety. You can buy with confidence, knowing that you are getting exactly what you paid for, and have not been the victim of diamond pricing chicanery. If you are concerned with the world around you, you can have a clear conscience, knowing that your money has not contributed to the support of an unethical and abusive industry.

However, there are many choices of synthetic diamonds, with varying degrees of quality. Take a little time to review the seller’s information to get a clear idea of what the science is behind the gemstones you are buying.

For my money, I believe the best choices are quality Moissanite stones or the new diamond simulant gemstones available from Diamond Nexus Labs.