In reply to this week's Memo by Chaim titled " GIA's Indian Papers " 25th February 2010 : " The rumor mill about the quality of GIA India certificates started almost from the very moment that the diamond-grading lab in Mumbai opened "
"http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp
Since GIA's failure to name the GIA bribers during the Certifigate fiasco is it any wonder that rumours are rife about GIA grading reports ?
GIA has itself only to blame for not bringing closure to this issue.
However my main concern is the actual accuracy of colour grading and clarity grading. There are inconsistencies.
Since the advent of so many online diamond vendors, GIA grading reports have become regarded as the " internet certificate ".
Many of these diamonds are the ones rejected by dealers and palmed off on the internet... the "seconds "...the ones that have fallen throught the net and especially in Hong Kong then dumped elsewhere.
In Australia I often lose sales when a client insists GIA grading reports are checked again by the International Diamond Council diamond grading laboratory the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia ( DCLA ) of which HRD is also a member.
It's a telling sign in itself when clients want to be reassured by questioning GIA grading reports.
It seems more often than not, most GIA diamond colour grades in particular are one colour better than the DCLA or HRD colour grades.
Often fluorescence is an issue. An E colour with medium blue flurorescence often becomes a GIA D colour. I have proved this to myself again and again.It's an easy way to make money without breaking the rules but not exactly ethical and not helpful if GIA is to be respected for it's integrity.
However whenever I purchase a GIA graded D colour diamond under one carat from and Indian source, diamonds are often genuine E colours upon rechecking at the DCLA.
There is a Laboratory Manual Harmonization Committee of which most of the leading diamond grading labs are members.
Different diamond grading labs have their own grading parameters.
Why can not a uniform international standard be applied to colour grading amongst all these organisations ?
What is the purpose of the LMHC ?
My potential clients immediately lose confidence at these discrepancies especially when they are told ad nauseum that GIA is so well respected in addition to comparing other graded diamonds from other diamond labs.
To summarize, both vendor and buyer are disappointed.
Where is the consumer protection ?
GIA needs to lift their game if they are to be respected and trusted if they keep insisting they are " the foremost authority in gemology "
Daniel F Katz GG
www.DiamondImports.com.au