GIA Diamond Reports: What to Check Before Selling
Bring the GIA report you already have and match it to the actual diamond being evaluated. Check the report type, number, shape, measurements and comments. The report describes the examined stone; it does not establish its current condition or a purchase amount.
Start with the exact report type
Record the laboratory name, document title, report number and date. Use the wording on the actual document rather than relying on a seller's shorthand. Keep laboratory-grown identification separate from natural-diamond information.
GIA explains that it does not certify diamonds or businesses. “GIA-graded” or a reference to a GIA report describes the relevant service more accurately than a claim of GIA certification.
Read the fields the document actually supplies
GIA's sample natural-diamond reports are a useful reference. Its Diamond Grading Report includes quality information, clarity plotting and proportions. The overall cut grade described there applies to standard round brilliants in the D-to-Z color range.
Do not assume that every report format supplies the same fields. A missing overall cut grade on another shape is not a Poor grade. Read polish, symmetry, shape and cutting style as the separate descriptions they are.
Make a simple note of the reported weight, millimeter measurements, color, clarity and relevant comments. Our diamond grading chart helps decode the terminology without assigning a price to it.
Use Report Check and match the item
Look up the number through GIA Report Check and compare the available record with your document. Resolve discrepancies rather than assuming a familiar logo is enough.
The actual stone must still be matched to the information. Ask how the identification, measurements and any recorded inscription are checked. A successful online lookup is about a report record, not a remote examination of the diamond in front of you.
Disclose what happened after the report date
Bring records of repairs, damage or recutting that you know about. If the diamond has changed since the report was issued, ask which details remain relevant and whether another examination is appropriate.
For a mounted diamond, keep the ring intact and discuss any proposed removal first. The setting may limit what can be observed. Explain that limitation instead of converting an estimate into an exact grade.
Keep the report and purchase amount separate
GIA distinguishes grading reports from monetary appraisals. Neither its report nor an earlier insurance amount guarantees a particular offer.
Ask what the proposed purchase includes: just the diamond, the complete ring or additional pieces. Compare final amounts for the same items and conditions. No fixed percentage premium applies to every stone simply because a particular laboratory name appears on the document.
Bring existing paperwork to Downtown Los Angeles
Cash 4 Gold & Diamonds buys natural polished diamonds of any size and shape, loose or in jewelry. We do not buy laboratory-grown, uncut or rough diamonds. If paperwork is missing, contact us with what you know before paying for replacement or new laboratory work.
Call 310-663-1340 or arrange an evaluation at 617 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Our diamond-buying page explains the service. Cash, bank wire and business check are available for agreed purchases.