DO YOU KNOW YOUR DIAMOND’S VALUE?
The price tag of a diamond is in no way indicative of its true value. It needs to be examined by a qualified person who can remain objective when doing a market evaluation, not an appraisal for insurance purposes. So stop wondering how much your diamonds are worth by calling us at Divorce Your Ring who just happen to be diamond cutters by trade. We will give you an unbiased opinion based on market conditions and the Rap Report.
DIAMOND APPRAISAL? WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?
Appraisals are carried out for a specific purpose such as insurance or tax. Please read our article “What is the Value of my Diamond”. Terminologies are often confused when trying to understand the differences between diamond appraisal, grading and market evaluation.
DIAMOND GRADING VS DIAMOND APPRAISAL
What are the most popular diamond grading laboratories?
Founded in 1931
GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
Nonprofit institute and one of the most widely recognized laboratories in the world.
Headquartered in California
Considered the leading laboratory in the diamond industry
Strictest and most trustworthy grading standards.
The AGS ()
One of the most reputable diamond laboratories, second only to the GIA
Scientific approach to grading has established them as a trusted name in the industry
The EGL (European Gemological Laboratory)
Not the most reputable in the world
Known for their grading of diamonds under 1ct and are often a popular choice thanks to their low certification costs
The EGL is not known for strict grading’s, and is consistently a few grades below GIA gradings
Based in Belgium
IGI (International Gemological Institute)
Most popular gemological laboratory for the major jewelry chains in the US and Canada such as Kay, Zales, etc.
HRD – Hoge Raad voor Diamant, translated as the “Diamond High Council”
Very active in the European diamond marketplace
Not as accurate as the GIA
Founded in 2000
GCAL (Gem Certification & Assurance Lab)
The only laboratory to guarantee their color and clarity grades
They are still young in the industry
These laboratories grade the diamonds but the market assigns value to the diamonds according to their grading. That is why it is important to know your 4 C’s attributes: carat, cut, color and clarity. This will help you estimate its true value. Divorce Your Ring offers this serve to you for free.
On the other hand a diamond appraisal is the process of assigning monetary value to a diamond for a specific purpose such as insurance, tax, divorce, etc. This will cost you a penny or two unlike a market evaluation that is done in order to sell the diamond.
WHERE WOULD I GET A DIAMOND APPRAISAL?
Divorce Your Ring offers both services to our customers. A paid appraisal service for insurance, tax, divorce, etc. and free market evaluation should you want to sell your diamonds. Cash is always king but it is smarter to sell on consignment because the returns are so much higher.
HOW THE DIAMOND GRADING PROCESS WORKS
- Cleaning. To be able to evaluate your diamond it must be polished to take away any superficial flaws. If the diamond is mounted in a setting it may prove very difficult to get an accurate evaluation.
- General Condition Overview. A certified professional would simply look at your diamond without any tools to see if there are any scratches. They would also verify that it is a diamond.
- Measurement and the 4 C’s. carat, cut, color, and clarity are used to assess grading qualities.
- Description. An estimated market value would then be given, not an appraisal.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR 4 C’S?
Carat – Carat refers to the size of the diamond, correlating with the weight of it. Reference, 1 carat equals .2 grams.
Color – Color grades sit on a scale from D-Z with D being completely void of color and Z having a yellow tone. To the naked untrained eye it may appear colorless.
Cut – Standard diamond cuts are; Point cut, Table cut, Old Single cut, Mazarin cut, Peruzzi cut, and old European cut. Each cut varies with the proportions and angles of each facet. It is not just the shape of the diamond as many people have come to believe.
Clarity – A diamond that is flawless does not have any scratches, blemishes, inclusions, or clouds. These diamonds are very rare and valuable. Special tools are used to see blemishes and inclusions (flaws inside the diamond), such as a jewelers loop.
KNOWING YOUR DIAMOND’S MARKET VALUE WITH DIVORCE YOUR RING
If you have a Certified Report for your diamond it makes it easier for us to determine its true market value. If not we usually suggest getting three quotes from reputable jewelers before coming to us. We would then guarantee this amount as a cash buy out but recommend selling on consignment where you would enjoy the highest possible payout.