What is a certificate?
A diamond certificate, also known as a diamond dossier or diamond valuation report, is a report that was prepared by an independent, recognized institute. The diamond is checked by a team of gemologists or diamond appraisers according to various criteria set worldwide. In addition to the experts' trained eyes, special magnifying glasses, microscopes and other devices such as absorption spectroscopes are used.
A diamond report, or certificate for short, contains a complete assessment based on the criteria of shape, carat weight, color, clarity, polish, symmetry and fluorescence as well as the external dimensions of the diamond . The certificates for round diamonds (brilliant diamonds) also regularly contain an assessment of the cut. In addition, the type of inclusions (clarity characteristics) as well as other, more in-depth information about the diamond being examined are documented. For larger diamonds weighing 1 carat or more, the location of the inclusions is often shown graphically (particularly in GIA and HRD reports).
Which certificates are accepted by Yorxs?
There are a large number of certification institutes and organizations worldwide. There are also so-called “jeweler certificates” that are issued by the sellers – mostly jewelers – themselves. While these “jeweler certificates” do not have any objective value in trade, especially when resold, and are therefore not certificates within the meaning of this definition, the certificates from the various independent certification bodies differ mainly in their accuracy in interpreting the uniform evaluation criteria. Yorxs therefore only offers you diamonds with certificates from certification institutes that enjoy the highest reputation. We therefore deliberately exclude certificates from some institutions, even if they are strongly represented on the market. Experience has shown that the volatility when complying with the valuation criteria is too great and therefore unacceptable from the investor/buyer's perspective.
Our motivation for this is simple: We want to ensure that every assessment that comes with a certificate accompanying the stone also stands up to later inspection by the strictest and best inspectors.
Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
GIA Diamond Grading Report & GIA Diamond Dossier
GIA was founded in 1931 and is certainly the best-known and most respected institute in the world today. This non-commercial organization produces precise reports and interprets the evaluation criteria most strictly. Diamonds with a GIA certificate therefore have the greatest lasting value. When purchasing, please note that diamonds certified by GIA usually fetch the highest prices. Due to these facts, the certificate is particularly suitable for investment diamonds.
Hooge Raad for Diamant (HRD)
HRD Diamond Certificate & HRD Identification Report
Diamonds with certificates from HRD, an Antwerp-based certification institute, are particularly common in Europe. HRD's certificates are highly recognized as they are accurate and strict in grading diamonds. The institute is essentially the European counterpart to GIA. Compared to GIA, HRD tends to rate slightly more stringently in the upper range of the color scale and slightly less stringently in the lower range. HRD diamonds are therefore sometimes a little cheaper.
American Gem Society Laboratories (AGS)
The (Platinum) Diamond Quality Document & The Diamond Quality Certificate/ Report
This American, internationally controversial certification laboratory awards commissioned analyzes and can only be trusted with reservations because the expertise is not completely impartial.
For this reason, many sightholders avoid this expertise. The certificate is not widely used in Europe. AGS has developed its own standards for the 4 Cs in diamonds. Diamonds are graded on a rating scale of 0 to 10. 0 is the best rating. A diamond graded with a 0 cut is considered an “AGS Ideal Cut”. However, the cuts are embellished and/or not truthfully idealized.
Yorxs and the world's most important sightholders advise against AGS!
International Institute of Gemology (IGI)
IGI Diamond Report
IGI is a European laboratory headquartered in Antwerp. The institute is one of the oldest and largest certification bodies in the world. IGI certificates can be assumed to rate diamonds higher than GIA or HRD - this means that in borderline cases they are more likely to choose the better rating. Due to its efficient organization, the institute is particularly valued by wholesalers. These two factors mean that IGI stones are sometimes cheaper.
Yorxs decided to no longer offer IGI certified diamonds since the color and sequence grading of these diamonds - at GIA and HRD - is rated at least one level weaker.
Institute not currently accepted by Yorx
European Gemological Laboratory International (EGL-International)
EGL operates laboratories at all major diamond production and trading locations worldwide. Unlike GIA or HRD, the evaluation criteria are interpreted differently strictly by the individual EGL laboratories. In particular, the Israeli laboratory has the most generous interpretation of the evaluation criteria. This can result in diamonds graded in Israel being two to three quality levels above a GIA grade. Although widely used, the certificate does not meet Yorxs' demands for transparency and comparability. Diamonds with this certificate are therefore not offered by Yorxs. This approach was recently confirmed by RapNet, as RapNet has no longer accepted EGL certificates for this reason since October 2014.
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