Is my diamond certified fantastic?

March 14 2022

How can I be sure I'm getting what I paid for?

Diamond buying is a big deal. We know it is. That’s sort of why we sell them. It can also be one of the most exciting purchases of your life, so it’s understandable you need to be sure you’re getting what you really want, and more importantly what you pay for. But let’s face it unless you’re a diamond expert there’s a whole lot of complicated decisions to be made around those four little C’s if you want to get it right.

You can browse customer feedback and performance reviews to your heart’s content - in fact, if you want, you can even look at a few of our reviews here. That’s all well and good, it’s a great way to see how important an independent opinion can be in influencing where you might go shopping. The problem with a diamond, however, can be knowing if the final product is exactly what you paid for. It’s not like buying a car and noticing there are a couple of wheels missing (sadly that’s a bike and you've probably been miss-sold). So how do you really know what it is you’re buying? That’s where certification comes in. It’s the safety net that ensures what you get, is what you paid for.

So what is certification, and can just anyone do it?

Well, we all know what certified means in the general sense - it’s the confirmation of something as genuine or meeting a set standard. It’s exactly the same with diamonds. Firstly, diamond certification verifies whether a diamond is 100% natural or has been enhanced by a manual process. Generally, enhanced diamonds are poorer quality diamonds, manually processed to improve their grading - think cosmetic surgery for diamonds.

Certification also confirms that the colour, the quality and often the cut meet set standards which are used to then represent that diamond for sale. In fact, certification is so important it’s often referred to as "the fifth C".

Authentic diamond certification isn’t something just anyone can do either. Proper, independent certification is carried out by a trained gemmologist who has all the experience to accurately assess and grade the diamond for its quality. Here at Quality Diamonds, we guarantee that every single diamond we sell is certified by a professional, industry-recognised, independent institute.

Can’t retailers just sort of certify themselves?

Getting a diamond independently certified costs money - money that, yes, is usually reflected in the sale price - and so a retailer may self-certify their diamonds to try and cut costs. That’s to say they print out a certificate stating what they grade the diamond as.

The difference between that retailer and a reputable jeweller like Quality Diamonds is that the former has printed off a bit of paper which says what they want it to (and let’s face it, it’s in their interests to grade highly). In contrast, the latter has had an independent and internationally recognised body assess and complete the certification, ensuring impartiality and adherence to a widely held industry standard. That’s quite a big difference!

That’s why we believe independent certification is so important. It’s the only way you can be sure what we’re offering is really what you will get. With a purchase as special as a diamond, we want to make certain you’re absolutely certain!

Do I get the paperwork?

When you buy a diamond from Quality Diamonds, we always provide the certification paperwork. This means that if you want to, you can verify your diamond with the independent laboratory which certified it. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to show your friends, so feel free to add half a carat onto the weight and watch them get jealous!

You don’t have to wait until after you've bought either. Our website displays the certificate number for most diamonds which you can use on the certifying laboratory’s website to verify the information provided.

With a certified diamond, you know exactly what you’re paying for. There’s no risk of you buying a D colour only to find out it’s an H. Nobody wants to be that person. Diamonds are here to make you happy after all. With your diamond certificate, you know exactly what you've got to appraise and insure as well. And on the off-chance you want to sell it someday you've got the right paperwork to show what it is you truly own. But then who really wants to sell their diamonds? Sparkles are pretty special.

So really, is certification essential?

Well, we’ll let you decide that for yourself, but we certainly think so. If in doubt, just ask: “Do I want the following things for my diamond?”

• Verified as 100% natural
• Graded for quality against an industry standard by an independent expert
• Confirmation that what you pay for will be what you get.

We believe that’s what our customers want, that’s why every diamond on our diamond search is certified by an independent institute. We know how important it is to you, so it’s important to us too.

So if you’re searching for that special sparkle, you know you can be sure that it’ll shine just as much as we say it does. Because it’s not just us saying it - it’s some fancy smart gemmologist saying it too. So be happy, get searching, and be safe in the knowledge that no matter what diamond you decide to buy, you’re really getting what you pay for.

Shop certified loose diamonds here

If you wish to learn more about our Bespoke services, click here.

If you wish to contact us, click here.

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