Independent Diamond Appraisals

A diamond should be independently appraised for monetary value by a certified independent appraiser.

Before making your final decision on a diamond or diamond jewelry, it is important to have the diamond or diamonds independently appraised for their monetary value. An independent appraisal by a respected and certified independent appraiser will allow you to know if the diamond you are thinking of acquiring is actually worth the expense that is being charged for it. In addition to this, an independent appraisal will give you needed information for insurance purposes.

Many people make the mistake of confusing appraisal with certification, or simply think that they are the same thing. While both should list the diamond's type and proportions, they do not offer this information to the same degree, or to the same ends. A certificate that comes from a respected independent laboratory will provide in-depth information on a diamond's most essential statistics, in a scientifically observational manner. An independent appraisal, on the other hand, will provide the general identification information on a diamond, such as its proportions and type, but for the sake of assessing and providing a monetary value for the diamond.

One of the greatest values of the appraisal is to provide verification of the information provided on the diamond's certificate. A good independent appraiser will be able to tell you if the diamond matches with the grades that have been attributed to it on the certification. This will provide you with the security that your diamond has been correctly graded, that you can expect it to have the values normally attributed to diamonds of its specific level of quality, and that it is the correct diamond.

Numerous questions can be answered by an independent appraiser. Not only can you find out that the diamond that you acquired matches the diamond you are actually having appraised, and that the diamond matches the certificate you hold for it, but you can discover two other important things. First, has the diamond been treated in any way? A good independent appraiser will be able to quickly ascertain whether or not your diamond has had any treatments, such as colour enhancement, laser fillings, or if it is even real. Second, has the diamond been cut to the correct proportions, in accordance with what you have paid for? Again, a good independent appraiser will be able to measure your diamond to determine its cut and other proportions.

Your appraisal should include such information as your name, the date of the appraisal and the name of the item that is being appraised, such as the jewelry item or diamond type. There are also three (3) other pieces of information that you should expect to see in writing when having a diamond appraised by an independent appraiser:

• The reason for the appraisal, such as if it is to ascertain the identity and value, if it is for insurance purposes, or for other reasons.
• All of the diamond's features should be listed. This will include such measurements as the cut, clarity, colour and carat, as well as the depth percentages for the various parts of the diamond's anatomy.
• A solid estimation of the diamond's value. This will include an explanation of what the given monetary value actually means, such as if it is for replacement costs or current market value, and how the value was ascertained.

Ask for the availability of the following:

• Good photographs of the diamond. The photographs will serve as visual identification of the diamond.