Most precious gems that we find today are mined in Africa and Russia, a fact that has been a source of concern for the free world while these giant producers of valuable precious gems have been anathema to the rest of the world due to massive programs aimed at the protection of minorities and severe sanctions against those people opposed to the policies of the oppressive governments of the day. Yet the world at large coveted these gems, and ways and means have been established to buy and sell the magnificent jewels produced by these countries.
Since 1931, The GIA - Gemological Institute of America has been instrumental, perhaps even pivotal, to ensuring that precious gems are validated correctly and that there is some standard according to which gems are evaluated. In time, the institute has gained a reputation for providing valuable and objective services. The GIA is the one who invented the famous Diamond 4Cs - Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight.
The institute does not exclude any type of valuable gem from its assessment program, but it does pay particular attention to diamonds. The GIA, Gemological Institute of America, has played a very valuable role in setting certain standards in the classification of diamonds in terms of color, size, composition and origin. In addition, The GIA - Gemological Institute of America offers many courses and these include graduate studies in Graduate Gemologist, Graduate Colored Stones, Graduate Diamonds, Graduate Pearls, and Accredited Jewelry Professional, and even Applied Jewelry Arts and many others. However, the most important contribution of the institute remains in its role as a quality assurance institute and an authority that serves to advise both buyers and sellers of valuable gems. Their work is valued everywhere in the world and their judgment is seen as authoritative.
Detractors argue that there is no place for an institute such as this because knowledgeable buyers already know what it is that they are looking for. The truth is far removed from the facts. What is important to understand is that the market is overwhelmed by deceivers that try to sell precious gems that are either illegally obtained or that are obtained through illegal channels. This in turn has forced the selling and buying of diamonds to become an international issue. The work of The GIA - Gemological Institute of America has done much to reduce the trade in illicit gem exchange. Because they have set certain standards, they have been a major force in establishing standards according to which precious gems are now evaluated and priced. It is interesting to note that the countries that produce most of the precious gems do not subscribe to the protocol. The fact that these desires for diamonds continue to be integral to the romance process will ensure that diamond sales will continue to be brisk, because let's face it, a diamond is a girl's best friend.
Below you can see sample GIA reports. One of the reports is for a white diamond while the other is of a colored diamond. Just like the GIA was the one that set the standard in white diamonds they are considered to be the leading authority in colored diamonds.
There are many gemological institutes out there. The EGL, European Gemological Institute, is a well known one. If you were to compare the certificates of the GIA vs EGL certificates you would see that the GIA report is more strict than the EGL report. The differences can be found both in clarity grading and in color grading. This is why you would often see two diamonds with the same grading one, one has a GIA certification and the other EGL certification and the prices would be different. The diamond with the GIA certificate will be more expensive.
At Peled Diamonds our customer's satisfaction is of our highest priority. We do not want you to have any doubt as per what you are buying and getting. This is why our diamonds are sold with GIA reports (GIA certificates) - leaving no room for questioning. The GIA slogan says it all - The Difference between Wondering and Knowing.