Diamond Certification and Your Engagement Ring

Diamond Certification

This section of our Engagement Rings Buyers Guide, is about Diamond Reports and Certification:

What is a Diamond Certificate / Report?

A diamond certificate / report will describe in precise terms the weight and the quality of the diamond in your Engagement Ring. The world's largest diamond grading organisation is the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Most countries have independent certification laboratories of their own.

Some key points that are on a diamond certificate

Why Insist on an Independent Certificate / Report?

A proper diamond certificate / report is produced by a grading laboratory that is entirely independent of any diamond distributor or retailer.

You should only purchase Diamond Engagement Rings with significantly sized diamonds that come with an independent diamond certificate or report. It simply isn't appropriate for a jeweller to produce such a document because it is not in their vested interest to be accurate.

Which Certificates / Diamond Reports do 1791 Engagement Rings Come With?

We want you to be confident you will get what you paid for when you purchase a Diamond Engagement Ring from 1791 Diamonds. For this reason we only sell diamonds over 0.30ct that come with an entirely independent diamond grading laboratory certificate or report.

We only sell diamonds that have been graded by the following laboratories

Please see our Design Philosophy and Diamond Policy.

How do Labs Grade a Diamond?

All diamond grading laboratories have sophisticated laboratory equipment to both accurately ascertain the weight, dimensions, and quality of your diamond.

Some laboratories use machines and computers (Sarin and OGI) to measure the dimensions and symmetry of the diamond accurately for your report.

Laboratories also deploy a number of techniques and use sophisticated machines, such as DiamondSure or DiamondView, to detect fake stones. This is very important, because some fake stones look great when new and can be difficult to tell apart from a real diamond.

(Note fake stones such as cubic zirconium start getting scratches and chips within months, which is why they aren't a very good substitute). 1791 only sell high quality real diamonds. Please see our Design Philosophy and Diamond Policy.

How are Engagement Rings Valued?

The Engagement Ring will be weighed and the diamond measured. The Diamond Carat Weight (Size) of the diamond(s) will be subtracted from the ring's total weight and the remaining weight will therefore be the precious metal.

All Engagement Rings in the UK have to pass through the UK Assay Office who check the purity of the Precious Metal and stamp (or laser mark) the ring accordingly. The valuer will check this mark is present.

The valuer will also check the diamond is not a fake and check its size and quality grading is as per the certificate and sales documentation.

If everything is in order, the valuer will assign a price based on the likely replacement cost of the diamonds and precious metals and also the craftsmanship required to make the ring and set the diamonds.

Learn more about Valuation for Insurance Purposes.

Let's Go Shopping for Engagement Rings

Hopefully we have covered all the important things you need to know about engagement rings. If you still have any questions, please use the enquire button at the top of the page.

If you are ready, let's go shopping