The Essential
Diamond Certificates
The most renowned and trusted gemmological grading laboratories are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD), the International Gemological Institute (IGI), and the 2 versions of European Gemological Laboratory (EGL International). From these 5 laboratories, the 3 that set the standard are the GIA & HRD.(Search for GIA & HRD diamonds)
The GIA is widely regarded as the most reputable and recognized grading laboratory in the world, with the strictest standards. Founded by the creator of the GIA. The Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) or Diamond High Council is almost as renowned worldwide as GIA but not as popular and it is 95% as strict in its grading. (Search for GIA diamonds)
BEWARE: Even though these are the 5 leading international diamond certification organisations their grading criteria do vary and are not equally strict. Please be aware of the differences when choosing your diamond (see below).
All the certificates differ slightly in layout, terminology and grading systems, with some including diagrams and symmetry or proportion grading and others being simpler. However, the two main grading aspects to consider when comparing certificates are colour and clarity, for their evaluations largely determine the price of a diamond and yet they are not consistently graded across the board. A colour grade, for instance, may differ in up to two grades (sometimes more) from one certificate to another and yet this is not always reflected in the price, so beyond understanding simply how colour or clarity grades work, it is essential to know how to interpret and compare them.
Beside the 5 types of certificates that we offer on LV’57Diamonds.com, there are a multitude of other types of certificates not always independent, such as “in house” certificates which are typically graded more generously even than EGL International certificates and which cannot be compared with independent internationally recognised certificates. LV’57Diamonds does not sell any in-house certificated diamonds.
Certificate Comparisons for Colour
| Sold by LV57Diamonds | Not sold by LV’57Diamonds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIA | HRD | IGI | EGL INT. | In-houseCertificates | ||
| White | D | D | D+ | D+ | D+ | |
| White | E | E | D+ | D+ | D+ | |
| White | F | F | E | E+ | D+ | |
| White | G | G | F | E | D | |
| White | H | H | G | F+ | D/E | |
| Extremely faint yellow tint | I | I | H | F | E/F | |
| Very faint yellow/brown tint | J | J | I | G | F/G | |
| Faint yellow/brown tint | K | K | J | H | G/H | |
| Yellowish/brownish tint | L | L | K | I | H/I | |
| Medium to strong yellowish/brownish tint | M | M | L | J | I/J | |
| Strong yellowish/brownish tint | N | N | M | K | K/L | |
| Very strong yellowish/brownish tint | O – P | O – P | N | L | L/M | |
*Note: Although not published anywhere, these differences are generally accepted within the diamond trade as correct and are also based on LV’57Diamond’s experience.
Certificate Comparisons For Clarity
Again, clearly, GIA is said to be the most stringent, assigning at least one category lower than all other laboratories. HRD adds its own clarity category to the traditional scale, defining all stones with impurities that are invisible under a 10x lens as “Microscopically Imperfect.” Because of this additional category, stones graded IF or FL by HRD would only receive a VVS1 grade from GIA. The same goes for IGI, EGL, which would all assign a clarity grade between one and two degrees higher than GIA, meaning a VVS2 on a GIA certificate. Please refer to the table below for more detailed comparisons.
CERTIFICATE COMPARISON ON CLARITY GRADING
| Clarity Description | Sold by LV57Diamonds | Not sold by LV57Diamonds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIA | HRD | IGI | EGL INT. | In-house Certificates | ||
| 100% Eye Clean | FL/IF | LC+ | IF+ | IF+ | IF+ | |
| 100% Eye Clean | VVS1 | LC-/VVS1 | IF-/VVS1 | IF+ | IF+ | |
| 100% Eye Clean | VVS2 | VVS2 | VVS2 | IF+ | IF+ | |
| 100% Eye Clean | VS1 | VS1 | VS1 | IF | IF+ | |
| 100% Eye Clean | VS2 | VS2 | VS2 | VVS1/VVS2 | IF+ | |
| 80% Chance | SI1 | SI1 | SI1 | VVS1/VVS2 | VVS1/VVS2 | |
| 10% Chance | SI2 | SI2 | VS1/VVS2 | VS2/VVS1 | VS2/VVS1 | |
| Not Eye Clean | I1 | P1 | SI3 | VS2/SI1 | VS1/VS2 | |
| Not Eye Clean | I2 | P2 | I1 | SI1/SI2 | VS2/SI1 | |
| Not Eye Clean | I3 | I3 | SI2/SI3 | SI2/SI3 | SI1/SI2 | |
| Not Eye Clean | N/A | N/A | I3 | I1 | SI2/SI3 | |
*Note: Although not published anywhere, these differences are generally accepted within the diamond trade as correct and are also based on LV’57 Diamond’s experience.
Other Differences Between Certificates
The main other differences between the certificates lie in the differences between GIA, HRD. GIA gives separate grading for symmetry and polish which the HRD groups together under the heading of \”finish.\” HRD also includes one clarity grade termed “Loupe Clean” which is not offered by the GIA.