While buying diamonds you will most certainly come across certification. A diamond certificate is a lot like its “birth certificate in a way. It certifies everything about the diamond that is supposed to be there detailing its “4 Cs”
Is James Allen GIA certified? Yes, JamesAllen.com sells GIA certified diamonds. James Allen also certifies with AGS or IGI. Each and every diamond they sell is certified by one of these independent agencies. This helps further guarantee that your diamond is the quality and value as listed on their website.
Each of these institutes follows strict grading outlines for grading diamonds. This is why they can be so trusted.
Diamond Grading Institutes
There are three major diamond grading institutes. Each one is used by many diamond and jewelry retailers to certify the diamonds and gemstones they are selling. The three institutes are
- The Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
- American Gem Society (AGS)
- International Gemological Institute (IGI)
These places take great care when certifying diamonds. They know that without their approval and diamond cannot be proven to their full beauty. Each institute grades the diamonds to their “4 Cs”.
How Do You Know if the Diamond Is GIA Certified?
When searching for diamonds on James Allen, each one is displayed with their certificate. They also list what institute graded the diamond in the product description.
Here is an example on the picture of a diamond certificate
And here is the example in the product description:
This 1 carat round diamond G color si1 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA
What Are the 4 C’s They Grade On?
We go into much greater detail on the 4 C’s in another article we wrote. Below we will provide a summary of what they are so you can get a general idea here.
Carat
One of the areas people will want to know the most about is carats. Carats refer to the “weight” of the diamond.
This part of the 4 C’s is where you get the 1-carat, 2-carat, etc from. This will influence how big and heavy the diamond is.
Color
The color of the diamond details how much of the color shines through. Basically the whiter the diamond the better the color. The best diamond is “D” which is colorless and quite rare.
Diamonds that are E, F, G, and H are still quite colorless but with each grade down they become a bit warmer or can be more noticeable than they are not totally clear.
When you compare these colors in person, however, some never notice the slight differences.
Clarity
Clarity is a lot like the color but this indicates the imperfections or flaws a diamond has.
The highest grade is a flawless or FL for short. A diamond can range from little to no flaws to quite a few. James Allen focuses on diamonds that are only minimally flawed yet still are beautiful.
The biggest benefit to clarity is that you can get a diamond that is considered flawed yet still beautiful in color and a decent carat. If it is going into a ring this especially applies beings the setting of the ring could hide those flaws.
Cut
A diamond’s cut is credited to how well it looks when it’s shaped. So for example a round cut diamond that has all the perfect dimensions will be considered excellent.
The cut isn’t necessarily a heavy influencer but it can certainly affect the clarity. If for example, the diamond you love has flaws, those flaws could potentially be taken out by the cut you choose.
The round cut is probably the most common but there are several others worth considering as well.
The 5th C
You may hear some refer to a 5th C involved with diamond grading now. Don’t let this confuse you.
The only thing about a 5th C is that a diamond should come with a certificate is all. Which is what we are talking about today. It’s just worth noting this in case you come across it later on.
So remember the 5th C is nothing but the certificate for the diamond.
Always Have a Certificate
No matter where you buy your diamond a certificate is important. Maybe even the most. Because without it you will be hard press to prove its value any other way.
James Allen simplifies this process by being upfront with all of their diamonds. This is why they are so great. They take so many headaches out of the equation so you can just worry about getting a great diamond and ring.
What is the difference between certified and uncertified diamonds?
Now that you know who certifies James Allen’s diamonds, you’re in a much better position to buy from them safely and confidently.
We even went over the “4 C’s” and the 5th one to give you a great glimpse into what you’re looking for out of the certification. Whether it is GIA certified or one of the other certificates you can find the diamond that is right for you and has the record to prove it.
Curious to know what I think about Buying Diamonds and Rings on JamesAllen.com? See my James Allen Review.