Jewelry Certificates: The Scams and Challenges.

Dear Valued Readers,

Whether you are purchasing jewelry for personal use or selling it for a premium, you likely rely on a document other than an invoice to identify and confirm the accepted name and characteristics of the item.

There are two primary reasons for doing this: first, to determine its fair monetary value, and second, to ensure that the item is not counterfeit.

In this article, I will address the issue of how these so-called "Certificates" are being misused to scam both buyers and sellers of jewelry.

Enjoy Reading!

I recall attending a presentation by a Canadian gemmologist during the 100th-anniversary celebration of Gem-A in London. He expressed his concerns as a gemmologist, as this profession often leaves customers with ambiguous services.

?

He presented a picture of a pear-shaped diamond with a visible black dot at the pavilion, seen through the crown. The gemmologist recounted how the owner of the stone was frustrated and angry when the gem testing lab's certificate claimed the stone had a clarity grade of "VVS1," whereas its actual clarity was no higher than VS2. The certificate had been issued just a month earlier for a local jeweler.

?

Upon re-examination and comparison with the certificate, the gemmologist discovered that the stone indeed matched the certificate, except for the addition of the new black dot, significantly reducing the gem's value.

?

The gemmologist interviewed the original owner, who revealed that the gem had been set into the ring by a nearby gem-setter. Further questioning of the gem-setter revealed that a prong had broken during the final polishing process, necessitating the laser soldering of a new prong to the ring.

?

Intrigued by the laser soldering, the gemmologist acid-washed the stone and found that the black dot was no longer there, but instead, a deep and broad cavity of equal size had appeared.

?

This incident, unnecessarily, put the credibility of the gem-testing lab and its gemologists at risk, but questions the validity of any certification. Nowadays, jewelry manufacturing units implement quality control checks at various stages to avoid such mishaps before the final delivery.

?

However, the issue doesn't end there. What about gemstones falling off jewelry? Does this occur only during manufacturing, or can it happen while the stock is kept in shops? How about jewelry made with small diamonds and colored gemstones that were certified a long time ago?

?

Moreover, what about jewelry manufactured in foreign factories, sent to a third country for certification, and then shipped to the destined jewelers? The path a gem takes can be quite convoluted - mined in one country, sold in another, cut and polished elsewhere, traded elsewhere, and finally sold somewhere else.

?

The question arises: at which stage should certification take place? Who should conduct the certification, and is it a manual or machine-based automated process? On one hand, we strive to ensure the natural characteristics of a gem for fair valuation, while on the other hand, there are those who exploit the gaps in the certification process for their benefit.

?

Are you most concerned about the size of the counterfeit market, or are you troubled by the possibility of having purchased a fake gem?

?

When it comes to counterfeiting in the realm of gems and jewelry, what exactly constitutes counterfeiting? Is joining two slices of natural gems together considered counterfeiting? Is selling Chinese peridot as if it were from Myanmar an act of counterfeiting? What about artificially crystalizing a thin layer on mined diamonds in labs to increase their weight?

?

Putting aside the responsibilities and duties of gem testing laboratories, at the very least, "Shouldn't the certification grade the color, clarity, and cut of gems uniformly without leaving a space for any differences?"

?

I was dismayed to discover that the parameters and descriptions of gems and jewelry listed on certificates are often altered during re-certification done after a period of time or at another lab, with the testing lab neither held liable nor obligated to refund the certification charges.

?

When considering all the aspects of gem certification - its limitations, validation, and the human factor involved - it becomes evident that we rely on a piece of paper that bears no liability or validity, but rather opens a space for exploiters to benefit from.

Thank you

Please subscribe to the?Gleaming Gems Gazette?to conveniently remind yourself immediately, or for later reading, of awakening analysis of the matters that reside in the complex world of gems and jewelry.