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Reasonable age of GIA Cert Date

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acw

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 22, 2010
Messages
14
After purchasing my diamond last week from JA, I continued to read and learn more about diamonds. I just read somewhere that I should pay closer attention to the GIA cert date as an older date could mean the diamond has been used or set before. The date on my cert reads October 28, 2009.

I know this is still under one year. But should I be concerned that this diamond has been around for 9 months? Would jamesallen be able to tell me more about the history of the diamond?
 
This is a good question. I am interested in the answer to this, too.
 
septsparkle said:
This is a good question. I am interested in the answer to this, too.
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Diamonds being the hardest natural substance don't get used in the same way as other goods.
Once a diamond is properly cleaned and polished you will never know how many times it has been sold and it really shouldn't matter in any case.

Unless the diamond is very old or has been mistreated and not repolished you have nothing to worry about with a valid and consistant grading report. What does raise a red flag for me is diamonds that are in popular sizes and colors that have certificates more than 3 years old. In this case it raises a caution flag as I would wonder why it hadn't sold yet and what is wrong with it. However even in this case there may be nothing wrong with it either.

In any case if in doubt get an appraisal to confirm the stone matches the report and hasn't undergone any wear and tear, but usually this is going to be rare in modern stones sold by reputable vendors.
 
I was curious about this, too. I know that diamonds don't 'wear out', but my FF and I just don't like the idea of another person having owned the stone before us, since it is supposed to signal the beginning of our union together. Somehow, it just seems that if someone else owned it before, that special symbolization would be lost.

In any case, I'm not really sure that you can ever know for sure. We visited several different jewelry stores when we were looking for a diamond, and we actually asked one of the salespeople at Jared's about this. She said that she didn't think her store sold upgraded diamonds, but that they instead sent them to the other stores that were owned by their company (mall jewelry stores, but I don't remember which ones). She also said that you probably would never know anyway though, because they usually send the diamond for re-certification.

We eventually picked out a beautiful diamond (although not at Jared's), but I can't remember the date on the GIA certification - I believe it was either the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010. Since you can never know for sure though, I'm not sure that it's something worth worrying about.

Good luck, and I hope you find the diamond of your dreams! :)
 
Honestly, you would never really know if your diamond was pre-owned or not unless you know when the diamond was cut. For example, my GOG AVC was cut specifically for me. I know when the rough was purchased and cut.

If a cert was over a year or two old, I would want to know if it was a "used" diamond. Not because I care if it is used or not but I want to make sure no damage was incurred. I would probably request a recert.
 
Very interesting topic, my FI were just talking about this....
 
I assume that any vendor that has a trade-up policy sells "used" diamonds. Used diamonds don't bother me but I can understand how that can bother some people.
 
If the cert were over two years old, I would assume the diamond had been owned before. This would not deter me, UNLESS the stone were a super high clarity, like vs1 or higher. In that case I would want a more recent cert to make sure there had been no damage during the time after the first certification. If lower clarity, then a careful inspection should be enuf to determine if the rating is still right.
 
just my guess...if the inscriptions aren't "black graphite" in color then the stone is most likely pre-owned.
 
Dancing Fire said:
just my guess...if the inscriptions aren't "black graphite" in color then the stone is most likely pre-owned.
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Actually the diamond I purchased isn't laser inscribed.

Beacon, the stone I purchased is VS1 in clarity. Should I be concerned? It's only been 9 months. It seems unlikely someone would have held onto this stone for such a short time since the last time it was certified. However, I do plan on getting an appraisal/inspection done on it in the next week or so.
 
acw said:
Dancing Fire said:
just my guess...if the inscriptions aren't "black graphite" in color then the stone is most likely pre-owned.
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Actually the diamond I purchased isn't laser inscribed.

Beacon, the stone I purchased is VS1 in clarity. Should I be concerned? It's only been 9 months. It seems unlikely someone would have held onto this stone for such a short time since the last time it was certified. However, I do plan on getting an appraisal/inspection done on it in the next week or so.
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what is the weight?
 
The weight is 1.2 ct. G-Color.
 
Even if a vendor without a trade up policy, it is possible for their stones to be 'used' because many of them sells from virtual listing, with stones owned by other vendors and cutters. Even stones with new reports can be 'used' stones as these may be send in for regrading, or a re-cut from older cut/less well cut stones.

So maybe. Your stone is placed in a desirable range, I would expect it to move fast. If you are worried, have the stone check out by an independent appraiser, note that if the stone is mounted, accurate grading of color and clarity will be impossible.
 
There’s no gemological test for either the age of a diamond or for the ownership history. That may seem obvious but it's an important concept and it means that we need to be looking at the non-gemological clues. As has been pointed out, the date on the report doesn’t tell you much since stones can be and are submitted repeatedly to the labs for an assortment of reasons, this being one of them. How then do you do it if you want to be assured of a ‘new’ stone? Ask the dealer. There are precious few dealers who know the provenance of every stone they sell but there are manufacturers cutting stones from rough and their dealers will know the details about that particular stone. Start by choosing a dealer who you trust. Then tell them that this is one of your priority shopping criteria and to offer you stones accordingly. Your relationship with the dealer is the key. If that’s solid, the rest is easy and without that you’ve got nothing.
 
Beacon said:
If the cert were over two years old, I would assume the diamond had been owned before. This would not deter me, UNLESS the stone were a super high clarity, like vs1 or higher. In that case I would want a more recent cert to make sure there had been no damage during the time after the first certification. If lower clarity, then a careful inspection should be enuf to determine if the rating is still right.
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Rather than assume, why not ask? I just sold a stone with a cert more than two years old that had never been sold before. It was just unusual enough that it stayed in inventory for some time.

For those instances when we take a stone in trade, the first thing that happens to it is that it is repapered to make sure that it is not damaged in any way from when it was papered before. I can certainly appreciate that some will not want a stone that was previously owned for any reason, and the best way for them to know this is to be sure to ask. I have the great fortune to work with a company that tracks each diamond from rough to finished, so it is easy for me to check.

Many dealers however are getting diamonds from a wholesaler and often the wholesaler himself will not know whether or not the diamond has been previously owned. Just because a diamond is coming directly from a wholesaler does not assure you of a previously unowned diamond.

Wink
 
Diamonds are very green in that they are 100% recyclable. EVERY diamond which comes with a lab document may be questioned at the time of delivery for it being in exactly the same condition that it was in when it was graded. It might have been graded 2 weeks ago or five years ago, but who can say when you get it that it is the right diamond for that report and in the correct condition. The consumer puts faith in the seller or with an independent, expert adviser to know what is being received.

I have no problem with GIA reports from 10 years ago so long as I can verify the diamond meets the standards of the report. Over a long period of wear, one might expect minor surface abrasions to occur, but more severe damage may also happen. A consumer surely cannot make such a risky judgement on their own and if you are concerned with a high clarity stone, then surface wear is a factor you must be properly informed of.
 
It's already 30 + million years old. Some diamonds just wait for the right buyer, that's all. Occasionally a very old one like 3 or more years can mean it is a trade-in and the price usually reflects that. They could however get it graded again in which case you can never tell whether a diamond has been worn before or was an old one that was recut. IMO you can't tell unless it is chipped and so it doesn't matter given the time you'll own it is just a blip in the timeline of a diamond's life up until that point.
 
From a different perspective: I'm just a big cornball, ok? I love vintage stones because they're like old coins, like the indian head pennies I used to collect as a kid. It's passed through different hands, every hand is attached to a person with a story. And thinking about their stories when I look at old coins makes me feel connected to the rest of the world. If we had the time to find a vintage stone with the optical characteristics of a modern stone, that would be the one.
 
I think I'm just overthinking everything. I just want to make sure I make the perfect purchase. To keep things a secret I only get to take quick peeks at the diamond when my gf isn't looking. Thanks everyone for calming my nerves. I'll be sure to give you all an update once I get an appraisal done. :twirl:
 
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