Southern Jewelry News

Not all created equal

09:57

Decebmer

2007

Rating 0/5 [0 Votes] Views: 75

E-mail

Comments 0

Article Autor: Tammy Williams

I Love My Job!

As if working in diamonds and gemstones was not made extremely difficult by the fact that there are such dynamic variations in the product, now we have very wide interpretations of the standards that we have adopted to govern our industry. Whether we agree with them or not GIA has set standard, grades and the definition in an effort to help those in the industry communicate more effectively. Having a standard that we can apply to this highly scrutinized global commodity does make life a bit easier when hunting that special request of our favorite client.

Unfortunately there is no one policing, governing, or checking up on those utilizing this grading system. There are no FTC guidelines, government, or governing bodies that control or assure that those in position of authority follow the standards. Plainly stated, any person can set up a lab and certify diamonds and gemstones. To the best of my research and knowledge, there are no guidelines, regulations, standards or inspections of laboratories that certify diamonds and gemstones. Any person with a bit of knowledge of the jewelry industry and a huge marketing ability can establish themselves as a lab and certify diamonds.

Am I being a chicken little? At least once a month I am asked to review papers and the associated stone from some lab that I have never heard of. The certificates are signed by a Graduate Gemologist and look very official.
Several years ago, the worst discrepancy that I would come across when reviewing a certificate was perhaps one, maybe two clarity grades OR perhaps a color or two. These discrepancies were within the tolerances of our industry and nothing to get worked up about.

However, just a few weeks ago I examined a diamond and found that a well known lab was off by four color grades AND two clarity grades. I thought that I had the wrong stones, until I reviewed the measurements and found that I was within 2 – 100th of a millimeter on all measurements. The weights were correct and the finger print had enough information noted to reveal that I did indeed have the right stones.

What made me right in my evaluation of the stone? A newly calibrated colorimeter, a true GIA certified set of diamond masters, a set of CZ masters and two GIA Graduate Gemologists in two different states (with no communications regarding the stone).

How can this be? Simple, all this wonderful equipment: colorimeter, Sarin machine, a Megascope, a Facet Scan, etc.; that we use to make certifying a diamond more accurately must be calibrated and programmed. What happens when the machines are out of calibration? You get bad results. I would like to believe that it is the calibration of the machines and not dishonest people. How can one with a machine be dishonest? Easy, a machine must be programmed and or calibrated.

Recently, I was at a trade show. While there I was reviewing the GIA Facet Scan, I asked what happened if the machine became “out of calibration”. The gentleman told me that each machine comes with a CZ master. It is an AGS “0” or Excellent cut. You need only put the master in the machine run the calibration diagnostic and it is recalibrated.

Does that mean that if I calibrate using a diamond that looks like a Frisbee, that all Frisbee shaped diamonds will receive an “O” or an Excellent Grade? What happened when GIA and AGS announced the new parameter for the Ideal Cut Round Diamond? Did everyone have to throw away their machine and buy new or did they just change the programming?

We have become too dependent upon machines. How many times has a sales clerk looked at you like a deer trapped in headlights when they entered in the wrong amount into the machine and now did not know what change to give you? How many certificates were signed by someone that has no clue how the result of that certificate was calculated?

Recently I sat with a GIA distance education student that is using my lab equipment to finish her education. While fighting with the table gauge, the diamond, and the microscope in an effort to determine the table percentage of a diamond she turned to me and said, “Why must I do this? Don’t we have a machine that does this for us?” I replied, “Yes, we have one, NO you may not use it. What if the machine is wrong?” She turned back to her fight.

No one is perfect and grading diamonds and gemstones will never be an exact science. However, who is making sure that the standards are followed, the machines are accurate and everyone is playing buy the rules? I do not mind playing the game as long as the rules are applied unilaterally to all in the game. Perhaps GIA, AGTA, AGS and others would like to band together to come up with a few FTC regulations or guidelines to govern Gemological Laboratories instead of worrying about further nit-picking the Ideal Round Brilliant Cut grade parameters.

Before climbing down from my soap box, I would like to say, every restaurant – even the little eateries in the mall – must go through a periodic inspection. This assures that they are meeting the standards and guidelines set forth for those in the industry of serving food. The last restaurant I ate at scored a 97. How does the lab score that certifies the gemstones you serve your clients and stake your reputation on?

Tammy L. Williams, Graduate Gemologist of GIA, also prizes her membership in AGTA. She is President of J D Jewelers, a salon private jewelry business located in Suwanee, Georgia and the Southeastern Rep for Global Diamonds. Tammy is very active as a speaker and authority on Gemstones and Diamonds. Whether in her laboratory at J D Jewelers, on the lecture circuit or writing about her experiences in business, her love and passion for gemstones becomes contagious. If you’d like to contact Tammy, please e-mail her at info@southernjewelrynews.com.