Diamond grading reports: what to read and ask
A report is the issuing lab's statement. Check it with that lab.
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Name the grading system
A note to section 23.1 of the FTC Jewelry Guides says that if a listing states a grade, it should disclose the identity of the grading system used.
Terms and standards
A note to section 23.0(b) says that businesses that appraise, identify, or grade jewelry should use the terminology and standards in the Guides.
A report is the lab's statement
A grading report is a statement by the lab that issued it. We do not issue, verify, or vouch for any report, and we do not rank labs. We call these documents grading reports.
Check it with the lab
Before you buy, check any grading report with the lab that issued it, and compare it with the seller's description. That is our tip, not a source's.
No FTC rules on grading
In its 2018 notice, the FTC declined to add guidance on "grading and appraisals." We do not state rules for either.
Treatments and origin
Some diamonds and gemstones are treated. Ask the seller and read the description and report. Whether a diamond is mined or laboratory-grown is the seller's statement, and any report's.
Sources: eCFR, 16 CFR Part 23, Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries; Federal Register, Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries, 83 FR 40665 (Aug. 16, 2018).
FAQ
General information only. We are not a jeweler, appraiser, or gemological lab, and we do not grade, appraise, or verify any stone or metal. Before you buy, read the seller's full description, including whether a diamond is mined or laboratory-grown, any treatment, the metal's karat or fineness, and the weight, and check any grading report with the lab that issued it.
Next: flawless and perfect
Two words the Guides define.
