How to Buy your Diamond & Gemstones with Confidence

A diamond's beauty is the result of natural aspects of the rough crystal combined with the finished quality of the cutting and polishing process.

The famous 4 Cs, used to describe a diamond's attributes, are well-known throughout the world. Some aspects can be determined at a glance: Is it large or small? Is it icy or warmly tinted? Is it clean to the naked eye or do some of nature's birthmarks show themselves? Does it sparkle madly with rainbow-colored flashes, or is it calm, deep and serene?



Beyond a glance, precise information determined by impartial experts must be assigned to each diamond. For example, what specific color grade should be assigned? Do the natural characteristics impact durability? Are the primary angles inside the ranges found optimum for visual performance? Each of a diamond's 4 Cs deserves an in-depth evaluation that goes beyond the abilities of unaided and untrained eyes.

A certificate from IGI represents the all-important 5th C that no one should be without: Confidence. As the world's largest independent gem certification and appraisal institute for diamonds, colored gemstones and jewelry, IGI is a standard of excellence for industry professionals and consumers around the globe.

Gemstones should only change hands when accompanied by a certificate attesting to quality. Regardless of location or marketplace, an authentic IGI Laboratory Report is the common language of trust and confidence in the gemological world.