One of the most vital documents for your diamond purchase is the diamond certificate, or a diamond grading report. This is a laminated document containing the vital data about the diamond. It is prepared by certified gemologists in independent laboratories. The two most common laboratories that are widely used are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the America Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL). They are best known for their consistency and unbiased diamond grading system. The diamond certificate includes the color, clarity, cut and carat weight. It will describe the diamond's shape, polish, symmetry, table and depth percentages. Other characteristics such as florescence, graining and imperfections are also commented upon. In the new GIA reports, all standard round brilliant diamonds that falls between the GIA D-Z color scale will receive one of five cut grades from Excellent to Poor. Finally, a detailed sketch of the diamond is included.

The advantages of buying a diamond with a GIA Certificate are you don't have to question the authenticity of the gem. You can verify the color, carat, weight and clarity of the diamond. You will not have any worries about what the seller tells you and there will not be any misunderstandings. You may be required to pay a minimal fee for the certificate since it is done by a third party. But there won't be any doubts about overpaying, as with the certificate you can easily find out what the diamond is worth.

At times, disfigured diamond may have surface cracks that are clarity enhanced by being artificially filled with a glass-like paste to appear a much better diamond than they actually are. There are also man-made diamonds that an average jeweler could not tell if a diamond is natural or man-made. GIA does not certificate these diamonds. So with the GIA diamond certificate, you will not become a victim of buying such diamonds.

Therefore, buying a certified diamond will provide you with a peace of mind and guaranteed value. If you do find a diamond that you like and it is not certified, you can always ask the seller to send it to a Gemological Laboratory for certification. The certification process usually takes two weeks and the lab charges around $75 per carat. If a seller does not want to provide a certificate or send for one then you do not want to deal with that seller.

There are also many other Gemological labs these days, be sure you get a diamond that is certified by the two respectful laboratories mentioned above. That is the GIA and the AGSL. And of course, when you do buy a certified diamond, be sure that the diamond matches the certificate that you receive.

In addition, the certificate helps with resale and insurance questions. Should you want to resell your diamond; the certificate will provide the characteristics and authenticity that you will need to get a fair price. A copy of the diamond report should be given to your insurance company when you insure the diamond. This way there is no dispute of value should it be stolen.