The last few posts have dealt with the 4 C’s (Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat) and how each of these items affect the price of your diamond engagement ring.  Another factor that one must consider when purchasing a diamond is whether or not the diamond has been certified by a grading agency such as GIA, AGS or EGL (Gemological Institute of America, American Gem Society and European Gemological Lab).  As mentioned in the previous posts, GIA  developed the grading scales that are used today to grade a diamond’s cut, clarity, color and carat.  AGS and EGL are also two very reputable grading and educational organizations.Why is this important to you, the consumer and what are the benefits of buying a certified diamond?The benefit of a purchasing a certified stone lies in the knowledge that the purchaser can take assurance that they know what they are buying.  A certificate is like an identity card, which proves exactly the diamond’s grade.  Besides the personal comfort that a buyer gets with a certificate, it also makes for a much easier process for obtaining insurance and should you ever decide to sell your diamond, or trade up to a different stone, the process is much easier with a certificate.  The certificate is similar to a stamp or seal that denotes the authenticity of an item.  As in art, a signed painting is worth more than an unsigned as there is no question of its origin.What is the difference between the different grading labs? The GIA is generally accepted as the laboratory that will apply more stringent criteria when grading stones, whereas the AGS and EGL may not, although the AGS is highly regarded on grading of round diamonds. On the whole however, the GIA is generally accepted as setting the highest standards in diamond grading.  At Alexa Rose we recommend and prefer to sell GIA certified diamonds in keeping with our own internal standards of selling the best possible diamonds and jewelry to our clients.  You may find that a stone graded by the GIA will be graded lower than that same stone is graded by the EGL, because of the fact that the GIA uses stricter grading measures.We understand that weighing out all of the options can be a bit daunting when you begin your search;  we recommend asking questions and comparing prices to ensure you’re getting the best deal.  We, at Alexa Rose do offer a price guarantee on our loose diamonds – click here for details.   In the end, we want you to be 100% satisfied with your shopping experience.