Does every jeweler use the same system of grading jewelry and diamonds?
No, not always.
There are several different grading systems for the jewelry industry.
One system of grading is the marking or stamping of gold and silver products.
There are two ways in which gold, platinum and sterling silver is marked.
The most common being karat stamping i.e.; 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, 22kt, 24kt, platinum, sterling.
The way this system works is like a cooking recipe.
10kt is 10 parts fine gold and 14 parts alloy
14kt is 14 parts gold and 10
parts alloy
18kt is 18 part gold and 6 parts alloy
24kt is fine gold
Sterling Silver has 9.25 parts fine silver and .75 parts alloy
Platinum
is usually 9 or 9.5 parts platinum and 1 or .5 parts alloy
The other way of showing the quality of gold is a decimal equivalent.
417=10kt,
585=14kt
750=18kt
950 or 900 = platinum
925 = sterling silver.
As for grading diamonds there is more than one system of grading.
By far Gemological Institute
of America is the most common and widely accepted.
Those jewelers that choose
not to use this method of grading diamonds are puzzling
because it’s like they
don’t want their customers to be able to shop their merchandise.
GIA’s system
of grading is highly sophisticated and accepted.
It is what we use at Randy’s
Jewelry.
We think it is healthy to have our customers shop around.
When you
have the best pricing in the area
there is no need to use a grading system that
other jewelers don’t understand.
A word of caution,
in recent years we at
Randy’s have seen chain and rings stamped 14kt gold
that were made of brass and
base metal.
If you are approached by a stranger selling their jewelry please bring it in before you buy it.
We do this service for free so you won’t be
cheated.
If you can’t bring it in it would be wise to not buy it.