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| HOME : FORUM : EDUCATION : DIAMONDS : GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006! |
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GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#1 @
08-02-05
, 06:23 AM
Finally, after 15 years of research, it's here! The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will be issuing its new Diamond Cut Grading System reports on January 1, 2006, for round brilliant cut diamonds ONLY, D-to-Z in Color and Flawless-to I-3 in Clarity. GIA's new reports will show color, clarity, and carat weight, but now will also include face-up cut quality; Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor. GIA is also making available its Facetware (TM) cut estimator tool for assessing diamond cut quality. The tool requires user input for total depth, table size, crown angle, pavilion angle, star length, lower-half (lower-girdle facet) length, girdle thickness, and culet size, as well as the diamond's polish and symmetry grades. Available free for use it can be found here: www.diamondcut.gia.edu. This is an extremely informative useful tool and tutorial and should be used and read by all consumers. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#2 @
08-02-05
, 09:24 AM
One of the very neat tools coming with the new GIA Cut Grade System is the GIA Reticle. The reticle tool will allow for measuring diamond proportions, such as table size, crown angle, pavilion angle, and total depth. It is to be used with most gemological microscopes. Obtained proportion values that then be plugged into the GIA Facetware™ Cut Estimator and the GIA Facetware™ Quick Reference Guide to obtain an estimated cut grade. An additional feature is that this reticle can be used on set diamonds. Definitely an asset! |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#3 @
08-02-05
, 01:44 PM
Thanks Barry! Interesting tool. Couldn't find any disagreement with their numbers so far. I like how they don't automatically downgrade a stone that has VG Polish and Symmetry since the end consumer won't notice the difference and polish can always be buffed w/o losing weight. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#4 @
08-02-05
, 01:57 PM
Quote:
Totally Agree. These Cut grades will give consumers lots of room to pick a well-cut diamond. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#5 @
08-02-05
, 02:01 PM
And hopefully get the pseudoscientists to pull their head out of everyone else's ass. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#6 @
08-02-05
, 02:16 PM
Quote:
Gil; You want to put the proctologists out of business??!!  Here comes the AMA  . Duck!
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#7 @
08-02-05
, 04:02 PM
Quote:
Oh G_d NO! Someone has to stick their "ProctoScope" in people's asses and I'm glad it's not me! |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#8 @
08-02-05
, 04:17 PM
Quote:
I like that one, I'm going to put that in my repertoire, if you don't mind. ... and yes for any wise guys, I do realize that is better than putting it some other place  Brian Ps I see Proctoscope.com is taken but proctoscope.net is still available |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#9 @
08-02-05
, 07:09 PM
Now that I've had a better look some quick comments: The tool is here: http://facetware.gia.edu/ 1. They should let the web designer choose the navigation instead of the lawyers. 2. IMO, a better methodology would have been to commence with observations and bring in the math and computer model later. They started backwards. 3. I hope they will view the mathematical formula as a "guide" for the cut grade but let the eye make the final call. 4. I'm glad they did put some caveats on the limitations of the tool. 5. Read the numbers carefully. They are hiding some issues the consumer should be aware of. * >38.5 million proportion data sets. Meaning the basis for this tool is a combination of that many parameters. * 2,300 stone examined. That's a low number. * 70,000 observations. 70,000 observations on 2,300 stones to confirm a formula based on 38.5 million proportion data sets is insufficient imo. After 15 years and millions of dollars I don't think they quite got what they paid for. Anyone feel like pulling out some stock stones and testing it against the tool. Does it jibe? Any weaknesses? |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#10 @
08-02-05
, 07:41 PM
Gil; The disclaimers are IMO totally in order and prudent. There are variables such as variations in brillanteering, e.g. "painting" and "digging" that cannot be 'seen' by just inputting the numbers into the Facetware program and will be pivotal in determining the final cut grade. Similarly, in the blocking of the diamond, the manufacturer, for whatever reason; be it the fighting for a critical carat size, or navigating and controlling an imperfection will tilt the crown or pavillion facet. This in turn may affect the Polish and Symmetry and in turn the final cut grade. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#11 @
08-04-05
, 05:51 PM
Quote:
I saw that too, was trying to figure out if that meant the ultimate call goes to the final grader rather than a computation? If so, it alleviates a lot of my concern. I tested the tool against a bunch of stones and it seemed to come back with good results. They will have lots of observations to work with between now and Jan 1st. Looking forward to seeing how this all evolves. And basically happy that GIA finally got it's act together after all these years. Even if they don't get it right in the first cut, by January they'll have to get their ducks in a row. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#12 @
08-05-05
, 12:21 AM
Barry, Thanks for this info. It's very cool and interesting. I put data for the only round stone I have, one I bought from you, into the Facetware. What does Star % and lower half % mean? I couldn't enter numbers for them as I was clueless. I just left the numbers that were already there in those fields. Then, I couldn't enter the girdle thickness percentage. But when I clicked to evaluate my diamond, the girdle thickness was automatically tabulated, which was different than the one on my Sarin report. Do you know why this would be? Guess what?! The diamond was found to be an excellent cut, which I already knew, and which lined up with all the other info I have, including the Gemex results. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#13 @
08-07-05
, 05:49 PM
Liz; I'm waiting for GIA to get back to me with some additional information before I comment. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#14 @
08-08-05
, 02:54 PM
We are having the new GIA software installed this week which will allow us to provide data for the star facets and the lower girdle facets (See attached diagram). Once you have all of these numbers plugged in, the program automatically calculates the girdle percentage. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#15 @
08-11-05
, 11:14 AM
Quote:
Hmmmmm.. my diamond has no GIA report (just an independant) and I was sort of planning on sending it in after January to get it done and thought it would be nice to have the new cut grade on it. But, but, but..... now I'm not so sure! Sounds like this new cut grade may have some bumps in the road ahead before they get it right. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#16 @
08-17-05
, 05:16 PM
Diamonds graded by GIA between August 1 and december 31, 2005 will not have a re-issue fee. Just send in your current GIA report and the new updated Cut Grade report will be sent to you. Diamonds graded between January 1, and July 31, 2005 will carry a re-issue fee and you may have to send it back to GIA for re-grading. Check with them to find out specifics about your diamond. Diamonds graded before January 1, 2005 will need to be fully updated. Further information forthcoming soon. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#17 @
12-24-05
, 02:48 PM
The cut estimator does not guarantee that that will be your cut grade. 50% of the call will be the numbers 50% will be the gemologists opinion Read the disclaimer CAREFULLY. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#18 @
12-24-05
, 02:55 PM
Quote:
In the certs issued since November, they have been including the "Facetware" info on the retailer card, but not on the hard cert. And in a recent fiasco I had with GIA, not all their stored info can be easily reissued. Don't count on the fact that GIA has all their ducks in a row with this one. There will be glitches in the system. They are already becoming evident. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#19 @
12-24-05
, 07:54 PM
In every new enterprise there are kinks. I'm sure they will be ironed out. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#20 @
12-24-05
, 08:09 PM
The kinks include reputation. The scandal doesn't help on the eve of this "new era" of GIA diamond certification |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#21 @
12-24-05
, 08:27 PM
Agree that the confluence of the new GIA grade and the bribery scandal is not the best of circumstances. But GIA is already heading in the right direction by tightening procedures and installing measures that will insure this doesn't happen again. They are being very transparent which is good. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#22 @
12-24-05
, 08:33 PM
Not totally transparent. But enough to counter the Wall Street Journal article the other day. They don't want this black eye hurt the cut grade cert. Personally, I don't like the idea of GIA telling me what a good, very good, or excellent make is. But, if it's what the consumer wants to assure confidence, then so be it. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#23 @
12-24-05
, 08:39 PM
That's fine. Shop in the manner that makes you most comfortable. Make your own decision. The GIA cut grade is no different from the AGS attempt at quantifying what is "Ideal" and perhaps even better because it gives a much broader range. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Post#24 @
12-24-05
, 08:45 PM
What I do like is that is a system that is not totally derived of numbers. There is a human element to the grade. EGL does an Ideal cut report that only reflects angles and percentages based on Sarin reports. No actual viewing of the stone required. GIA, like I had said before is going with a 50%-50% system, that a HUGE part of the grade is based on eye appeal. Now, as a gemologist I can appreciate a more visual grading system. |
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Re: GIA New Cut Grade System Starts: Jan. 1, 2006!
Totally agree. Intoducing a "human" element is revolutionary, don't you think  
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