Diamond and Gemstone identification and certification.

AUSCERT was created over two decades ago, to provide an approachable, independent and reliable local Diamond Certificate to the Australian Diamond buying public.

AUSCERT Diamond Certification

Certified Diamonds are now commonplace in the jewellery Market.  In the past Diamonds were mostly bought and sold without grading reports. Historically, the Diamond trade used a range of phrases and grading terminology, to describe a Diamond, such as “Top River,” “Fine White,” or “Triple A”, amongst others.

Today, we have diamond grading laboratories such as AUSCERT, mainly due to the rise in demand for information by the consumer, thus certified Diamonds have become the norm, and now the terminology used in grading is more standardised. The current diamond grading system called the “4C’s” and is a standardised, globally recognised way for jewellers, laboratories, and consumers to establish and recognise the technical merits of any given Diamond. Across the trade we now use terms like “VS1” clarity and “D” colour. See the accompanying 4C’s chart for the grading terms now adopted globally.

The AUSCERT laboratory features some of the most advanced Diamond grading technology available to accurately assess the “4C’s”.  AUSCERT operates equipment produced by Sarine Technologies, the world innovators of Diamond analysing and proportion measurement systems. The Sarine DiaMension HD provides accurate laser mapping of polished loose diamonds, allowing for the quick and confident evaluation of the proportions and symmetry of the Diamond. The system uses a high resolution digital camera for the 3D modelling of the stone, with specially designed interchangeable optical lenses to support stones ranging from 3mm up to 28mm in diameter, and a unique lighting module for highly precise scanning.  AUSCERT has one of the world’s strictest cut grade parameters set forth by A.G.S. (American Gem Society) and was the world’s first Diamond Laboratory to refuse to certify low quality (cut) Diamonds.

Diamonds are graded for colour at AUSCERT with the aid of a master set of Diamonds. AUSCERT possesses Australia’s largest set of colour grading Diamonds, the CIBJO 2 Master set certified by the Swiss Gemmological Institute in Switzerland. AUSCERT uses equipment such as the Diamond-View, Diamond-Screen, Gemlogis and the Gemetrix to detect synthetic, Lab grown and treated Diamonds.

Diamonds Certificates do not assess the monetary value, but rather the technical merits of the piece.

GEMCERT Gemstone Certification

A GEMCERT certificate offers a thorough, and unbiased analysis of a coloured gemstone.

Gemstone certification is very different to Diamond certification, as there is no standardised or globally recognised grading system for the colour and clarity of coloured gemstones.

Our certificate contains results from multiple Gemmological tests, conducted using specialised equipment, to assess the physical and technical characteristics of the gemstone, with the aim of disclosing the identity and authenticity of the gemstone.  

Our comprehensive certificate contains information about the type of gemstone; describing the size, shape, weight, colour, inclusions, refractive index, specific gravity, mineral species and variety, any detrimental treatments present, and a photo of the gemstone.

Geographic origin and the presence of Heat treatment are new features on a lot of Gemstone certificates. However, these details are very difficult to assess and the results on which they are based are open to interpretation. 

  • Very specific inclusions and properties must be present to obtain a gemstones Geographical origin, and this information is not always present in all gemstones – especially gemstones with very few inclusions.
  • Identifying heat treatment or the lack of heat treatment – “unheated”, in gemstones is another new addition to certificates, which is also very open to interpretation. Heat treatment has been used for centuries and has been deemed as an acceptable treatment that is not required to be disclosed at the time of sale, as heat treatment is a stable, durable, and a permanent treatment.  

GEMCERT certificates will only list a Geographic origin or that a gemstone is “unheated” when overwhelming clear and concise evidence is found.

As with our AUSCERT Diamond Certificates, our GEMCERT Certificates do not assess the monetary value, but rather the technical merits of the piece.

AUSCERT is committed to setting and maintaining the highest standard of ethics and professionalism.  All of our graders are either GIA or GAA trained and each have a minimum of 20 years’ experience in the jewellery trade.

We are conveniently located in the Melbourne CBD, at the corner of Collins and  Swanston Street’s.

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