Diamond Grading Reports: Are They Necessary? | GIA Expertise

Question
If i'm buying a diamond over 1 carat, is it true that I need to get a grading report with it from a reputable lab if i want to actually know the 4 C's of the diamond? And if so, is one lab 'better' than another? I guess stricter/more reliable is a better way to phrase that.. heh. But yeah. A couple buddies tell me GIA is the leader in grading, but I don't really know much at all about the labs or reports, so any input would be great. thanks!

Answer
HI ADAM,

I AM A GRADUATE OF GIA AND HAVE WORKED WITH THEM ON MANY OCCASIONS. THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE TOP AUTHORITY ON DIAMOND GRADING IN THE WORLD TODAY. THEIR CERTIFICATES ARE ACCEPTED BY EVERYONE IN THE BUSINESS AS THE FINAL WORD ON GRADING. THE GRADING IS DONE BY THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND OVERSEEN BY A SUPERVISOR WHO GIVES THE FINAL GRADE ON ANY DISAGREEMENTS. THIS GIVES GIA THE REPUTATION AND CONSISTANCY NEEDED IN THE DIAMOND TRADE. GIA IS THE BEST.

PETER