The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA)

The DCLA Difference

The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) is one of the world’s foremost independent diamond grading and certification laboratories.

Providing independent and only guaranteed diamond grading certificates, or diamond grading reports, for natural diamonds.

DCLA is Australia’s premier diamond grading laboratory, and remains the only internationally recognised diamond certification laboratory in Australia, grading diamonds in accordance with International Diamond Council (IDC) and World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) rules for grading polished diamonds.

Protecting Diamond Buyers

The principle mission of the DCLA is to protect diamond consumers, and consumer confidence, when buying diamonds, providing accuracy, consistency and transparency in diamond grading.

The Diamond Certification laboratory of Australia is equipped with the most advanced diamond technology and equipment in Australia.

All diamonds submitted to the DCLA laboratory are individually identified and tested to International Diamond Council standards, ensuring that the diamond has not been treated or enhanced in any way, and are of natural origin.

The DCLA Certificate confirms that the diamond is a natural diamond and not a man-made synthetic diamond when they sell diamonds to consumers.

Independent & Accurate Diamond Assessment

DCLA Independence means that the DCLA Diamond Grading and Certification Laboratory receives no grants or funding from the diamond or jewellery trade, it is completely self funded and independent.

Trusted and Respected

Most importantly DCLA protects you the diamond jewellery or investment diamond consumer.

Before you buy loose unset diamonds, consult the laboratory for independently certified diamond advice.

If you are in the process of selling diamonds, be sure to contact DCLA for their advice on how to sell a diamond.

DCLA & The International Diamond Council

The International Diamond Council (IDC) is the governing diamond body established by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA). Together, these two organisations are the world’s highest authorities in diamonds.

DCLA is the only International Diamond Council (IDC) laboratory and the only CIBJO Diamond Grading laboratory for Australia, and holds the only official registered National Diamond Masterset for Australia, the diamond C2Au set.

What is Transparency?

Transparency, also called pellucidity, is the material property of allowing light to pass through. In mineralogy, another term for this property is diaphaneity.

The DCLA Developed the Transparency Grade System. It is the degree to which a diamond transmits light, directly relevant to its ‘cloudiness’ or ‘haziness.’

In other words, it is a comprehensive assessment of light performance based on the quality of the diamond crystal itself.

The Transparency Grade is standard on the DCLA Diamond Grading Report.

What affects Transparency?

Diamond transparency can be affected in many ways. Certain types of inclusions, such as clouds and twinning lines, structural phenomena such as graining, and even fluorescence can have an impact on a diamond’s ability to transmit light.

That being said, diamonds of any clarity, fluorescence and cut can in fact have Very Good or Excellent Transparency, making them attractive stones. For example, fluorescence can sometimes give a diamond a ‘milky’ appearance, especially when in sunlight…but this is not always the case. It is quite possible for a fluorescent diamond to have Very Good or even Excellent Transparency.

Diamonds of almost any clarity, fluorescence, and cut can also have Good or Medium Transparency – as said, multiple features contribute to a diamond’s transparency.

The unique DCLA Transparency Grading System now takes all of these features into account to provide an even more comprehensive assessment of your diamond.

• Excellent : Completely transparent, no light interruption, no haze or cloud.
• Very Good : Transparent, minimal light interruption, very light haze or cloud, difficult to detect.
• Good : Transparent, some light interruption, slight visible haze or cloud, detectable.
• Medium : Semi-Transparent, marked light interruption, moderate haze or cloud, easy to detect.
• Poor : Semi-Transparent, very little light passes through, heavy haze or cloud.

Rough or Uncut Diamonds

Diamond Buying And Selling Tips

You may experience uncertainty when purchasing a diamond, particularly an engagement diamond. This is not unjustified with the increased incidence of treated diamonds, synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants, no to mention incorrectly certified or graded diamonds.

Some Quick Tips

• Buy from a reputable jeweller. A reputable jeweller sells with genuine Diamond Grading Reports or Certificates.
• Buy with a diamond grading report or certificate from an independent and recognised diamond grading laboratory. This ensures you have a natural, untreated diamond that has been graded accurately. DCLA is the only independent and internationally recognised laboratory in Australia.
• Note that a “valuation” or “appraisal” is NOT a certificate.
• Read the certificate carefully to ensure that you make an informed decision
• Price comparison is only possible if you are comparing certified diamonds. Diamond Grading Reports and Certification allows you to compare prices without unknowingly sacrificing quality or natural origin.
• Be cautious of “sales” which appear to be genuine but are nothing more than a large discount off an inflated price. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
• Be cautious of internet retailers offering a huge selection of diamonds. Often many are not available – this is a classic baiting scam.
• Buy a diamond that is cold laser inscribed. This identifies the diamond and ensures you get the one described by the diamond’s report or certificate.
• Do not buy your diamond overseas, buy locally. This ensures you have recourse if anything is wrong.
• Diamonds are priced the same way worldwide -there are no cheap diamonds, only lower quality.
• Never buy a diamond without seeing it first. The internet has become the perfect marketplace for selling the “leftovers,” which are impossible to sell for the asking price through traditional diamond channels.
• Do not buy a diamond with a bogus or in-house diamond “certificate”. If you are unsure, do your research on the laboratory that issued the diamond grading report. Examples of in-house “certificates” are manufacturer reports and appraisals generated by the seller.
• The seller’s valuation or certificate it is not independent and may be overstated. Genuine diamond grading laboratories do not sell diamonds nor do the employees have any interests in the jewellery trade, as this represents a significant conflict of interest.
• Do not accept unknown diamond certificates or photocopies of the original diamond grading report or certificate.
• Never shop based on price alone – this generally results in a lower quality, not a better deal. Generally speaking, you will get what you pay for.

Knowledge is key to any decision. Certification is vitally important to ensure you make an informed diamond purchase.

For more information, feel free to contact the DCLA on our Diamond ‘Trustline,’ established as a hotline for all of your diamond inquiries.

When Trading or Selling a Diamond

DCLA can help you sell or auction your diamond jewellery and get you the correct value:

If you are you considering selling your diamond, but feel as though you have no idea how or where to begin with the process?

This article will give you a few tips to help you along the way.

TIP #1 Diamonds are usually given to display love, making the sentimental value higher to the seller than the actual value to a buyer. Should you be in the market to sell your diamond, make sure you are ready to part with the diamond before beginning the process.

TIP #2 Be sure of the quality and authenticity of what you are trying to sell. Make sure of the quality and the grade of the stone. This is most important for the ultimate value of the diamond. There have been many instances where a seller is committed to selling their diamond only to find out the quality isn’t as described when originally purchased.

There are Jewellers or services available, who will give an unbiased assessment of your stone. But it is far more valuable in the long run to get a report from a recognised Laboratory.

It is also recommended to verify the report matches the Laser inscription before placing your diamond on the market, to assure your diamond is the same stone should it not sell.

TIP #3 Now that you have an accurate report of the quality, make sure you get a realistic selling value. Believing the diamond holds a higher value than it truly possesses will lead to a challenging, frustrating experience which can be dragged out.

An appraiser can assist you with determining a fair selling, price so you can avoid this pitfall. Diamonds are priced in US dollars, so your diamonds price will be affected when converted to your local currency.

A good way to see current retail values is to visit online stores like www.dcladiamondexchange.com.au.

TIP #4 There are many ways to sell a preloved diamond or diamond jewellery. Research your selling options to make an educated decision that works best for you. Be it an online market or exploring options through a local jeweller or dealer, be sure you are using the best option for your needs.

Example, if time is not of the essence, an online market or an auction house could be the best way forward. If you want a quick sale, visiting your local dealer may be the best option.

DCLA Diamond Laboratory provides an internationally recognised and respected report to any seller or prospective buyer.

DCLA will provide you with an experience expert to advise you and give you the accurate value protecting you when selling. Our goal is to provide you with as much knowledge as possible.