Authenticity Guarantee
Authenticity Guarantee for Jewelry
Tolerance Ranges for Jewelry Authenticity Guarantee
Authenticity Guarantee for jewelry and loose stones, is limited to a review of claims regarding item quality and characteristics listed by the seller. These claims are assessed within defined ranges and tolerances. Reports, certificates, gifts to buyers as a bonus and free of charge and appraisals included in listings are not verified under the AG program and will not be validated.
Below is a detailed overview of those defined ranges and tolerances for Jewelry.
(For the detailed overview of those defined ranges and tolerances for Loose Diamonds see next section below).
Mounted Jewelry
Natural Diamonds
GIA will verify color, clarity and carat weight within the tolerances stated below as well as creation and treatment. No other diamond attributes will be verified.
Diamond clarity
GIA evaluates disclosed clarity grades for diamonds that are 0.15 cts or larger, insofar as the mounting allows. The clarity grades that are eligible for verification are VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2 and I3; while the clarity grades FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2 and VS1 will not be verified.
The tolerance for all stated clarity grades is -1 grade. For example, a stated clarity grade of SI1 will pass verification if the apparent clarity is SI2.
NOTE: If the stated clarity grade falls in the FL-VS1 range but the clarity is obviously lower, the item will fail verification.
Diamond color
Eligibility
- Only diamonds 0.25 carats or larger are subject to color verification.
- Diamonds smaller than 0.25 carats will pass for color without color assessment.
- For fancy colored diamonds, only the basic hue will be verified, insofar as the mounting permits. Saturation and tone will not be verified.
- Any trade term such as Canary will not be verified.
Color Verification for D–M (Colorless to Faint)
- Color grade claims that fall within the range D to M will be verified within the specific letter grade range.
-
Tolerance: Experts allow a –2 letter grade tolerance from the listed color.
- Example: If the listing states G, and the expert determines the color is most likely I, the diamond will pass verification.
- If the Seller states a color range, experts will verify against the lowest grade in the range.
Color Verification for N–Z (Very Light to Light)
-
Color grade claims that fall within the range N-R will be verified as
falling within the Very Light range.
- Example: If the listing states N, and the expert determines the color falls within the Very Light range, the diamond will pass verification.
- Color grade claims that fall within the range S-Z will be verified as falling within the Light range.
In some cases, a diamond has a fancy hue that the seller does not disclose. In such cases, the stated D-Z grade will not be verified.
- If the hue is brown or gray, the buyer will be informed and given the chance to accept or reject the item.
- If the hue is anything other than brown or gray (e.g. pink, blue, etc.), the item will pass verification.
Diamond Carat weight estimation
Stones weighing 0.40 ct or more per stone have an acceptable tolerance of -10%. Stones that weigh less than 0.40 ct have an aggregate tolerance of -25%.
GIA will not assess the accuracy of carat weight disclosures for individual stones set in jewelry and weighing under 0.20cts, or for an aggregate stone weight under 0.20cts.
Diamond Treatment
A Diamond expert will verify if a particular treatment is present or not in the diamond as well as the nature of the treatment to assess its stability. The results will be verified against the listing and depending on whether the details about the treatment are disclosed or not, the expert will proceed as follows:
- GIA will not verify stable color treatments for both D-Z and colored diamonds.
- GIA will verify the presence of unstable treatments such as clarity enhancement, and coating, unless detection is prohibitively limited by the mounting.
- If the listing discloses the presence of an unstable treatment, GIA will not verify clarity and color of the diamond and should all other verified criteria be aligned with the listing, the item will pass verification.
E.g.:
- Fracture filling: not permanent or stable
- Laser drilling: permanent
Laboratory Grown Diamonds
For laboratory grown diamonds the clarity and the color statements made by the seller, will not be verified. GIA will verify carat weight within the tolerances stated above as well as creation and treatment. No other diamond attributes will be verified.
Colored Stones
Colored stones color
For colored stones, experts will confirm basic hues. Any trade term which describes specific colors and qualities of gemstones that are typically assigned to gemstones of superior quality and rarity such as Royal blue, Pigeon blood or Padparadscha will not be verified.
Colored stones Carat weight estimation
Stones weighing 0.40 ct or more per stone have an acceptable tolerance of -10%. Stones that weigh less than 0.40 ct have an aggregate tolerance of -25%.
GIA will not assess the accuracy of carat weight disclosures for individual stones set in jewelry and weighing under 0.20cts, or for an aggregate stone weight under 0.20cts.
Assembled stones
Assembled stones are stones constructed out of two or more materials and are not eligible for Jewelry Authenticity Guarantee.
Common assembled stone types include:
- Doublet: A doublet consists of two joined segments
- Triplet: A triplet has three segments, or two segments separated by a layer of colored cement
Gemstone treatments
Gemstones are commonly subjected to treatments which may be considered stable or unstable.
GIA will not verify claims regarding common treatments that are stable, such as heat treatment or irradiation.
GIA will verify the presence of unstable treatments such as clarity enhancement, glass filling, coating, and dyeing, unless detection is prohibitively limited by the mounting or requires advanced testing beyond the scope of standard examination.
Stone Testing - random sample
For a jewelry item with multiple stones of the same species, GIA will test/verify a sample for identity, creation and treatment. If a jewelry item has multiple stones of multiple species, GIA will apply the same principle and test/verify a sample for each species. GIA will randomly test up to 5 gemstones.
Undetermined results
In some cases, if it's not possible to determine whether an item is unstable or has been treated using then-current techniques and technology, treatment status of the item is undetermined and will pass verification.
The creation of colored stones will not be verified if the total carat weight for the species is less than 0.20 cts.
Example: A necklace features three rubies with a stated weight of 0.05 cts each. The stated total carat weight for the species is 0.15 cts. The creation of the rubies will not be verified.
The natural or laboratory-grown origin of all varieties of quartz cannot be determined under Authenticity Guarantee.
Pearl
Pearl verification is focused on the determination that the material being verified is in fact pearl, rather than an imitation (e.g. fashioned shell, coated plastic, glass bead, etc.). A reasonable effort will be made to verify the accuracy of any claim regarding the shape, color and size of a pearl.
- Items with 10 or less pearls = we verify all pearls
- Items with 10 or more pearls = We will select at random a range of 5- 10 pearls to verify
If a mounting prevents us from separating pearls from Mabe/assembled pearls without advanced testing: we will use the term mollusk nacre materials for these items.
Claims that will not be verified:
- Any claim that a pearl is “cultured” or “natural”.
- Any claim that a pearl originated in a specific environment—saltwater vs. freshwater—
- Any claim of treatments, trade terms and mollusk species.
- Any claim of classification or grades
Non-Gem Materials
GIA will not verify non-gem materials such as glass or plastics, including but not limited to paste, strass, rhinestones, diamante, opalite, goldstone, crystal, acrylic, and lucite.
Metals
Metal gram weight
If listed, the total gram weight of the metal-only items will be verified. Metal weights will not be verified on finished jewelry items containing other non-metal materials (i.e., stones, enamel, etc.).
For metal only items:
- If the gram weight is 5% below stated weight, it will pass verification.
- If the gram weight is 5-10% below stated weight, it will require buyer approval. If a buyer rejects, the item will be returned to the seller.
- If the gram weight is 10% or more below the stated weight, the item will be returned to the seller.
Metal purity
The following metals and metal purities are eligible for verification: silver, gold, platinum and palladium (see details below).
Please note, resizing an item may result in undisclosed composition variances (i.e., metal alloys used to modify size may affect metal purity).
Please note, GIA does not test the metal type or purity of minor jewelry components. Untested components include, but are not limited to:
- Clasps
- Prongs Settings
- Posts
- Earring backs
- Brooch Pins
- safety chains
If minor components have a metal purity stamp, GIA will not verify the accuracy of the stamp.
Random location testing for metal purity
The alloy of any metal may be inconsistent between different areas of a jewelry piece. For each jewelry item, GIA tests one or more areas of the metal at random for metal type and purity.
Orders with multiple connected components
For items with multiple components that are connected such as: charm bracelets, connected stacking rings/bracelets/necklaces/earrings, only a maximum of three pieces will be tested for metal type and purity.
Silver purity conversion chart
Silver must be at least 92.5%+ Ster., Solid Silver or Sterling Silver
Purity less than 92.5% silver cannot be marked as Ster., Solid Silver and/or Sterling Silver unless the item is a coin or coin silver having a minimum purity of 90% or more.
Tolerance: 1% or 10 parts per thousand. For example, if the listing states 925 fineness, the item will pass a testing result of 915 fineness but will fail a testing result of 914 fineness.
The term "silver" can be used to describe a product or part composed throughout of an alloy containing less than 900 parts per thousand, if the term is accompanied by an equally conspicuous, accurate designation of the item’s silver content.
| Common name | Parts of silver | % of silver purity | Fineness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% Silver | 700/1000 | 70% | 700 |
| 80% Silver | 800/1000 | 80% | 800 |
| Coin | 900/1000 | 90% | 900 |
| Sterling Silver | 925/1000 | 92.50% | 925 |
| Brittania | 958/1000 | 95.80% | 958 |
| Fine or Pure Silver | 999.9/100 | 99.90% | 999 |
Based on FTC guidelines, a jewelry item can be stamped “Gold” without a corresponding numerical value of “parts of gold” only if purity is 99.9%.
Gold purity conversion chart
GOLD = k, Kt, Karat, K Gold, Kt Gold, Karat Gold, Gold (if 99.9%+ purity)
Tolerance: ½ a karat or 0.5/24 parts of gold or 0.021 % of gold purity. For example, if listing states 14 parts of gold, eBay will pass a testing result of 13.5 parts of gold but will fail a testing result of 13.49 parts of gold.
Please note, purity range below 9K will not be verified
| Number of karats | Parts of gold | % of gold purity | Fineness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8k | 8/24 | 33.3 | 333 |
| 9k, 9Kt, 9 Karat, 9K Gold, 9Kt Gold, 9 Karat Gold | 9/24 | 37.5 | 375 |
| 10k, 10Kt, 10 Karat, 10K Gold, 10Kt Gold, 10 Karat Gold | 10/24 | 41.7 | 416/417 |
| 11k, 11Kt, 11 Karat, 11K Gold, 11Kt Gold, 11 Karat Gold | 11/24 | 45.8 | 458 |
| 12k, 12Kt, 12 Karat, 12K Gold, 12Kt Gold, 12 Karat Gold | 12/24 | 50 | 500 |
| 13k, 13Kt, 13 Karat, 13K Gold, 13Kt Gold, 13 Karat Gold | 13/24 | 54.1 | 541 |
| 14k, 14Kt, 14 Karat, 14K Gold, 14Kt Gold, 14 Karat Gold | 14/24 | 58.3 | 583/585 |
| 15k, 15Kt, 15 Karat, 15K Gold, 15Kt Gold, 15 Karat Gold | 15/24 | 62.5 | 625 |
| 16k, 16Kt, 16 Karat, 16K Gold, 16Kt Gold, 16 Karat Gold | 16/24 | 66.6 | 666 |
| 17k, 17Kt, 17 Karat, 17K Gold, 17Kt Gold, 17 Karat Gold | 17/24 | 70.8 | 708 |
| 18k, 18Kt, 18 Karat, 18K Gold, 18Kt Gold, 18 Karat Gold | 18/24 | 75 | 750 |
| 19k, 19Kt, 19 Karat, 19K Gold, 19Kt Gold, 19 Karat Gold | 19/24 | 79.1 | 791 |
| 20k, 20Kt, 20 Karat, 20K Gold, 20Kt Gold, 20 Karat Gold | 20/24 | 83.3 | 833 |
| 21k, 21Kt, 21 Karat, 21K Gold, 21Kt Gold, 21 Karat Gold | 21/24 | 87.5 | 875 |
| 22k, 22Kt, 22 Karat, 22K Gold, 22Kt Gold, 22 Karat Gold | 22/24 | 91.7 | 916/917 |
| 23k, 23Kt, 23 Karat, 23K Gold, 23Kt Gold, 23 Karat Gold | 23/24 | 95.8 | 958 |
| 24k, 24Kt, 24 Karat, 24K Gold, 24Kt Gold, 24 Karat Gold, Gold | 24/24 | 99.9 | 999 |
Platinum purity conversion chart
PLATINUM = Pt., Plat or Platinum if preceded by a number indicating parts per thousand of pure Platinum (95%+ purity does not require a number preceding mark)
Tolerance: 1% or 10 parts per thousand. For example, if the listing states 950 fineness, eBay will pass a testing result of 940 fineness but will fail a testing result of 939 fineness.
Please note, platinum may include undisclosed palladium.
| Metal mark | Parts of platinum | % of platinum purity | Fineness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 850Pt., 850Plat., 850 Platinum | 850/1000 | 85% | 850 |
| 900Pt., 900Plat., 900 Platinum | 900/1000 | 90% | 900 |
| 950Pt., 950Plat., Platinum | 950/1000 | 95% | 950 |
| 999Pt., 999Plat., Platinum | 999.9/1000 | 99.9% | 999 |
Palladium purity conversion chart
PALLADIUM = Pall., Pd. or Palladium if preceded by a number indicating parts per thousand of pure Platinum Tolerance: 1% or 10 parts per thousand. For example, if the listing states 950 fineness, eBay will pass a testing result of 940 fineness but will fail a testing result of 939 fineness.
| Marking | Parts of palladium | % of palladium purity | Fineness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500Pd., 500Pall. | 500/1000 | 50% | 500 |
| 950Pd., 950Pall. | 950/1000 | 95% | 950 |
| 999Pd., 999Pall. | 999.9/1000 | 99.9% | 999 |
Plating “Metal composition”
Gold plating and the base metal will be verified; however, the purity of the gold plating cannot be determined under Authenticity Guarantee.
GIA does not conduct destructive testing. Therefore, detection of metal plating or applications of gold or metal coatings by mechanical means are subject to the limitations of XRF technology.
Item size
An expert will verify that the length of any chain matches the length listed by the seller (i.e., inches, millimeters), or the size of any ring. Necklaces have a tolerance of - 1 inch. Bracelets and anklets have a tolerance of - 1/2 inch. Rings have a tolerance of +/- 1 full ring size. Bangle size will not be confirmed.
Please note, resizing an item may result in metal purity and/or composition variances in the area that was modified for resizing purposes (i.e., metal alloys used to modify size may affect metal purity in sections modified).
Loose Diamonds
Authenticity Guarantee for jewelry and loose stones, is limited to a review of claims regarding item quality and characteristics listed by the seller. These claims are assessed within defined ranges and tolerances. Reports, certificates and appraisals included in listings are not verified under the AG program and will not be validated.
Below is a detailed overview of those defined ranges and tolerances for Loose Diamonds.
Diamond Creation
Diamond experts will verify natural and laboratory grown diamonds against the listing details.
Natural Diamonds: GIA will verify color, clarity and carat weight within the tolerances stated below as well as creation and unstable treatment. No other diamond attributes will be verified.
Laboratory Grown Diamonds: GIA will not verify the clarity and the color statements made by the seller. GIA will verify carat weight as well as creation and treatment. No other diamond attributes will be verified.
Diamond clarity
A Diamond expert will verify the clarity of the listed stone and accept a –2 tolerance from the lowest value indicated.
GIA Diamond Clarity Ranges:
| Flawless | (FL) |
| Internally Flawless | (IF) |
| Very, Very Slightly Included | (VVS1 & VVS2) |
| Very Slightly Included | (VS1 & VS2) |
| Slightly Included | (SI1 & SI2) |
| Included | (I1, I2, & I3) |
Diamond color
A Diamond expert will verify the color of the listed stone and accept a –2 tolerance from the lowest value indicated.
GIA Diamond Color Ranges:
| Colorless | D, E, F |
| Near Colorless | G, H, I, J |
| Faint | K, L, M |
| Very Light | N, O, P, Q, R |
| Light | S through Z |
Diamond Carat Weight
Only stones weighing 0.15 ct or more per stone will be verified, with a 0.005 ct weight tolerance above or below the stated carat weight, as per FTC Guidelines.
Diamond Treatment
A Diamond expert will verify if a particular treatment is present or not in the diamond as well as the nature of the treatment to assess its stability. The results will be verified against the listing and depending on whether the details about the treatment are disclosed or not, the expert will proceed as follows:
- GIA will not verify stable color treatments for both D-Z and colored diamonds.
- GIA will verify the presence of unstable treatments such as clarity enhancement, and coating.
- If the listing discloses the presence of an unstable treatment, GIA will not verify clarity and color of the diamond and should all other verified criteria be aligned with the listing, the item will pass verification.
E.g.:
- Fracture filling: not permanent or stable
- Laser drilling: permanent