When you have settled on the perfect engagement ring, the most important thing to consider would be the jewelry lab certificates and appraisals. These two aspects would ensure that you know everything about the ring you are going to buy. Usually the jewelry lab certificates are issued for loose stones and not for the engagement ring. The certificates give a grade to the stone based on that stone’s specific properties and hence it is also referred as grading reports.
There are four specific areas that require attention while considering the properties of the stone. It is cut-proportions and finishing of the stone, carat-weight of the stone, color-determining the value of the stone and clarity-the inclusions or flaws present in the stone. The American Gem Society and Gemological Institute of America are two of the most well known and reputed grading labs. The jewelry certificate or grading report would include information whether a stone is natural, created or cultured. They would help in identifying the characteristics of the stone if it is stolen, lost or damaged. The certificate ensures the owner that he owns what he believes he had purchased and it is original and of good quality. 
Even though the report would not add to the stone’s value, it would attest to the worth of the stone.
Getting a grading report is not enough. Before completing the purchase, you need to inquire about an appraisal of the value of that engagement ring. A good appraisal would have information on the current retail market value of the ring, complete description of the ring, four properties of the ring, shape of the stone and type of metal like gold, platinum etc. An appraisal is important as it would be able to tell the difference between fake jewelry and real, synthetic and cultured or created stones which would be difficult to realize otherwise. Appraisal would give exact details of anything that has been done to the stone.
