Melbourne client care · Made in Surat
Every Fenora diamond comes with an IGI certificate. This guide explains every field on that certificate in plain language — what each grade means, how to read the proportions, what the clarity plot shows and how to verify your specific stone using the laser inscription on the girdle.
An IGI certificate is an independent grading report issued by the International Gemological Institute for a specific diamond. It documents the quality of that specific stone — its colour, clarity, cut and carat weight — according to published, standardised grading criteria assessed by trained, independent graders.
The certificate matters because it removes the conflict of interest from diamond quality claims. Without a certificate, the only quality assessment available is the seller's own — an obvious conflict of interest in a high-value transaction. With an IGI certificate, the quality assessment is independent: the grader has no financial interest in the sale and is assessing the stone against defined, published standards.
At Fenora, every diamond carries an IGI certificate. Not most — every one. The quality is not Yash Chandpara's claim. It is the IGI's finding.
The complete IGI certificate field by field — what each one means and what to look for.
| Certificate Field | What It Is | What to Look For at Fenora |
|---|---|---|
| Report Number | The unique identifier for this specific certificate — also laser-inscribed on the stone girdle | Match this to the girdle inscription to confirm stone and certificate are linked. Verify on igiworldwide.com |
| Date | The date the stone was graded by IGI | Confirms the certificate is recent. Older certificates are still valid but very old certificates may pre-date updated grading standards |
| Shape and Cutting Style | The outline shape (round, oval, emerald etc) and cutting style (brilliant, step-cut) | Confirms shape matches what you ordered |
| Measurements | Length x width x depth in millimetres to 2 decimal places | Used to verify carat weight and assess cut proportions. For round brilliants: diameter range x depth |
| Carat Weight | The weight of the stone in carats to 2 decimal places. 1 carat = 0.2 grams | The size reference. Fenora shows how each carat weight looks on hand in video during consultation |
| Colour Grade | D (colourless) through Z (clearly tinted yellow/brown) | Fenora minimum: G for white metals. H for yellow/rose gold. D-F premium colourless range available |
| Clarity Grade | Flawless through I3 — presence, nature and visibility of inclusions under 10x magnification | Fenora standard: VS2 (eye-clean in all conditions). SI1 eye-clean discussed individually |
| Cut Grade | Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor — round brilliants only | Fenora minimum: Excellent. Non-negotiable. No other cut grade is offered for round brilliant centre stones |
| Polish | Excellent through Poor — quality of the final surface finish of all facets | Fenora standard: Excellent |
| Symmetry | Excellent through Poor — precision of facet placement and shape symmetry | Fenora standard: Excellent |
| Fluorescence | None, Faint, Medium, Strong, Very Strong + colour under UV light | Most Fenora diamonds: None or Faint. Medium or stronger fluorescence is discussed explicitly during consultation |
| Clarity Plot | A diagram showing the position and type of every inclusion in this stone | The plot is unique to this stone — it is the fingerprint of your specific diamond. Compare to your stone under 10x magnification |
| Proportions | Table %, depth %, crown angle, pavilion angle, girdle thickness, culet | The precise measurements used to assess cut quality for round brilliants. Yash Chandpara explains these during the consultation |
The colour scale runs from D (completely colourless) to Z (clearly tinted yellow or brown). In practice for engagement ring buyers, the useful range is D through J — most rings at Fenora use stones in the D-H range.
| Colour Range | Description | In a Ring Setting | Fenora Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-F | Colourless — no colour detectable even by expert under controlled conditions | Look completely white in any metal | Available — premium range. Marginal visual advantage over G-H in most settings |
| G-H | Near colourless — colour only detectable by expert with comparison stone | Look completely white in white metal settings | Recommended for white gold and platinum — the sweet spot of quality and value |
| I-J | Near colourless — very slight colour detectable by expert | Look white in yellow and rose gold settings. Slight warmth visible in white metal by trained eye in comparison conditions | Recommended for yellow and rose gold. Can work in white gold for buyers prioritising carat size |
| K-M | Faint yellow — detectable colour without comparison stone | Visible warmth in white metal. Suits yellow gold | Available but not recommended for white metal settings |
| N-Z | Light to clearly tinted — colour visible to any observer | Clear warm tint | Not available at Fenora — below quality standard |
The clarity grade describes the presence and visibility of internal characteristics (inclusions) and surface blemishes in a diamond. The practical question for a buyer is not the grade itself but whether any inclusions are visible to the naked eye in normal viewing conditions — this is what "eye-clean" means.
| Clarity Grade | What It Means | Eye-Clean? | Fenora Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| FL / IF | Flawless / Internally Flawless — no inclusions visible at 10x magnification | Yes — completely clean | Available — premium grade. No practical visual advantage over VVS for ring wear |
| VVS1 / VVS2 | Very Very Slightly Included — inclusions extremely difficult to see at 10x magnification | Yes | Available — excellent quality. Minor premium over VS for identical visual result in wear |
| VS1 / VS2 | Very Slightly Included — inclusions difficult to see at 10x magnification | Yes — reliably eye-clean in all conditions | VS2 is the Fenora standard recommendation. Eye-clean, excellent value, reliable quality |
| SI1 | Slightly Included — inclusions visible at 10x but typically not to naked eye | Usually yes — assess each stone individually. Brilliant cuts hide inclusions better than step cuts | Available when confirmed eye-clean by Yash Chandpara in video assessment. Good value option for brilliant cuts |
| SI2 | Slightly Included — inclusions may be visible to naked eye | Sometimes — assess very carefully | Available only when confirmed absolutely eye-clean. Less reliable than SI1 |
| I1-I3 | Included — inclusions visible to naked eye | No | Not available at Fenora — below quality standard |
For round brilliant diamonds, the proportions section of the IGI certificate gives the precise measurements used to assess light performance. Understanding these numbers allows buyers to assess cut quality beyond the Excellent/Very Good labels.
| Proportion | What It Measures | Ideal Range (Excellent Cut) | Effect if Outside Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table % | The width of the flat top facet as a percentage of the total diameter | 54–62% | Too large: flat appearance, reduced fire. Too small: dark centre, less brilliance |
| Depth % | Total depth as a percentage of the diameter | 59–62.5% | Too deep: light leaks from sides. Too shallow: light leaks through bottom |
| Crown angle | The angle of the crown facets relative to the girdle plane | 32–36° | Affects fire (colour dispersion). Outside range reduces fire significantly |
| Pavilion angle | The angle of the pavilion facets below the girdle | 40.6–41.8° | The most critical proportion. Wrong pavilion angle causes severe light leakage |
| Girdle thickness | The thickness of the girdle (stone edge) | Thin to Slightly Thick | Very thin: chipping risk. Very thick: weight hidden in girdle, stone appears smaller |
| Culet | The bottom point of the stone | None or Very Small | A large culet appears as a dark circle visible through the stone from above |
An Excellent IGI cut grade means all these proportions fall within the ranges that produce maximum light performance. Yash Chandpara reviews the specific proportion numbers during the consultation for any stone where cut performance is a focus of the brief.
The clarity plot is a diagram showing the position and type of every inclusion and blemish in a specific diamond. It is both a quality record and a unique identifier — the pattern of inclusions in any diamond is unique to that specific stone.
When your ring arrives, two verification steps confirm that your specific stone matches its certificate.
Common questions about IGI certificates.
Book a free online consultation. Yash Chandpara goes through the IGI certificate line by line during every consultation — every field explained in plain language.
