Post # 1

Member
26 posts
Newbee
Hi,
My boyfriend recently went ring shopping at Helzberg and got a .59 princess cut diamond that had to be returned because it could not be kite set into the band we wanted. We then were given a .66 marquise diamond that did not come with a certificate like the first (which was EGL). It came with a piece of paper that said it was certified by ABI Gemological Laboratories. Has anyone ever heard of ABI? I have seen GIA and EGL, but not ABI.
Helzberg said the certificate is still on the way. Does ABI even exist? I have searched for ABI and I found nothing on it. Does anyone out there know if the ABI certification is legit? Thanks!
Post # 3

Hostess
1427 posts
Bumble bee
@Ticktock:
there’s AGI and AGS who do diamond certs. AGI is used primarily in Europe. I’ve never encoungered ABI, do you think it could have been a “G?” good luck, hope that helps 🙂
Post # 4

Member
2788 posts
Sugar bee
I would take this question to pricescope.com. I’ve never heard of that certification.
Post # 5

Member
16 posts
Newbee
I have definitely never heard of that lab. Personally I would try to stick to GIA-certified stones. They developed the 4 C’s in the first place, they have very strict grading standards, and are known for having the most accurate and reliable reports in the industry. Why risk going with another lab and potentially having a “loose” grading report?
Post # 6

Member
1 posts
Wannabee
ABI is not a certification lab-it’s a vendor that Helzberg and others get their diamonds from. They provide diamonds that are certed from all different labs (GIA, IGI, EGL, etc). ABI is basically a place that companies can call on when they don’t want to take on the responsibility, financially, of diamond purchasing. ABI stands for Absolute Brilliance Incorporation. They are based out of New York.