In a case that demonstrates the dangers of informal "courtesy appraising," a Pennsylvania jeweler recently was found not guilty of switching a diamond.
According to John Anthony Jr., owner of John Anthony Jewelers in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., the case stemmed from a misunderstanding of diamond grading. The stone involved was a 2-ct. round brilliant sold by his father, John Anthony Sr., to a local couple in 1965. At the time, it was described as a "fine white stone."
In 1988, Anthony Sr. performed a quick, free appraisal, using his 5X watchmakers eye loupe and relying on memory to complete the quality analysis. In his deposition, Anthony Sr., (subsequently deceased), said that he wanted to update his appraisals, and therefore used GIA grades for color and clarity, even though he had no formal education in diamond grading. He graded the stone as "Internally Flawless, F color."
In 1999, the d
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