--HRD--

Previously, I had discussed the two top diamond grading bodies, GIA and AGS. Well, it turns out that in North America, predominantly the US, GIA and AGS are the most favorable and trusted bodies. Over the Altantic Ocean, in the city of Antwerp, the world's largest diamond trade center, there exists another reputable diamond grading body, the HRD.

HRD, The High Diamond Council or Hoge Raad voor, was started in 1976 (much later than GIA - 1930s) is much like its North American counterparts and is a very reputable and trusted diamond grading authority. Since its origins are in the world's "diamond capital", you can tell how reliable their grading certificates are.

However, there have been debates and opinions on the differences between GIA/AGS and HRD. Researchers and diamond enthusiasts have compared reports generated by the two separate bodies and have found differences in their grading across the 4C's. I'm not going to go into details regarding the differences, but overall, neither is superior to the other. It's almost like comparing AGS000 and GIA Triple Excellent.

What you should learn from this blog post is the existence of a third reputable and proven diamond grading body, HRD, and it is based in the world's largest diamond trading city, Antwerp. So next time when you're out shopping for a ring and you see a grading certificate from HRD, don't freak out and instead, showcase your knowledge to the sales =P...