Terms and Conditions

Introduction

An independent laboratory providing expert services for the examination, identification, and grading of diamonds, gemstones, and jewellery is called Global Institute of Gemology, or ("GIG").

These Terms and Conditions outline the rights and responsibilities between GIG and a client (referred to as the "Client") who agrees to use any GIG services. They also apply to the provision of GIG services. Any request made by the client for GIG Services, in any format or method, and/or any other action indicating the same, will be interpreted as the client's implicit acceptance of these terms and conditions, along with an agreement to abide by them.

The following terms shall mean the following things for the purposes of these Terms and Conditions:

• "Item" refers to the diamond, gemstone, gem material, or jewellery that the client sends to GIG for grading, identification, and/or other laboratory services.
• "Service" refers to the laboratory services and professional knowledge that GIG offers, with the primary focus being on testing, examining, identifying, analyzing, and/or grading diamonds, gemstones, gem material, and/or jewellery. It also includes any other services that are specifically agreed upon by the client and GIG. Unless material is submitted to GIG expressly or only for metal testing in order to produce a metal testing report, GIG does not conduct metal evaluation.
• "Inspection" refers to the process by which GIG examines and evaluates the item using its knowledge and instruments, scientific technology, apparatus, and other information and conditions that are accessible at the time of the procedure. Order by order, the Client and GIG must mutually agree upon the precise scope of the examination.
• "Grading" refers to the process of grading a natural diamond that makes up an item for a client based on a preset categorization. GIG master comparison stones (studded & loose) provide the basis for color grading. The clarity grade is 10 times magnified. Grading occurs when mounting allows. Weights and measurements are estimated and approximate.
• "Identification" refers to examining an item for a client at their request to discover whether a gemstone is real, synthetic, or an imitation, or whether it has undergone any treatment in compliance with GIG's established guidelines. Gemologists' examinations and tests using a variety of instruments are necessary for the identification of gemstones and the determination of their various qualities.
• "Report" refers to any document, certificate, or consultation that GIG issues at the client's request and only for the client's use, summarizing the inspection's results and conclusions as well as any other expert services GIG offers to the client.

Service

• Subject to these General Terms and Conditions, an order form or other document containing a specific mutual agreement that specifies the exact scope of service, the item(s) to be inspected, names and addresses, fees and payment, deadlines, formalities of receipt and delivery, and any other unique conditions and details relating to the agreed service, GIG conditionally agrees to provide its service to the Client.
• Any service rendered by GIG or report produced as a result will only be done at the client's request and solely for the client's use. The client understands and accepts that, depending on the technology and instruments utilised for the Inspection or on subjective factors at the time of the relevant Inspection, the opinions expressed in a Report may differ from the matters as indicated in another report released before or after such Report. The Client further understands that identifying, testing, inspecting, and grading gemstones is not a precise science. The Report solely reflects GIG's best professional judgement; as a result, GIG disclaims all liability for any discrepancies that might arise from repeated observations or from the application of standards, norms, procedures, or criteria that differ from those selected by GIG.
• In certain instances, the item may be returned without the service being rendered due to a lack of supporting documentation, the item's distinctive traits, or the absence of particular equipment. GIG has the right to cancel a request and notify the client of any such cancellation if it determines that performing the Service would be difficult or impractical. In such an instance, GIG shall return the item along with any fees it may have received from the client about the request, unless otherwise agreed upon between GIG and the client. Interest shall not be charged on the sum so returned. GIG reserves the right to offset any administrative costs or other reimbursements against the time and care expended on the cancelled request.
• Normally, GIG uses non-destructive identification techniques; but, with the client's consent, destructive techniques may be used in specific circumstances.
• Only real diamonds, lab-grown gems, and precious gem stones that satisfy our predetermined standards can receive certification from GIG. Stimulants like Moissanite, among others, are outside the purview of our accreditation. GIG is free to reject any stone's certification at its discretion. This decision may consider a number of variables, such as authenticity, quality, and compliance with GIG compliance rules, among others.

Legal Possession Representation by the Client

• When submitting an item for examination to GIG, the client must guarantee, covenant, and represent that the item is lawfully in the client's possession. Specifically, the Client agrees that he or she is the legitimate owner of the item(s) submitted to GIG or has the consent of the legitimate owner(s).
• The client also agrees that the item was bought from sources that, to the best of the client's knowledge, are trustworthy and legitimate and that the client has no reason to suspect that the item has been traded or owned in violation of any applicable laws or regulations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ITEM CONDITION

• In general, an item must be measured and inspected while it is loose stone for the purposes of the inspection. At GIG's sole discretion, an item that has been set or studded in jewelry may nevertheless be approved for inspection. However, the report's release will depend on how the stones and samples in the jewelry are identified. In these situations, the Report will simply provide the total weight of the jewelry piece and the easily available gemstone dimensions. The client understands and accepts that the inspection might not be precise, that some of the items might not be inspected, or that measurements might not be attainable for some of the items.

Reports

• The findings of the inspection, identification, and/or grading process must be documented in writing and should represent GIG's independent assessment of the item under examination at the time of the inspection.
• The purpose of the GIG report is to attest to the item's attributes. These citations are purely descriptive and make no mention of the item's place of origin.
• The report is not intended to be a guarantee, appraisal, or valuation. The Report is not to be utilized or submitted as a value assessment certificate. Regarding the examined item, GIG disclaims any liability for any statements (or misstatements) made by the client or third parties.
• The following details must be included in GIG's report: the item's type; whether it is natural, artificial, or an imitation; whether it has undergone any treatment (if disclosure is required and the item is gemmologically identifiable); and any additional information that GIG deems necessary. GIG has the opportunity to attach a picture of the item that was taken during the inspection.
• Typically, one copy of the report would be sent for each item. However, GIG shall have the choice to report on a single item or on a number of items taken together. To enable online verification, each report will have a unique identification number.
• GIG does not conduct purity testing or metal evaluation unless it is requested expressly or exclusively for a metal testing report.
• To the fullest extent allowed by law, GIG disclaims all responsibility and liability for any direct or indirect damage or loss resulting from the Client's use of, or reliance on, the Report or its contents. GIG makes no warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the availability, accuracy, completeness, correctness, or reliability of the Report.
• The Report's descriptive references do not provide GIG or any connected organizations any liability or responsibility for any infringement of intellectual property or other rights.
• The client understands and agrees that it is not always possible to determine whether a client item is synthetic, artificial, imitation, or has undergone any kind of treatment due to advancements in gemstone treatment and manufacturing technology. GIG cannot guarantee that such a determination can be made.

APPROPRIATION OF REPORT

• The Report's validity will be assessed in line with these General Terms and Conditions as well as any additional terms that are contained in the Report or that are particularly relevant to it. As long as the exact conditions under which the report was made absolutely hold true, there is, in theory, no time limit on the report's validity.
• If any of the following occurs, the report will be deemed invalid.

1. GIG concludes that the Report has been altered, modified, or added without authorization.

2. After an item is inspected, identified, or graded, GIG decides that its shape, qualities, or description have changed or been updated.

3. If GIG finds that the item's quality has altered in any way following its inspection, identification, or grading, it is considered to be relevant.

4. GIG concludes that the Client supplied false, erroneous, or incomplete information regarding the Item.

5. GIG concludes that the client has broken any of his commitments or claims.

Storage & Delivery

The item will be submitted by the client for examination at GIG's location, and after the inspection or service is finished, the item will be collected at GIG's request. In the event that the Client does not retrieve the item within ninety (90) days after the date on which GIG finishes the inspection, GIG will no longer be held accountable for retaining the item. If GIG decides to store the item, GIG may impose extra fees and reimbursements for administrative assistance, insurance, security, safekeeping, and time and care needed to store the item.

Disclaimer

• It is imperative that GIG limit its duty and responsibility in the manner described below. This limitation will apply to the Client and to anyone else to whom a Report is submitted for any purpose.
• This is the client's only remedy. Notwithstanding anything in these terms and conditions to the contrary, to the extent allowed by law, GIG's total liability arising in connection with these terms and conditions for damages, regardless of the form of the action, shall not exceed the fees paid by a Client to GIG for the relevant Inspection.
• Except in cases where GIG's actions are proven to have been fraudulent, willful, or grossly negligent, none of the parties involved—including its directors, agents, or employees—will be held accountable for any loss, damage, expense, liability, claim, etc. that arises or occurs as a result of any error of omission or commission in the report. This includes loss, damage, expense, etc. that results from human error or negligence, defective equipment, delays, or other circumstances relating to the testing procedures, issuance or use of the Report, or if it affects the value of the items described herein.
• Any loss, damage, cost or expense, etc. incurred in connection with or as a result of Inspection will not be covered by SGL if the Client withholds any information that the Client knows about the Item for which the Client requested Inspection (including, without limitation, the treatment of the Client item).

Certificate / Report Disclaimer

Terms and conditions

The client, to whom the report is addressed as evidence by this certificate number, accepts the contents of this report on the following terms and conditions, and GIG confines any liability under this report to the client:

• With the exception of situations in which loss, damage, or expense is directly related to fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence, GIG and its employees disclaim all liability for any loss, damage, or expense resulting from errors in or omissions from this report and any inscription.
• In any case, any special or consequential losses arising out of this report will not be covered by GIG and its staff.
• Variations and deviations that may arise from recurrent inspections or the use of alternative techniques are not the responsibility of GIG or its appointees.
• Claims or complaints pertaining to this report will only be entertained at the management of GIG's discretion.
• Only the local courts of the location where this report is issued will have jurisdiction over any issues, disagreements, or references to arbitration arising out of it.
• It is not appropriate to refer to this report as a guarantee, appraisal, or valuation.

The purpose of an GIG report is to attest to the qualities of the gemstone(s), jewellery, or metal. These allusions are purely descriptive and have nothing to do with where the gemstone(s), jewellery, or metal originated. GIG and its related firms disclaim all liability for any intellectual property infringement or other rights violations resulting from the descriptive references used in this report.

INSURANCE

• Every item that is submitted to GIG will always be at the client's risk. All items supplied to GIG must be insured by the client against all hazards, at the client's expense. A respectable and trustworthy insurance business must give the insurance. GIG shall, without limiting the preceding and without causing any harm, make every effort to keep the Item safe while its ownership.
• The client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless GIG from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses), and any other amount incurred by GIG arising from or in connection with any lawsuit filed by any third party, including an insurance company, against GIG, its employees, or any person acting on behalf of the client.
• During travel from the client's site to GIG, while the policy is in GIG's custody, and during transit from GIG to the client's location, the insurance coverage must always be complete, sufficient, and valid. GIG will not acknowledge or accept any recourse rights from the Client or its insurance. By doing this, the Client and/or its insurance hereby give up all rights of redress in favour of GIG. Additionally, the client must take all necessary measures to include in its insurance documents the pertinent clauses stating that neither the client nor its insurer will subrogate and will waive any and all claims that are properly covered by the policy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ITEM CONDITION

• In general, an item must be measured and inspected while it is loose stone for the purposes of the inspection. At GIG's sole discretion, an item that has been set or studded in jewelry may nevertheless be approved for inspection. However, the report's release will depend on how the stones and samples in the jewelry are identified. In these situations, the Report will simply provide the total weight of the jewelry piece and the easily available gemstone dimensions. The client understands and accepts that the inspection might not be precise, that some of the items might not be inspected, or that measurements might not be attainable for some of the items.

Miscellaneous

• Any issue not covered by these terms and conditions will be settled by discussion between GIG and the client.
• The day these general terms and conditions are posted on the GIG website is when they go into effect. GIG reserves the right, at any moment, to alter, amend, or modify these terms and conditions. Any changes, revisions, additions, or adjustments will be posted by GIG on its official website and will take effect right away upon notification, barring any additional action from any parties.
• If and to the extent that the failure results from an act of God, environmental restriction, condition, or control, or from any action taken or not taken in response to a labour dispute, shortage of labour or materials, equipment breakdown, or any other matter (whether or not similar to the foregoing) outside of GIG's control, GIG shall not be liable for any failure to perform any of its obligations towards the Client.
• Any right or remedy that GIG may have under these Conditions may not be waived by GIG's failure to exercise it or by its delay in doing so.
• Any agreement between GIG and the client includes these general terms and conditions, which should be read in tandem with it.