GIA to Report Specific Color and Clarity Grades for Lab-Grown Diamonds

To further its consumer-protection mission and help ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry, GIA will report specific 4Cs color and clarity grades on its new digital reports for laboratory-grown diamonds, replacing the currently-used descriptive terms and grade ranges.

“Natural and laboratory-grown diamonds coexist today, accepted by both consumers and the trade. We believe the growth of laboratory-grown diamonds will expand the overall diamond market and bring in new customers,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “Ensuring consumers’ trust with GIA’s reliable, independent and authoritative grading reports for all diamonds benefits the public and the entire gem and jewelry industry.”

Launching early in the fourth quarter of 2020, the new service for laboratory-grown diamonds will include the GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Grading Report (4Cs assessment, plotted clarity diagram and proportions diagram) for stones from 0.15 cts and the lower-priced Laboratory-Grown Diamond Dossier (4Cs assessment and proportions diagram) for stones from 0.15 cts up to 1.99 cts. The GIA Laboratory-Grown Colored Diamond Grading Report will also include the specific color and clarity grade. All laboratory-grown diamonds will be laser-inscribed with the GIA report number and the words "LABORATORY-GROWN" to ensure that consumers can clearly differentiate the product and fully understand their purchases.

Fees for the new laboratory-grown diamond grading services will be the same as the current fees for natural diamond grading services, as the grading work is the same. The new reports will be digital-only, featuring an updated design and format to differentiate from GIA’s reports for natural diamonds. All reports for laboratory-grown diamonds will continue to carry a statement that the graded stone may have been treated post-growth to change its color.

“Reporting the color and clarity grades of laboratory-grown diamonds using GIA’s universally recognized 4Cs system will provide more precision for the trade, and will educate consumers,” said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.

GIA has offered a report service for laboratory-grown diamonds since 2007. In March 2019, GIA made changes to how it referred to laboratory-grown diamonds in its education course materials and diamond grading reports to align with revised Federal Trade Commission guidance.

GIA will report specific 4Cs color and clarity grades on its new digital reports for laboratory-grown diamonds. [Photo by GIA].

About GIA
Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry. Students around the globe turn to GIA for the knowledge, skills, and credentials that launch successful gem and jewelry careers. The world leader in gemological research, GIA’s breakthrough discoveries deepen our understanding of gemstones and the world. Through research, education, and unbiased gem grading and analysis, GIA strives to protect the gem and jewelry buying public by setting global quality standards. For more information, please visit www.gia.edu.