Since 2007, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has been grading lab-grown diamonds. Since July 1, 2019, the term “synthetic” is no longer used in the lab-grown diamond reports issued by GIA. The standard GIA color, clarity, and cut grading scales are included for reference in the GIA lab-grown diamond report. To determine color and clarity, the reports use explanatory phrases. Each report contains a statement identifying the type of growth technique employed, such as CVD or HPHT, as well as whether or not post-growth therapies to change the color have been seen.
Buying Lab Diamonds With GIA Certification
The GIA Grading Report is the gold standard for diamond certification across the world for a reason. The GIA is credited for inventing the diamond grading scale as well as the well-known 4Cs of diamond quality.
GIA is the world’s foremost gemological teaching organization, in addition to grading diamonds and jewels. The Institute has taught over 365,000 professionals around the world during the course of its 85-year history. The GIA devised the grading method, and all other gem labs use GIA-trained gemologists and graders.
However, since GIA is a jewelry sector institution that is supported by the diamond industry and is sponsored by industry donations, it isn’t totally objective. For several years, for safeguarding the natural diamond industry, it did not treat lab diamonds the same when it came to grading reports.
Earlier, GIA’s lab-grown diamond reports only provided broad ranges of diamond quality rather than the exact grades used for natural diamonds. Buyers didn’t need to know the exact quality because lab diamonds aren’t as rare, according to the GIA. This prejudice against lab diamonds was not limited to the GIA; diamond dealers also decided to prohibit lab-grown diamonds from being exchanged in the world’s biggest online B2B diamond marketplace.
Lab diamond producers and traders, proud of the purity of their diamonds, refused to adopt the inferior GIA reports, opting instead for reports based on accurate grades from other labs. Diamonds certified by IGI became the benchmark for lab-grown diamonds, despite the fact that GIA-certified diamonds were the gold standard for mined diamonds.
Eventually, in October 2020, GIA launched a new lab diamond grading report with accurate quality grades, recognizing consumer interest and demand for lab-grown diamonds. However, GIA Lab-Grown diamond reports are only available in digital format, with no printed option.