For many years it didn’t treat lab-grown diamonds the same when it came to grading reports in order to protect the natural diamond market. All of the other gemological laboratories use the grading system developed by GIA and have gemologists and graders who have been educated by the GIA.īut because GIA is a jewelry industry institution, funded by industry donations and the support of the mined diamond business, in one way it isn’t completely impartial. Over the course of its 85-plus years, the Institute has educated more than 365,000 gem and jewelry professionals worldwide. In addition to certifying diamonds and gems, GIA is the world’s leading gemological education institution. Since GIA is non-profit, consumers know they will receive the world’s most impartial and accurate analysis of their diamonds. The GIA literally invented the diamond grading scale and those famous 4Cs of diamond quality. There is a good reason why the GIA Diamond Grading Report has become the benchmark for diamond certification around the world. Here’s what you need to know about shopping for GIA certified lab grown diamonds and IGI certified lab grown diamonds for your engagement ring or other significant jewelry purchase. Diamond professionals don’t consider lab reports from different labs to be the same when they evaluate diamonds. That’s why it’s vitally important to understand your diamond grading report. Diamond grading is opinion and there isn’t one consistent diamond grading standard that defines what a G color grade is or what a VS1 or VS2 clarity grade looks like. Because they are the leading labs, most of the certified lab-grown diamonds that you see on the market will have grading reports from one of these two labs.īut these two labs don’t grade lab-grown diamonds (or mined diamonds) the same way. The two leading laboratories for diamond quality grading are the International Gemological Institute, most commonly known as IGI, and the Gemological Institute of America, known as GIA. Lab grown diamonds are graded in the same way as mined diamonds by the same diamond grading laboratories. Insurance companies use diamond certificates to determine the quality of replacement diamonds. Grading reports also ensure you will receive the same quality replacement if your diamond is ever lost or stolen. Diamond certificates help you to identify your diamond if you ever have to repair or sell it.

Today, laboratories also confirm diamond origin, which is important because jewelers often can’t tell if a diamond is mined or lab-grown with ordinary gemological testing.īuying certified diamonds levels the playing field between retailers to help you compare diamond prices while you are shopping for a diamond ring, engagement ring, or other jewelry with significant diamonds. It’s an educated assessment of a diamond’s exact quality characteristics, known as the 4Cs: color, clarity, cut and carat weight. A diamond grading report, often referred to as a diamond certificate, isn’t an appraisal, so it doesn’t include your diamond’s value. If you are buying a significant diamond or a diamond engagement ring, a grading report from an independent diamond grading laboratory is important because it gives you all the information you need to know about the quality of your diamond.

Igi diamonds