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This article is from Antwerp
Brilliance at stake between GIA and HRD
As the world''s top gem laboratories are developing new grading systems for the ''cut'' of diamonds that could help jewellers lure more shoppers, diamond industry sources warn that the failure to create a standardised system may backfire on consumer confidence.
The new grading systems that are being developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and Antwerp-based High Diamond Council (HRD), move away from the current technical specifications and make it easier for consumers to measure a diamond through its sparkle or ''brilliance''.
The American Gem Society (AGS) is also redeveloping its system that takes into account similar factors.
The move comes as the industry is becoming more consumer-oriented through branding and retail alliances.
"We started getting more and more requests from the trade which is moving further downstream," said HRD marketing director Yoeri Steverlynck.
GIA said it was in the final stages of completing its system and would soon be integrating the new information into its courses and grading reports.
HRD, the Antwerp-based gem laboratory, said it was in the process of signing a joint venture with Octonus, a group of Russian scientists, to launch a competing system that fine tunes its current grading methods. "It can achieve results that are better than GIA," Steverlynck said.
Some say there will be a major debate over what system the industry will adopt.
"There is a war looming between GIA, AGS and HRD,” said Dave Lapa of Overseas Diamonds, an international diamond dealer in Antwerp who was a pioneer in providing beauty parameters of a diamond such as brilliancy, scintillation and symmetry, to consumers.
“If the parameters for cutting the performance of a diamond are going to be different between the laboratories, then there might be confusion at the consumer end rather than adding confidence. One has to handle the message to the consumer in a delicate way, ensuring to preserve the quality of our product and develop a pleasant buying experience," said Lapa.
One gem expert said: "It will be the first time that GIA issues a cut or proportion grade, before it only had polish and symmetry grades. Their concept seems to be different to what is already in use in Europe and Asia that in fact it may be challenging the older methods in certain cases. This is why HRD felt it had to respond with a rival system."
The fact remains that most if not all well cut diamonds will be graded the same ways.
"For example perfect Hearts & Arrows diamonds will belong to the same high category regardless of which system is being used," said Marc Brauner at IGI, a leading independent laboratory.
What makes the new systems particularly interesting is that unusual or less popular combinations of angles as well as diamonds on the borderliner will be looked at differently compared to the existing systems.
This will eventually allow manufacturers to experiment with those combinations to achieve a better yield from rough to polished. The key question will be consumer acceptance.
De Beers who have been the main driver behind the industry’s move downstream, have also developed technology to measure a diamond''s sparkle, which it uses in its De Beers LV outlets.
By Emma Muller.
Brilliance at stake between GIA and HRD
As the world''s top gem laboratories are developing new grading systems for the ''cut'' of diamonds that could help jewellers lure more shoppers, diamond industry sources warn that the failure to create a standardised system may backfire on consumer confidence.
The new grading systems that are being developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and Antwerp-based High Diamond Council (HRD), move away from the current technical specifications and make it easier for consumers to measure a diamond through its sparkle or ''brilliance''.
The American Gem Society (AGS) is also redeveloping its system that takes into account similar factors.
The move comes as the industry is becoming more consumer-oriented through branding and retail alliances.
"We started getting more and more requests from the trade which is moving further downstream," said HRD marketing director Yoeri Steverlynck.
GIA said it was in the final stages of completing its system and would soon be integrating the new information into its courses and grading reports.
HRD, the Antwerp-based gem laboratory, said it was in the process of signing a joint venture with Octonus, a group of Russian scientists, to launch a competing system that fine tunes its current grading methods. "It can achieve results that are better than GIA," Steverlynck said.
Some say there will be a major debate over what system the industry will adopt.
"There is a war looming between GIA, AGS and HRD,” said Dave Lapa of Overseas Diamonds, an international diamond dealer in Antwerp who was a pioneer in providing beauty parameters of a diamond such as brilliancy, scintillation and symmetry, to consumers.
“If the parameters for cutting the performance of a diamond are going to be different between the laboratories, then there might be confusion at the consumer end rather than adding confidence. One has to handle the message to the consumer in a delicate way, ensuring to preserve the quality of our product and develop a pleasant buying experience," said Lapa.
One gem expert said: "It will be the first time that GIA issues a cut or proportion grade, before it only had polish and symmetry grades. Their concept seems to be different to what is already in use in Europe and Asia that in fact it may be challenging the older methods in certain cases. This is why HRD felt it had to respond with a rival system."
The fact remains that most if not all well cut diamonds will be graded the same ways.
"For example perfect Hearts & Arrows diamonds will belong to the same high category regardless of which system is being used," said Marc Brauner at IGI, a leading independent laboratory.
What makes the new systems particularly interesting is that unusual or less popular combinations of angles as well as diamonds on the borderliner will be looked at differently compared to the existing systems.
This will eventually allow manufacturers to experiment with those combinations to achieve a better yield from rough to polished. The key question will be consumer acceptance.
De Beers who have been the main driver behind the industry’s move downstream, have also developed technology to measure a diamond''s sparkle, which it uses in its De Beers LV outlets.
By Emma Muller.
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