GIA vs IGI

[Sakuramickey]

I am sure this has been asked before, but I couldn’t find the thread while searching.

I was informed by my jeweler that GIA doesn’t provide certification for diamonds smaller than 0.30ct, is that right?

I am looking for 0.20/0.25, I was adviced to go with IGI, not sure what to do. Appreciate your input, thank you.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I have purchased a few GIA graded stones around 0.23 so they must go as low as 0.20. You would likely only get a brief report at that size. But mine are old cuts. I don’t think it’s economical for most vendors to get them for low value stones.

 

[freddyboston]

.15 is smallest

https://www.gia.edu/doc/Diamond_DZ__FeeSchedule_USD_Q2_2025.pdf

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I’m not sure it would be price effective to get each stone graded individually. GIA has a melee sorting service for stones up to size 0.25ct (but you need a minimum of 250 stones for that parcel); or you can get an IGI finished jewellery certificate for the piece overall. Not sure if GIA will certify mounted jewellery yet.

I would personally not get stones under .50ct certified, but that’s my personal cutoff.

 

[kenny]

...
I was informed by my jeweler that GIA doesn’t provide certification for diamonds smaller than 0.30ct, is that right?
...

Red flag!
Ignorance, or worse, lying.

I'd want a jeweler in whom I had trust and confidence.


also, another opinion ...
The fair price of a diamond of any size depends its grades.
Two identical-size diamonds, of any size, can look identical to us but the value can vary tremendously depending on the grades.

And the only way to be as sure as possible it's worth what the seller is charing is an independent grading report from a reputable lab ... like GIA.

For me personally, even if the GIA report for a tiny diamond adds $48 or $75 to the price, at least I can trust the grades ... also, whether it is, or not a real natural diamond.

 

[Sakuramickey]

Thank you all for the reply. I am usually getting all stones certified by GIA before mounting, so far the smallest I had was 0.20ct. But now, not sure if I need GIA certification for each stone for my eternity ring, planning to do with either 0.20 or 0.25ct. That’s when I was told GIA is not doing certification for stones smaller than 0.30ct now. Could this be for my region? I am in the Middle East. Should I get just get IGI for the ring? Does IGI says this ring has x stones and each stone is 0.20ct, excellent cut etc? I asked them for 0.20/0.25, triple X, F VS1

 

[Karl_K]

What probably happened is he/she looked at what his/her supplier(s) offered and they do not offer GIA reports below .30ct which is not uncommon some do, some dont.
That someone would make an(wrong) assumption that it was because of GIA is not that far fetched.
Many jewelers these days do not deal directly with any grading lab on a regular basis as the diamonds come with reports.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think profit margin is so slim for stones that small suppliers don’t do it as a matter of course. My small stones with GIa reports are antiques sold by a scrap seller who likely got the stones for “free” after metal scrap value. Pricing the diamonds were natural in that case likely warranted the fee.

Anyway, if buying from a trusted vendor and if I could examine and approve the stones before hand I would not mind them not having lab reports at that size.