GIA's 2 (plus none) new Lab diamond grades

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

This just came:
Dear GIA Laboratory Client,

The revised GIA laboratory services for D-to-Z laboratory-grown diamonds will launch on October 1. Current GIA laboratory services for D-to-Z laboratory-grown diamonds will be available until September 30. This update to our services was announced in a GIA press release on June 2.

These changes to our service reflect changes in the production of laboratory-grown diamonds. Most diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity. Therefore, it is no longer appropriate for GIA to use the terms developed to describe the broad range of color and clarity found in natural diamonds to describe the quality of a manufactured product.

The GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment will use descriptive terms rather than the GIA-developed nomenclature for natural diamonds. The laboratory-grown diamonds will be described as ‘Premium’ or ‘Standard’ based on an overall assessment of their clarity, color and cut.

Laboratory-grown diamonds that meet all the following criteria will be classified as ‘Premium.’

Clarity – Very, Very Slightly included and higher
Color – D
Polish, symmetry - Excellent
Cut grade – Excellent (round brilliant cut diamonds only)
Laboratory-grown diamonds that meet any combination of the ‘Premium’ criteria and the following criteria will be classified as ‘Standard.’

Clarity – Very Slightly included
Color – E-to-J
Polish – Very Good
Symmetry – Very Good (or Good for fancy shapes only)
Cut grade – Very Good (round brilliant cut diamonds only)
Any diamond that does not meet all the minimum criteria for ‘Standard’ will not receive a GIA assessment.

The fee for GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment is US$15 per carat, with a minimum of fee of US$15. Submissions that do not meet the minimum criteria for assessment will be charged a US$5 evaluation fee. The minimum size for submission is 0.15 carats. Each submitted stone’s girdle will be laser inscribed with the term “Laboratory-Grown” and the GIA quality assessment number.  A printed document with the assessment results will be returned with each laboratory-grown diamond.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

A pretty high standard to get Premium.

And an extremely broad and forgiving one for Standard.

No mention of transparency as a criteria.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

A pretty high standard to get Premium.

And an extremely broad and forgiving one for Standard.

No mention of transparency as a criteria.

Actually no Bryan - on one platform 40% of LGD rounds are D Flawless to VVS2.
So the GIA may actually have an excellent strategy!

 

[Rockdiamond]

So the GIA may actually have an excellent strategy!

I guess it just feels like they missed the boat, so now GIA wants to burn the dock.
Having grown up with GIA's grading system, it feels very natural ( for lack of a better word) to use it for lab diamond grading.
GIA is just making itself less and less relevant.
Maybe GIA and Rappaort can start their own 2-person club!

 

[Karl_K]

Maybe GIA and Rappaort can start their own 2-person club!

i cant decide if that is sad or funny.

 

[freddyboston]

this is of note - GIA is going to inscribe the synths prominently with full phrase LABORATORY - GROWN




where IGI only uses a a subtle easy to "prong hide" LG notation before the report number

 

[Rockdiamond]

i cant decide if that is sad or funny.

Neither can I...

where IGI only uses a a subtle easy to "prong hide" LG notation before the report number

Sorry, but I don't see this as important at all.
If a buyer is inspecting the stone, and the inscription is blocked, that's a red flag if I ever saw one.
Additionally, they are likely to look at the report as well.
I do anticipate issues if/ when bad guys re-create an expensive natural, then copy GIA's inscription

 

[oldminer]

The level of the grading standard is much like the old EGL approach. Pretty much worthless unless it is a Premium one. Little to no human judgement required for this entire grading process. Don't use one of these reports for insurance coverage unless the stone is a Premium one. Otherwise, the description is "nondescript".

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Actually no Bryan - on one platform 40% of LGD rounds are D Flawless to VVS2.
So the GIA may actually have an excellent strategy!

Not saying that GIA's strategy is flawed. I was just stating the obvious.

Overall I think GIA is doing the logical thing. (Wish they included a transparency factor though)

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Not saying that GIA's strategy is flawed. I was just stating the obvious.

Overall I think GIA is doing the logical thing. (Wish they included a transparency factor though)

Its a business Bryan - don't tell your competition everything

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

I guess it just feels like they missed the boat, so now GIA wants to burn the dock.
Having grown up with GIA's grading system, it feels very natural ( for lack of a better word) to use it for lab diamond grading.
GIA is just making itself less and less relevant.
Maybe GIA and Rappaort can start their own 2-person club!

A pretty high standard to get Premium.

And an extremely broad and forgiving one for Standard.

No mention of transparency as a criteria.

For someone like me who doesn’t fully understand the business of diamonds, why is it a bad thing GIA is grading laboratory grown diamonds this way ? I just don’t see what’s so bad about this, but I am likely the most ignorant one on this thread when it comes to the business of diamonds. Thank you.

 

[Rockdiamond]

It’s not really “good or bad”
It’s actually a tempest in a teacup.
As it is right now, GIA is already irrelevant in lab diamond grading. This kind of cements that in place. It there’s already basically no one using GIA for lab diamonds already.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It’s not really “good or bad”
It’s actually a tempest in a teacup.
As it is right now, GIA is already irrelevant in lab diamond grading. This kind of cements that in place. It there’s already basically no one using GIA for lab diamonds already.

They are trying to take the top tip of the market, me thinks.
There already appears to be that new lab production is +50% D-E and +VVS2 - so the more prestigious natural lab is aiming to cement its place???
And that could actually work for +80% of labs in a few years time!

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

They are trying to take the top tip of the market, me thinks.
There already appears to be that new lab production is +50% D-E and +VVS2 - so the more prestigious natural lab is aiming to cement its place???
And that could actually work for +80% of labs in a few years time!

Yes, this is all clearly above my head. But I’ll continue reading the experts’ and more-knowledgeable folks’ opinions on this thread.

 

[Chelsea Palmer]

I was unable to download the entire article and not sure this is even the forum for it, but I’m not adept at these things. This is the title of an article from the Wall Street Journal:

Taylor Swift and Tariffs Can Both Help Sell Diamonds​

Two big developments could help bring back the allure of natural diamonds​

 

[0-0-0]

Is GIA keeping the AGS add on option for lab grown or is that gone too? I’ll buy that GIA is targeting the top tip of the market if that stays. Otherwise I think it’s just cost cutting and attempts to further differentiate naturals and labs.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Is GIA keeping the AGS add on option for lab grown or is that gone too? I’ll buy that GIA is targeting the top tip of the market if that stays. Otherwise I think it’s just cost cutting and attempts to further differentiate naturals and labs.

This is an excellent question! I will inquire and report back. I don't know why they would discontinue it. Particularly if, as Garry suggests, they are aiming at the top end of the lab grown market.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

@0-0-0,

GIA just confirmed to me that the AGS Ideal addendum report will remain available for lab grown diamonds, but only for those getting their Premium designation.

 

[DejaWiz]

@0-0-0,

GIA just confirmed to me that the AGS Ideal addendum report will remain available for lab grown diamonds, but only for those getting their Premium designation.

Well, there's some silver lining to this, after all - thanks for checking and reporting, Bryan!

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

What is GIA doing with respect to fancy colors?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

What is GIA doing with respect to fancy colors?

Excellent question - assuming you mean grading fancy colored synthetic diamonds Crutches?
I just searched on PS and after a dozen shapes I found this one - the rest are IGI.
So if they do or don't - it probably makes no difference?

GIA 2.15 Carat Very Light Blue-VS1 Emerald Cut Lab-Grown Diamond

This Lab-Grown diamond emerald cut 2.15 carat Very Light Blue color VS1 clarity has a diamond grading report from GIA

www.bluenile.com

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Excellent question - assuming you mean grading fancy colored synthetic diamonds Crutches?
I just searched on PS and after a dozen shapes I found this one - the rest are IGI.
So if they do or don't - it probably makes no difference?

GIA 2.15 Carat Very Light Blue-VS1 Emerald Cut Lab-Grown Diamond

This Lab-Grown diamond emerald cut 2.15 carat Very Light Blue color VS1 clarity has a diamond grading report from GIA

www.bluenile.com

Yep, I meant FCLGD. Thanks!

 

[Rockdiamond]

Boom. I predicted this….but I anticipated larger, more important stones.

Natural and Lab-Grown Diamonds Sent to GIA with Counterfeit Inscriptions

Four natural and synthetic diamonds received at the GIA for updated services turned out to be imposters bearing fake inscriptions.

rapaport.com

 

[Rockdiamond]

What is GIA doing with respect to fancy colors?

I can’t recall seeing more than one or two….Other than one or two we’ve submitted…..LGD fancy colors with GIA are rare as chickens teeth.
Don’t forget, GIA will not grade the color of a diamond that has been treated, so the only labs that would be eligible are “as grown”

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I can’t recall seeing more than one or two….Other than one or two we’ve submitted…..LGD fancy colors with GIA are rare as chickens teeth.
Don’t forget, GIA will not grade the color of a diamond that has been treated, so the only labs that would be eligible are “as grown”

Thanks for that info. I thought GIA graded color when the treatment was permanent (heat, radiation, etc.), but not when the treatment was temporary (coating). Please correct if wrong!

 

[Rockdiamond]

I thought GIA graded color when the treatment was permanent (heat, radiation, etc.),

YES_ I totally spaced on that one.

I have seen HPHT natural diamonds graded by GIA.
We submitted a "HPHT boron blue" and got Fancy Light Blue from GIA once......

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

YES_ I totally spaced on that one.

I have seen HPHT natural diamonds graded by GIA.
We submitted a "HPHT boron blue" and got Fancy Light Blue from GIA once......

I remember that! So cool. I wonder if IGI will do the same; also for brown, yellow and grey. I would genuinely value a LGD grading report that distinguishes grey, blue grey, green grey, and brown grey. I have a noticeably grey LGD from an Etsy seller; it has a little brown in it, and some folks might pay more for different shades.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I wonder if IGI will do the same

My experience is that IGI FCD grading is a soft spot- not consistent. Intensities are all over the place ( some Intense are more saturated than other stones graded Vivid) and missing modifiers almost all the time.
It's not their "fault" Fancy Color Grading is an art unto itself
And the fact that FCD's make up such a small percentage of the market seems to bode poorly for more investment in FCD grading.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

What is GIA doing with respect to fancy colors?

I inquired with GIA and with respect to fancy color lab grown diamonds the reports will not change at this time. You can see their different reports here:

Laboratory-Grown Diamond Reports & Services

Explore the reports and services we offer for laboratory-grown diamonds.

www.gia.edu

You can see a sample of the new format report (beginning Oct 1) for white diamonds here:

https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-press/updated-laboratory-grown-diamond-services-to-launch-october-1

 

[Rockdiamond]

Love and learn!
GIA clearly does offer colored diamond reports for colored lab diamonds that have undergone post growth treatment