Lab-GrownOct 15, 2020
GIA’s New Reports for Lab-Grown Diamonds Are OutLab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown Diamonds
It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Starting later this year, GIA will change its approach to lab-grown diamonds once again, abandoning the use of specific color and clarity grades for the stones in favor of assigning them to one of two categories, “premium” or “standard.”
Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America is once again changing the reports it issues for lab-grown diamonds.
This time, the lab is going right back to where it started from, sort of.
On Monday, GIA announced that beginning later this year, it will quit using the color and clarity nomenclature it developed for natural diamonds in evaluating lab-grown diamonds.
Instead, the lab will, first, confirm that the submitted stone is a laboratory-grown diamond and then evaluate its color, clarity, and finish to determine if it falls into one of two categories: “premium” or “standard.”
If the lab-grown diamond fails to meet the minimum standard for quality, it will not receive a designation from GIA.
The lab said it is making the change in response to the dramatic compression in the range of color and clarity seen in lab-grown diamonds, a change that has come about as a result of continual improvements in diamond-growing technology in recent years.
It also noted that this revision will “help consumers understand the important differences in the two products’ origin, ensuring their confidence and enabling them to make informed and educated purchase decisions.”
GIA said that since 2022, 95 percent of the man-made diamonds submitted to the lab for grading have been colorless, meaning they would receive a grade of D, E, or F, while 98 percent received a clarity grade of VS1 or higher.
Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses remarked, “Similar to other man-made gem materials, we anticipate the continued acceptance and popularity of laboratory-grown diamonds.
“More than 95 percent of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity. Because of that, it is no longer relevant for GIA to describe man-made diamonds using the nomenclature created for the continuum of color and clarity of natural diamonds.”
Moses’ remarks echo those he made in a 2016 interview with National Jeweler in which he explained the rationale behind GIA’s approach to grading lab-grown diamonds.
At that time, GIA used broader terms to describe lab-grown diamonds, calling stones in the D-F range “colorless” and those in the G-I range “near colorless,” and using only four clarity grades for the stones, VVS, VS, SI or I, compared with 11 for natural diamonds.
Moses said at the time that GIA chose to do it this way because lab-grown diamonds just aren’t going to have the same color and clarity range as mined diamonds.
To GIA, it didn’t make sense to apply its grading system—which Moses noted was developed for “normal mine run” in the 1940s, long before lab-grown diamonds were hitting the market in the quantities they are today—to man-made diamonds.
Related stories will be right here …
This time, the lab is going right back to where it started from, sort of.
On Monday, GIA announced that beginning later this year, it will quit using the color and clarity nomenclature it developed for natural diamonds in evaluating lab-grown diamonds.
Instead, the lab will, first, confirm that the submitted stone is a laboratory-grown diamond and then evaluate its color, clarity, and finish to determine if it falls into one of two categories: “premium” or “standard.”
If the lab-grown diamond fails to meet the minimum standard for quality, it will not receive a designation from GIA.
The lab said it is making the change in response to the dramatic compression in the range of color and clarity seen in lab-grown diamonds, a change that has come about as a result of continual improvements in diamond-growing technology in recent years.
It also noted that this revision will “help consumers understand the important differences in the two products’ origin, ensuring their confidence and enabling them to make informed and educated purchase decisions.”
GIA said that since 2022, 95 percent of the man-made diamonds submitted to the lab for grading have been colorless, meaning they would receive a grade of D, E, or F, while 98 percent received a clarity grade of VS1 or higher.
Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses remarked, “Similar to other man-made gem materials, we anticipate the continued acceptance and popularity of laboratory-grown diamonds.
“More than 95 percent of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity. Because of that, it is no longer relevant for GIA to describe man-made diamonds using the nomenclature created for the continuum of color and clarity of natural diamonds.”
Moses’ remarks echo those he made in a 2016 interview with National Jeweler in which he explained the rationale behind GIA’s approach to grading lab-grown diamonds.
At that time, GIA used broader terms to describe lab-grown diamonds, calling stones in the D-F range “colorless” and those in the G-I range “near colorless,” and using only four clarity grades for the stones, VVS, VS, SI or I, compared with 11 for natural diamonds.
Moses said at the time that GIA chose to do it this way because lab-grown diamonds just aren’t going to have the same color and clarity range as mined diamonds.
To GIA, it didn’t make sense to apply its grading system—which Moses noted was developed for “normal mine run” in the 1940s, long before lab-grown diamonds were hitting the market in the quantities they are today—to man-made diamonds.
GIA first began accepting lab-grown diamonds for grading in 2006.
It announced the first shift in how it approaches the stones after the Federal Trade Commission rolled out its revised Jewelry Guides in 2018. Among the revisions was the removal of the word “synthetic” from the list of recommended terms for referring to lab-grown diamonds.
In light of this update, the lab announced in April 2019 that it would be changing the name of what was then called the GIA Synthetic Diamond Grading Report to the GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report.
It also started including the standard color, clarity and cut grading scales on the reports, but for reference purposes only; the lab did not start grading lab-grown diamonds the same way it did natural stones.
A little more than a year later, that changed.
In August 2020, GIA announced that it would start using the same specific color and clarity grades for both natural and lab-grown diamonds, citing the “growing acceptance in the trade and by consumers of laboratory-grown diamonds as a distinct category.”
Now, nearly five years since that announcement, GIA is pivoting yet again.
This time, the lab is arguably using even broader terminology than it did when it first started accepting lab-grown diamonds for grading nearly 20 years ago.
It is going from using the terms “colorless” or “near colorless” and a limited range of clarity grades to evaluating both qualities together, along with finish, to determine if man-made stones are “premium” or “standard.”
GIA said it is still developing pricing and submission guidelines for its new lab-grown diamond grading service.
It expects to announce more specifics in the third quarter. In the meantime, existing GIA reports for lab-grown diamonds remain valid.
The release does not mention if the reports, or whatever is forthcoming with this new service, will have a different name.
It also does not mention if there will be any changes to the way GIA applies the other two Cs to lab-grown diamonds—carat weight and cut, which is a factor introduced during the manufacturing process and thereby can exist on a broad continuum for both natural and lab-grown diamonds.
GIA said its current services for lab-grown diamonds will continue to be available until the revised descriptive system for lab-grown diamonds is finalized later this year.
More on Lab-Grown
The Latest
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
Weekly QuizJun 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough RubyThe gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee GroupFounder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JAGizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
IndependentsJun 16, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Commitment Campaign Celebrating LGBTQ+ CouplesThe “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
Events & AwardsJun 13, 2025
AGA to Host ‘Diamonds From Mine to Market’ Education ConferenceThe one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Vintage Patek Philippe From the ‘50s Sells for $4M at Sotheby’s Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.
Events & AwardsJun 12, 2025
Gabriel Love Foundation Introduces Scholarship Honoring Elias GabrielThe foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Former De Beers Exec Celine Assimon Joins BonhamsAssimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.
EditorsJun 11, 2025
Q&A: Al Cook on Differentiating Natural Diamonds, Traceability, and TariffsThe De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”
MajorsJun 11, 2025
Pandora Bets on Las Vegas for First North American FlagshipThe Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.
GradingJun 11, 2025
Tiffany Stevens Exits IGI, Lab Appoints New Board LeaderIndustry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.
