GIA Overhauls Lab-Grown Diamond Grading: A New Era of “Premium” and “Standard” Classifications
In a landmark move set to redefine the landscape of the lab-grown diamond market, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has officially rolled out a comprehensive revision of its evaluation services for laboratory-grown diamonds. Effective October 1st, the world’s foremost authority in gemology will cease using the traditional D-to-Z color and clarity grading scales for these stones, introducing instead a streamlined, descriptive system that classifies them as either “Premium” or “Standard.” This strategic pivot, announced in early June and detailed in late August, is designed to create a clearer distinction between natural and manufactured diamonds, reflecting the evolving realities of the market and ensuring consumer confidence.
The current GIA services for D-to-Z lab-grown stones will remain available until September 30th, after which the new “GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment” will become the new benchmark. This change marks a significant philosophical and practical shift for the institute, which invented the globally recognized 4Cs of diamond quality (Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight) in the 1940s.
The Rationale Behind the Revamp: Distinguishing a Manufactured Product
The decision to move away from the nuanced 4Cs nomenclature for lab-grown diamonds stems from a fundamental observation about their production. As technology has advanced, the quality of lab-grown diamonds has become remarkably consistent, with the vast majority occupying a very high and narrow range of color and clarity.
Pritesh Patel, GIA President and CEO, articulated the institute’s reasoning in a clear statement: “Using descriptive terms for the quality of laboratory-grown diamonds is appropriate as most fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity.” He further emphasized the core of the issue, stating, “Because of that, GIA will no longer use the nomenclature created for natural diamonds to describe what is a manufactured product.”
This sentiment was echoed by Tom Moses, GIA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, who noted that over 95% of lab-grown diamonds submitted to GIA fall within this tight quality bracket. Consequently, applying the broad, continuous spectrum designed for the infinite variety of natural diamonds was deemed no longer relevant or necessary for their lab-grown counterparts. The new system aims to help consumers better understand the crucial differences in origin between the two products, empowering them to make more informed purchasing decisions.
Decoding the New GIA System: A Two-Tiered Approach
The new framework is elegantly simple yet rigorously defined. All D-to-Z lab-grown diamonds submitted to GIA will be evaluated against a specific set of criteria to determine their placement into one of two categories. Any stone that fails to meet the minimum threshold for the “Standard” classification will not receive a GIA assessment.
The Pinnacle of Quality: Defining “Premium”
To achieve the coveted “Premium” status, a lab-grown diamond must represent the apex of manufacturing excellence. The criteria are stringent and all-encompassing, requiring the stone to meet every single one of the following benchmarks:
Color:
Must be a perfect D, the highest and most colorless grade.
Clarity:
Must be graded as Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS) or higher, indicating that any inclusions are extremely difficult for a skilled grader to see under 10x magnification.
Polish:
Must be rated as “Excellent.”
Symmetry:
Must also achieve an “Excellent” rating.
Cut (For Round Brilliant Diamonds Only):
The cut grade, a crucial factor in a diamond’s brilliance and sparkle, must be “Excellent.”
A “Premium” classification is a clear signal to the consumer that they are acquiring a lab-grown diamond of the highest possible quality across all key metrics.
The Benchmark of Excellence: Understanding “Standard”
The “Standard” classification provides a robust benchmark for high-quality lab-grown diamonds that are excellent but do not meet the peak requirements of the “Premium” tier across the board. A diamond will be classified as “Standard” if it meets a combination of the “Premium” criteria and the following minimums:
Color:
A range from E to J, encompassing colorless and near-colorless grades.
Clarity:
Must have a minimum clarity of Very Slightly Included (VS), meaning minor inclusions are present but not typically visible to the naked eye.
Polish:
Must achieve at least a “Very Good” rating.
Symmetry:
A minimum of “Very Good” is required, with “Good” being acceptable for fancy shapes.
Cut (For Round Brilliant Diamonds Only):
Must have a cut grade of at least “Very Good.”
This category allows for a broader range of high-quality stones. For instance, a lab-grown diamond with a D color but VS clarity would fall into the “Standard” classification, as would a stone with VVS clarity but an F color.
Practicalities of the New Service: Fees, Inscriptions, and Documentation
Alongside the new grading language, GIA has outlined the logistical details for this updated service, emphasizing transparency and accessibility.
A New Fee Structure
The cost for the GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment is set at an accessible $15 per carat, with a minimum fee of $15 per stone. This means a half-carat diamond and a one-carat diamond would both incur a $15 fee, while a two-carat stone would cost $30. For submissions that do not meet the minimum criteria to be classified as “Standard,” a smaller $5 evaluation fee will be charged.
Submission Guidelines and Security
To be eligible for the new assessment, a lab-grown diamond must have a minimum carat weight of 0.15 carats. As a crucial measure of transparency and identification, the girdle of every assessed stone will be laser-inscribed with the term “Laboratory-Grown” and its unique GIA quality assessment number. This permanent inscription ensures that the diamond’s origin and report are forever linked.
Finally, each assessed diamond will be returned with a printed document detailing the evaluation results, providing consumers and retailers with a tangible and authoritative record of the stone’s quality classification under the new GIA system. This move by GIA signals a clear and decisive step in creating a distinct and dedicated evaluation system for the rapidly expanding lab-grown diamond market, aiming to bring greater clarity and confidence for all.
