GIA to Start Issuing Synthetic Diamond Grading Reports

The GIA has announced that its lab will start grading and issuing certificates for synthetic diamonds after January 1, 2007. The hugely debated move, which caused the GIA to delay the project for several months, comes after a series of meetings and consultations within the diamond and jewelry industry.

Tom Moses, GIA senior vice president and head of the GIA Laboratory and Research, said, “We are moving forward with our arrangements to grade synthetic diamonds. Last June, GIA Chairman Ralph Destino declared that it was GIA’s intention to ‘start grading these stones in the near future.’ At that time, GIA pledged to consult with producers of both natural and lab-grown diamonds in order to be sensitive to the concerns of each.”

“Over the past several weeks,” said Moses, “GIA’s management team held a number of meetings with a wide variety of stakeholders. We listened carefully and with an open mind, as we promised to do, while never losing sight of GIA’s core commitment to ensure and enhance the public’s trust in gems and jewelry.”

Acting GIA president Donna Baker, who participated in the meetings, added that “the final synthetic diamond grading report has now been accepted by stakeholders on all sides of this issue, and is totally consistent with GIA’s high standards of science, public service, education and professionalism.”