GCAL by Sarine Opens Jewelry Lab in Mumbai

(IDEX Online) - GCAL by Sarine has opened a jewelry certification and quality assurance laboratory in Mumbai, extending its Indian operations from diamond grading into finished jewelry evaluation.

The new laboratory is in SEEPZ, the Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone, a major export-oriented gems and jewelry manufacturing center. The location will bring GCAL's services closer to jewelry manufacturers and exporters, Sarine said in an announcement dated September 14.

The facility complements GCAL by Sarine's existing laboratories in Surat and New York. Surat is at the center of India's diamond manufacturing industry, while the Mumbai facility will serve the jewelry manufacturing and export sector.

GCAL entered the India market in January 2024, when it opened a grading laboratory in Surat following Sarine's acquisition of a 70% stake in the New York-based Gem Certification and Assurance Lab in 2023.

The deal combined Sarine's technology and Indian infrastructure with GCAL's grading business and US retail customer base.

The Surat laboratory uses Sarine's AI-based grading technologies alongside GCAL's grading standards. Its certificates are backed by GCAL's consumer guarantee.

Sarine reported last month that certification volumes at GCAL had increased by more than 50% in the first half of 2026. It also said GCAL had seen increased demand for jewelry evaluation and documentation in the US, covering both natural diamonds and lab grown diamonds set in jewelry.

Sarine's 2025 annual report said it was working on a dedicated facility in India for those jewelry evaluation and documentation services, with the aim of providing faster response times and lower costs.

Angelo Palmieri, president of GCAL by Sarine, said: "The opening of our SEEPZ lab expands GCAL by Sarine's capabilities in India into jewelry certification and brings our services closer to manufacturers and exporters.

"For our retail, wholesale and manufacturing customers, proximity and logistical efficiency are increasingly important, and this new facility enables us to serve them more effectively."

GCAL's jewelry services include Diamond Jewelry Reports, Diamond Jewelry Express Reports, Diamond Jewelry Cards and Colored Gemstone Jewelry Reports, in addition to diamond grading and other gemological services.

The Mumbai laboratory is part of a wider expansion of GCAL's activities since its combination with Sarine.

GCAL's traditional business is diamond grading, but the laboratory has developed additional services around cut and optical performance. Its 8X grading system measures light performance as well as the conventional 4Cs and has been extended from round brilliants to several fancy shapes. GCAL said in 2026 that 8X grading for cushion cuts was in development.

Sarine also operates technology for diamond identification, scanning, planning and traceability. Its Diamond Journey service creates a digital record for a natural diamond through different stages of the production process. GCAL has incorporated Diamond Journey into its Guaranteed 4Cs Certificate and has also worked with De Beers' Tracr on diamond traceability.

The group has also used its grading and technology businesses in joint projects outside its laboratories. In 2025, GCAL by Sarine worked with the Accredited Gemologists Association and Stuller on certified hybrid diamond color master sets containing both natural and lab grown diamonds.

Sarine, an Israeli diamond technology company, has had a substantial presence in India for more than two decades. It established its Indian subsidiary in 2004 and opened a dedicated service and support facility in Surat in 2017. Its Indian operations include diamond scanning, planning, grading and other technology services.

Sarine CEO Tzafrir Engelhard said: "Our new SEEPZ lab enables us to serve customers closer to the point of jewelry production while leveraging the strength and reputation of the GCAL by Sarine brand. We are particularly pleased to have completed the establishment of the new lab ahead of this year's peak season, allowing us to support our customers at an important time for the industry."

The Mumbai laboratory now adds finished jewelry to that network, giving GCAL by Sarine facilities in both Surat, the center of India's diamond manufacturing industry, and Mumbai, one of the country's principal jewelry manufacturing and export locations.

The Mumbai opening comes as Sarine's traditional equipment business faces continuing pressure from weak diamond-market conditions. Sarine recorded a $3.49 million net loss in the first half of 2026, while revenue fell 6% to $14.41 million. The company said the increase in GCAL certification volumes helped offset weaker sales of capital equipment and Galaxy scanning systems.