Editor’s Note
The GIA’s decision to adopt new terminology for lab-created diamonds marks a significant shift in the industry, further distinguishing them from their natural counterparts. This article explores the implications of this change for consumers and the broader gem market.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will begin using descriptive terms to characterize the quality of lab-created diamonds by the end of this year and will no longer employ the color and clarity nomenclature developed for natural diamonds. This means it will eliminate the traditional 4Cs system from its lab-grown diamond grading reports, further emphasizing the growing division between natural and artificial diamonds.
Specifying the differences between natural and lab-created diamonds is an industry necessity. Therefore, GIA’s revised descriptive system for lab diamonds is a significant step. Despite these new standards, the Institute will continue to accept lab-created diamonds for evaluation and identification.
With this new measure, GIA will no longer use its internationally recognized 4Cs grading system and will confirm that the submitted piece is a lab-created diamond, determining if it falls into one of two categories: “premium” or “standard.” These categories will be defined by a combination of metrics related to color, clarity, and finish. If a synthetic diamond does not meet minimum quality standards, it will receive no designation from GIA.
GIA developed the universally accepted color and clarity scales for natural diamonds in the 1940s to clearly communicate their characteristics and reduce consumer confusion. This change in how lab diamond quality is described will help consumers understand the key differences in the origin of both products, ensuring their confidence and allowing them to make informed and conscious purchasing decisions. This move marks a definitive moment in the process of differentiating between natural and lab-created diamonds and confirms what many in the industry have long known: lab-grown diamonds are not the same as natural diamonds and should not be treated as such.
This measure is not about pitting one type of diamond against another, as both options have a place in the market and there is an audience interested in lab-created diamonds. However, it is true that the distinction between the two has become increasingly blurred through confusing marketing language and unclear labeling practices. Consumers deserve transparency, to understand what they are buying, what it is worth, and why one stone is different from another.
Furthermore, GIA exists precisely to protect public trust in gems and jewelry. With these new certificates, consumers will be able to make decisions with clearer information.