Kim Alaniz
The growth of lab-created diamonds, which are significantly less valuable than natural gems due to more affordable production methods, was a key factor in the natural diamond market crisis that started in 2023, a situation that diamond miners have struggled to manage even with production cuts.
Rather than the usual diamond evaluation based on a color and clarity scale, the GIA will employ two general categories: premium and standard. GIA will keep accepting lab-created diamonds for evaluation and identification. A man-made diamond that fails to achieve the minimum quality standard will not be acknowledged by the GIA.
In the 1940s, the GIA created widely recognized scales for color and clarity of natural stones to enhance their traits and boost consumer understanding.
GIA stated that refraining from grading synthetic diamonds using natural standards will assist consumers in recognizing significant distinctions in the origins of both products, instilling confidence and enabling informed buying choices.
source: reuters.com
Rather than the usual diamond evaluation based on a color and clarity scale, the GIA will employ two general categories: premium and standard. GIA will keep accepting lab-created diamonds for evaluation and identification. A man-made diamond that fails to achieve the minimum quality standard will not be acknowledged by the GIA.
In the 1940s, the GIA created widely recognized scales for color and clarity of natural stones to enhance their traits and boost consumer understanding.
GIA stated that refraining from grading synthetic diamonds using natural standards will assist consumers in recognizing significant distinctions in the origins of both products, instilling confidence and enabling informed buying choices.
source: reuters.com
