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GIA Is Going Back to Paper Reports
The lab made the decision to pull back on its all-digital migration after receiving complaints from clients across the supply chain.
The Gemological Institute of America is pulling back on plans to go all-digital with its grading reports following backlash from the trade. It started the migration in January of this year with its most popular report, the Diamond Dossier, pictured here.
Carlsbad, Calif.—Just three months after beginning its all-digital migration, the Gemological Institute of America is back to issuing paper reports.
The lab said as of April 9, all diamonds in its laboratories or submitted on or after that day will receive a printed Diamond Dossier report.
The report will be the same as those issued before GIA introduced the digital-only Diamond Dossier in January.
In addition, GIA will provide printed reports to any clients who received a digital-only report but want a paper one.
These will be available at no cost, but by request only. The request, which needs to include the original report number and the client’s name, should be sent to DossierRequest@gia.edu.
The digital version of the Diamond Dossier and the Report Access Card will remain available for those who prefer it through the Report Check portal and the GIA app.
GIA made the decision to return to printed reports after receiving complaints from clients across the supply chain—manufacturers, brokers, wholesalers, brands and retailers—who built their business processes around printed reports and had problems integrating the online-only version.
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The lab said as of April 9, all diamonds in its laboratories or submitted on or after that day will receive a printed Diamond Dossier report.
The report will be the same as those issued before GIA introduced the digital-only Diamond Dossier in January.
In addition, GIA will provide printed reports to any clients who received a digital-only report but want a paper one.
These will be available at no cost, but by request only. The request, which needs to include the original report number and the client’s name, should be sent to DossierRequest@gia.edu.
The digital version of the Diamond Dossier and the Report Access Card will remain available for those who prefer it through the Report Check portal and the GIA app.
GIA made the decision to return to printed reports after receiving complaints from clients across the supply chain—manufacturers, brokers, wholesalers, brands and retailers—who built their business processes around printed reports and had problems integrating the online-only version.
“We appreciate your candid and constructive feedback,” GIA Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses said in a letter to clients dated April 6.
“After much consideration, we have decided to return to printed GIA Diamond Dossier reports beginning April 9. We did not adequately anticipate the potential difficulties of adopting the digital-only GIA Diamond Dossier report.”
GIA first announced its plans to phase out paper reports in June 2022, introducing the concept at the JCK show in Las Vegas that year with demonstrations at its booth and a JCK Talks session.
Its goal was for its reports to be all digital by 2025, starting with the Diamond Dossier, its most popular report, in January. Dossier reports are for D- to Z-color diamonds that are 0.15 to 1.99 carats in size and haven’t been color treated.
GIA said the migration would save money and cut down on paper and plastic waste.
When asked where the lab’s bid to go paperless stands now, a GIA spokesperson said Friday the lab would continue to develop “robust and compelling” digital versions of all its reports while still printing paper reports.
The lab is unable to say at this point if it will try going all-digital again in the future.
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