Lab-Grown

GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025

GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown Diamonds

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

The Gemological Institute of America’s logo
Starting later this year, GIA will change its approach to lab-grown diamonds once again, abandoning the use of specific color and clarity grades for the stones in favor of assigning them to one of two categories, “premium” or “standard.”
Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America is once again changing the reports it issues for lab-grown diamonds.

This time, the lab is going right back to where it started from, sort of.

On Monday, GIA announced that beginning later this year, it will quit using the color and clarity nomenclature it developed for natural diamonds in evaluating lab-grown diamonds.

Instead, the lab will, first, confirm that the submitted stone is a laboratory-grown diamond and then evaluate its color, clarity, and finish to determine if it falls into one of two categories: “premium” or “standard.”

If the lab-grown diamond fails to meet the minimum standard for quality, it will not receive a designation from GIA.

The lab said it is making the change in response to the dramatic compression in the range of color and clarity seen in lab-grown diamonds, a change that has come about as a result of continual improvements in diamond-growing technology in recent years.

It also noted that this revision will “help consumers understand the important differences in the two products’ origin, ensuring their confidence and enabling them to make informed and educated purchase decisions.”

GIA said that since 2022, 95 percent of the man-made diamonds submitted to the lab for grading have been colorless, meaning they would receive a grade of D, E, or F, while 98 percent received a clarity grade of VS1 or higher.

Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses remarked, “Similar to other man-made gem materials, we anticipate the continued acceptance and popularity of laboratory-grown diamonds.

“More than 95 percent of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity. Because of that, it is no longer relevant for GIA to describe man-made diamonds using the nomenclature created for the continuum of color and clarity of natural diamonds.”

Moses’ remarks echo those he made in a 2016 interview with National Jeweler in which he explained the rationale behind GIA’s approach to grading lab-grown diamonds.

At that time, GIA used broader terms to describe lab-grown diamonds, calling stones in the D-F range “colorless” and those in the G-I range “near colorless,” and using only four clarity grades for the stones, VVS, VS, SI or I, compared with 11 for natural diamonds.

Moses said at the time that GIA chose to do it this way because lab-grown diamonds just aren’t going to have the same color and clarity range as mined diamonds. 

To GIA, it didn’t make sense to apply its grading system—which Moses noted was developed for “normal mine run” in the 1940s, long before lab-grown diamonds were hitting the market in the quantities they are today—to man-made diamonds.

 Related stories will be right here … 

GIA first began accepting lab-grown diamonds for grading in 2006.

It announced the first shift in how it approaches the stones after the Federal Trade Commission rolled out its revised Jewelry Guides in 2018. Among the revisions was the removal of the word “synthetic” from the list of recommended terms for referring to lab-grown diamonds.

In light of this update, the lab announced in April 2019 that it would be changing the name of what was then called the GIA Synthetic Diamond Grading Report to the GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report.

It also started including the standard color, clarity and cut grading scales on the reports, but for reference purposes only; the lab did not start grading lab-grown diamonds the same way it did natural stones.

A little more than a year later, that changed.

In August 2020, GIA announced that it would start using the same specific color and clarity grades for both natural and lab-grown diamonds, citing the “growing acceptance in the trade and by consumers of laboratory-grown diamonds as a distinct category.”   

Now, nearly five years since that announcement, GIA is pivoting yet again. 

This time, the lab is arguably using even broader terminology than it did when it first started accepting lab-grown diamonds for grading nearly 20 years ago.

It is going from using the terms “colorless” or “near colorless” and a limited range of clarity grades to evaluating both qualities together, along with finish, to determine if man-made stones are “premium” or “standard.” 

GIA said it is still developing pricing and submission guidelines for its new lab-grown diamond grading service. 

It expects to announce more specifics in the third quarter. In the meantime, existing GIA reports for lab-grown diamonds remain valid.

The release does not mention if the reports, or whatever is forthcoming with this new service, will have a different name. 

It also does not mention if there will be any changes to the way GIA applies the other two Cs to lab-grown diamonds—carat weight and cut, which is a factor introduced during the manufacturing process and thereby can exist on a broad continuum for both natural and lab-grown diamonds. 

GIA said its current services for lab-grown diamonds will continue to be available until the revised descriptive system for lab-grown diamonds is finalized later this year.

The Latest

Madison Keys in Brilliant Earth campaign
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New Ambassador

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

Muse Nordstrom shop-in-shop
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry Hall

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

Shree Ramkrishna Exports
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-Negative

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Yeprem Golden Strada Statement Necklace
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From Yeprem

The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Stock image of police cars with their lights on
CrimeJul 03, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in Burglaries

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

Exterior and entryway of Boucheron’s Los Angeles Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast Flagship

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Exterior of Marco Bicego Milan Flagship
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan Flagship

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Chrono24 Time Is Our Thing campaign image
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New Campaign

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

Bernadette Mack
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive Director

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Counterfeit Pandora jewelry in bags and boxes
CrimeJul 02, 2025
Pandora, Amazon Partner to Uncover Counterfeit Jewelry Network

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

Cast Issa Rae
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Cast Closes Business, Plans for Relaunch

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

Eve Goldberg, Matthew Denatale, Willie Lopez, Benjamin Goldberg
Events & AwardsJul 01, 2025
William Goldberg Diamonds, FIT Partner for Apprenticeship Program

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

Elie Hannoush
IndependentsJul 01, 2025
Elie Hannoush, Founder of Hannoush Jewelers, Dies at 73

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

Claire’s store
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Claire’s Is Looking for a Buyer, Report Says

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Mindi Mond Spike Earrings
TrendsJul 01, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Red Hot Rubies

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

The Story of Everything Campaign, Toadstool Mushroom and Cosmic Egg
CollectionsJun 30, 2025
State Property’s New Jewelry Tells ‘The Story of Everything’

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJun 30, 2025
The Smart Lab: Why Q3 Is the Secret Weapon For Holiday Jewelry Sales

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

Morgan Keefe
Events & AwardsJun 30, 2025
AGA Names Recipient of 2025 Gemological Education Scholarship

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

The Jewelry Book
IndependentsJun 30, 2025
Melanie Grant’s New Book Explores 200 Years of Jewelry

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

Gemist
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech Platform

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Jeff Preolo, David Stout, Levi Higgs, David Benavides
IndependentsJun 27, 2025
David Webb Announces New Hires, Promotions

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

Blake Graham and Jessica Kohoutek
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

Buddha Mama Monstera Ring
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap Ring

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Cashier handing Rocksbox bag to customer
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers Downsizes

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

Penny Ruston
IndependentsJun 26, 2025
Penny Ruston Dies at 80

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy