EditorsSep 15, 2025
Skipping the Necklace, Embracing Snakes: The Best Jewelry From the 2025 Emmy AwardsAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.
GradingMar 13, 2019
HRD Antwerp Is Now Grading Lab-Grown Diamonds Like Natural
The laboratory has started grading man-made diamonds using the same color and clarity scales it applies to mined stones.
The new grading report for man-made diamonds from HRD Antwerp. The lab has started using the same color and clarity grades for lab-grown diamonds as it does for natural stones. (Photo courtesy of HRD Antwerp)
Antwerp—HRD Antwerp is now grading lab-grown diamonds using the same color and clarity scales it applies to natural stones, the laboratory confirmed to National Jeweler.
In its new man-made grading reports, which launched last week, HRD Antwerp has migrated from having just five color grades—colorless, near colorless, faint, very light and light—to the same 13 that it uses for natural diamonds—D to M, plus N-O, P-R and S-Z.
The Belgian grading lab is also switching from five clarity grades—free of inclusions (FI) to included (I)—to the same 10 applied to mined diamonds, starting with loupe clean (LC) and ranging to P3 (pique 3).
“Our aim is to serve the industry as a whole, from rough to consumers. We identified a need for better transparency and support concerning the new complications [meaning undisclosed mixing of lab-grown diamonds with natural] that arise with lab-grown diamonds,” the lab said in a statement to National Jeweler. “For this reason, we developed the set of measures explained above. The certification is just one piece of the complete puzzle of services we provide to enhance trust and transparency.”
HRD Antwerp has been issuing grading reports for lab-grown diamonds since 2013.
In the fall, it plans to add a report for finished pieces of jewelry set with man-made stones (the lab already issues reports for jewelry set with natural stones.)
The issue of how to grade lab-grown diamonds is a source of disagreement in the trade.
In October 2016, National Jeweler talked to Tom Moses, the Gemological Institute of America’s executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer, about why the GIA uses a limited, less specific grading scale in its “Synthetic Diamond Reports” instead of the four Cs.
In the interview, Moses said that generally speaking, lab-grown diamonds are nitrogen-poor, so they are going to be of high color and clarity and not exhibit the same range of color and clarity as mined diamonds.
The GIA’s grading system, which was created long before lab-grown diamonds were prevalent, was “developed for normal mine run, which doesn’t change,” he said. “That’s nature.”
Moses’ remarks generated some back-and-forth in the story’s comments section, and a more recent editorial by JCK News Director Rob Bates—who thinks the GIA should offer the standard 4Cs scale for lab-grown diamonds—sparked a slew of online conversation over the grading of lab-grown diamonds.
Moses said in the October 2016 interview with National Jeweler
that he didn’t see GIA altering the way it grades lab-grown diamonds in the “near future,” but changes in the market over the past two years, coupled with the Federal Trade Commission’s recent revisions to its Jewelry Guides, have forced the lab to change course.
GIA spokesman Stephen Morisseau told National Jeweler last week that it will be launching new reports for man-made diamonds “in the near future,” though details on exactly what will be changing beyond the title—the FTC now says that the term “synthetic” is confusing to consumers—have not been released.
GIA spokesman Stephen Morisseau told National Jeweler last week that it will be launching new reports for man-made diamonds “in the near future,” though details on exactly what will be changing beyond the title—the FTC now says that the term “synthetic” is confusing to consumers—have not been released.
More on Grading
The Latest
SurveysSep 15, 2025
Resilient Shoppers to Boost Holiday Retail Sales, Says DeloitteIt’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
Gemfields Achieves $32M at High-Quality Emerald AuctionIt included the sale of the 11,685-carat “Imboo” emerald that was recently discovered at Kagem.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
AGTA Elects 8 Members to Board of Directors The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
MajorsSep 11, 2025
Tabayer Opens Nordstrom Shop-In-ShopLocated in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
Stuller to Swap Gold Scrap for Full Credit to AccountAs the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
IndependentsSep 08, 2025
Take a Look Inside the New Korman Store in AustinThe Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
