The world’s leading authority in gemology, The Gemological Institute of America, is redefining their laboratory-grown diamond grading system. The GIA is now dropping the traditional 4Cs system from their grading reports, which emphasizes the growing divide between natural diamonds and man-made diamonds.
In a landmark decision, laboratory-grown diamonds (also known as lab-grown, lab-created, or synthetic diamonds) will receive simplified grading descriptors later this year. They will be categorized as either “premium” or “standard”.
The GIA created the 4Cs -- Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat Weight-- in the 1940s as a way of helping customers understand the unique qualities of natural diamonds. Just like the human finger print, no two natural diamonds are exactly the same. They are rare geological wonders of the world, that are created deep within the Earth over billions of years. Grading reports for natural diamonds are essential, because these gemstones have such wide and varied range of characteristics; with the Colour Scale alone ranging from D (Colourless) to Z (Light Yellow).
The GIA is imminently changing the way they grade laboratory-grown diamonds, because unlike natural diamonds forming from crystalized carbon atoms under intense heat & pressure approximately 100 miles below the earth’s surface over many millions of years, they are man-made and mass-produced, using high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes to replicate these conditions in a laboratory. Synthetic diamonds can now be created in virtually unlimited quantities and replicated in appearance with ease.
According to Tom Moses, the GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer, “More than 95% of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of colour 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 colour and clarity of natural diamonds.” By ensuring that future laboratory-grown grading reports describe the stones as either “premium” or “standard,” the GIA is drawing a clear line in the sand. They are telling consumers that these are not the same products and they should not be evaluated in the same way.
As diamond specialists, we want to make sure our customers have complete transparency when making big decisions about whether to choose natural or synthetic diamonds in their bespoke jewellery pieces. Here at WJ Shaw Jewellers, we only stock precious natural diamonds, however we understand that laboratory-grown diamonds have a place in the market, and can source these for our customers should they so wish.
