By having a certificate, you can compare diamonds more easily to determine which stone gives you the most beauty for your budget. For instance, the GIA doesn’t give out Clarity and Color grades for lab-created diamonds.

I would not hesitate to recommend a lab-created diamond if it had an AGS certificate. Lab-grown diamonds are now becoming a popular alternative for many people, since they can have the same beauty and properties as a mined diamond and are often more affordable. The prices of lab-created diamonds have plummeted in the last few years and we expect that trend to continue. While we strongly encourage a GIA or AGS certificate for natural diamonds, we recommend the IGI (International Gemological Institute) for lab-created diamonds. This range doesn’t give you a specific grading, which makes it difficult to compare diamonds and know what you’re truly getting. Are diamonds with a higher number of facets brighter? For instance, they give specific Color and Clarity gradings for lab-created diamonds. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. Because both are evaluated by the same third-party, you’re more likely to be comparing apples to apples. That’s why you should stick to an IGI certificate for lab-created stones. All rights reserved. Since HPHT and CVD diamonds are virtually identical to natural diamonds, differences only become clear when they are analyzed in a gem laboratory. AGS has just announced that they are resuming the grading of lab created diamonds. Most laboratory-grown diamonds are categorized as either high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamonds, depending on the method of their production. DISCLAIMER: We don't use your email for marketing. We get commissions for purchases made from our affiliates through links in this article. Unlike other labs, the IGI gives out specific grades on important features like Color and Clarity. Overall, we do have some reservations about lab-created diamonds. By buying an IGI lab-created diamond, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your diamond is equivalent to the quality that’s claimed. That’s why we recommend IGI certification for lab-created diamonds. They give a range instead, such as I-K for Color. Established in 1931, GIA is an independent nonprofit that protects the gem and jewelry buying public through research, education and laboratory services.

Natural diamonds, on the other hand, are beautiful, timeless gemstones that typically maintain at least 50% of their original purchase price.
The biggest change they made is dropping the word ‘synthetic’ from their title for lab created diamonds.

our article about certification for natural diamonds. James Allen has 20 years of experience and focuses on customer satisfaction and competitive pricing. Most diamonds formed more than a billion years ago, deep in the earth’s mantle.

How can I be sure a diamond is conflict-free? As an added precaution to protect consumers, GIA also laser-inscribes the diamond’s girdle with a report number and a statement that identifies the diamond as laboratory-grown. Quality … For help in finding the best diamond for your budget, contact our experts. Please enter your email address to receive your personal code: Hey I'm Ringo! 3 A billion years . They give a range instead, such as I-K for Color. Regardless of the certificate, the price of the diamond should be thoroughly evaluated. For example, you can look at this 2.07ct IGI-certified I VS1 diamond for $9,160 to see if you’d rather purchase this 2.54ct IGI-certified I VS1 diamond for $9,960. Yes. Beginning July 1, 2019, GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Reports and identification reports no longer use the term “synthetic.” The GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report includes the standard GIA color, clarity and cut grading scales for reference purposes. This lab report or certificate describes various elements of the diamond, such as Cut, Clarity, and Color. The GIA, on the other hand, is what we recommend for natural diamonds. Certified lab created diamonds will trend towards IGI certification. © 2020 The Diamond Pro+412-2501-7829Kernserstrasse 17 / Sarnen, Switzerland CH-6060, We are a team of diamond experts who will teach you to identify scams and avoid spending money on features you can't see. All rights reserved. GIA has been grading laboratory-grown diamonds since 2007.
For lab-created diamonds, the GIA does not provide specific gradings. Along with each potential lab-created diamond, you should receive and review its lab certification. As described in our article about certification for natural diamonds, AGS is a reliable laboratory. © 2002 - var today = new Date(); var year = today.getFullYear(); document.write(year); Gemological Institute of America inc. GIA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Beginning July 1, 2019, GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Reports and identification reports no longer use the term “synthetic.” The GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report includes the standard GIA color, clarity and cut grading scales for reference purposes.

Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe.