GIA announces new initiatives for Indian market

The Hindu

26-06-2025

Gemological Institute of America(GIA), which is into diamond/gem grading and analysis, education and research has announced the introduction of its Finished Jewellery Report & Coloured Stone Report service in India to provide details about the jewellery piece's components including the metal, gemstone characteristics, and existing engravings.
These examinations are part of its gemstone identification and pearl services and focus on the gemological examination of the gems in the jewellery pieces, GIA said.
The description in the Finished Jewellery Report will include metal verification and ranges for the clarity, colour, and estimated carat weight of D-to-Z diamonds that don't already have GIA reports for unmounted diamonds.
The Jewellery Report will also include details of any current markings. For diamonds that have existing GIA report numbers, the specific grades will be detailed on the report with a link to GIA's Report Check for additional verification, it said.
Beginning later this year, GIA said it will start using descriptive terms to characterize the quality of laboratory-grown diamonds and will no longer use the colour and clarity nomenclature that it has developed for natural diamonds.
The Institute will continue to accept laboratory-grown diamonds for evaluation and identification, it said.
The revised GIA description system for laboratory-grown diamonds will confirm that the submitted item is a laboratory-grown diamond and whether it falls into one of two categories, 'premium' or 'standard.'
The categories will be defined by a combination of metrics related to colour, clarity and finish. If the man-made diamond fails to achieve the minimum standard for quality, it will not receive a designation from GIA.
Until the revised descriptive system for laboratory-grown diamonds is finalized, the current GIA services for laboratory-grown diamonds will continue to be available, it added.
'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,' GIA said.
This change 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, it said.
Susan Jacques, President & CEO, at briefing in Mumbai reiterated the Institute's commitment for integrity and independence. She said that GIA India would maintain a steadfast focus on its mission to uphold trade & consumer confidence in India's gems and jewellery business at a time when there is a lot of confusion.
GIA also named Pritesh Patel, as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 4, 2025.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.
He will be responsible for operational strategy, planning, developing and implementing innovative solutions.