There are a few main laboratories that are trusted to grade and certify diamonds that are to be sold. The two most well-known are the GIA and the IGI. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a non-profit organization that focuses on research and education in the field of gemology and jewelry arts. Founded in 1931, they are an independent source for researching, identifying and grading stones by expert diamontologists and gemologists.
According to the GIA website, their mission is to ‘protect all buyers and sellers of gemstones by setting and maintaining the standards used to evaluate gemstone quality’. The International Gemological Institute (IGI) is the world’s first gemological laboratory to hold Organization for International Standardization accreditation in both natural and lab grown diamond grading. In addition to grading diamonds, the IGI is also a training and education organization for gemologists.
IGI – Lab Grown Diamond Certificate
GIA – Natural Diamond Certificate
