What is a lab grown diamond certification?
A lab grown diamond certification is a document generated by an impartial third-party laboratory, such as IGI or GIA, providing an unbiased report on a diamond's attributes. This lab, having no vested interest in the diamond's sale, assesses the gem based on its inherent qualities, detailing its appearance and distinctive characteristics objectively.
Every lab-grown diamond is expected to be accompanied by a certification. Skilled jewelers meticulously scrutinize and measure the diamond using tools like a loupe or microscope, recording their observations on the certificate. This official document outlines the stone's diverse features, encompassing details such as cut, color, and clarity grade.
What is an IGI certification?
The International Gemological Institute stands out as the top certification for lab-created diamonds, offering precise gradings for the four C's—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. IGI holds the position as the most widely recognized certifier in the lab-created diamond market, ensuring a standardized grading system across the industry. This uniformity enables consumers to effortlessly compare lab-grown diamonds, providing them with confidence that they are receiving the value they expect for their purchase.
What is a GIA certification?
A GIA certification is an independent grading report issued by the Gemological Institute of America, the world’s most respected authority in diamond evaluation. This certificate provides an unbiased, detailed assessment of a diamond’s key characteristics—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight (the 4Cs)—as well as additional information such as polish, symmetry, fluorescence, and measurements. Each GIA-certified diamond is graded using strict, standardized criteria by trained gemologists, ensuring consistency and accuracy. The certificate also includes a unique report number, often laser-inscribed on the diamond’s girdle for verification. A GIA certification serves as a trusted guarantee of a diamond’s quality and authenticity, offering confidence and transparency to buyers.
Diamond Certification: GIA for Natural, IGI for Lab-Grown
At House of Diamonds, we only offer GIA-certified natural diamonds, ensuring the highest level of grading consistency, reliability, and global recognition. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the most respected diamond grading authority in the world, and its reports are widely considered the gold standard for natural diamonds. Every GIA-certified natural diamond includes a full 4Cs assessment—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight—along with detailed proportions, polish, symmetry, and laser inscription.
When it comes to lab-grown diamonds, GIA has only recently begun offering grading reports, and their format differs from the traditional GIA reports for natural stones. Most GIA lab-grown reports now use descriptive terms (such as “Near Colorless”) instead of specific letter grades, and they are not as widely adopted across the industry.
Because of this, we predominantly source lab-grown diamonds certified by the International Gemological Institute (IGI). IGI is currently the leading authority in grading lab-created diamonds and provides full 4Cs grading in a format that is clear, consistent, and comparable to traditional GIA reports.
Each IGI-certified lab-grown diamond from House of Diamonds comes with:
- IGI Laboratory Grown Diamond Report
- laser inscription of the report number and the term "lab grown" or “LG” on the girdle for added assurance
- This ensures you receive transparent and trustworthy grading—whether you choose a natural or lab-grown diamond.