By Michelle Graff
michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com
Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America is tweaking the grading reports it issues for man-made diamonds, dropping the word “synthetic” but still not using the same scale it does for natural diamonds.
Beginning July 1, the GIA Synthetic Diamond Grading Report will become the GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report. The word “synthetic” also will be removed from the “Identification” line, replaced with the words “laboratory-grown.”
The elimination of synthetic is in keeping with recent revisions the Federal Trade Commission made to its Jewelry Guides, removing the word from its list of recommended terms for lab-grown diamonds because of “the likelihood of consumer confusion.”
GIA also is now including the standard color, clarity and cut grading scales on the reports, but for reference purposes only; the lab still will not apply the scales it uses for natural diamonds to man-made stones.
Read more at the National Jeweler website here