The diamond world is a fascinating, ever-evolving landscape, and with its shifts come changes in the very standards used to grade these magnificent stones. Recently, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the global authority on diamond grading, announced a significant evolution in how they will report on lab-grown diamonds. This is a pivotal shift that we at Morgan & Co, your trusted Sunshine Coast jewellers, are closely monitoring. While we design with both natural and lab-grown diamonds, we believe in keeping our cherished clients fully informed on every aspect of the diamond market.

So, what exactly is the GIA's role, what are these latest changes, and most importantly, what does it mean for your journey to finding the perfect diamond?

First, A Bit of Context: What is the GIA?

The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) stands as the world’s most trusted and respected diamond grading authority. They are the creators of the universally accepted 4Cs system—Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat Weight—a meticulous methodology that provides a consistent and objective assessment of a diamond’s quality. For decades, their grading reports have been the undisputed gold standard, offering unparalleled transparency and confidence to consumers worldwide.

For a period, as the lab-grown diamond market matured, the GIA began issuing full 4Cs grading for these stones, mirroring the reports for natural diamonds. This move aimed to provide consistency in a growing segment of the industry. However, the market, and the very nature of lab-grown production, has continued to evolve rapidly, prompting GIA to refine its approach once more.

The Latest Shift: What’s Changing for GIA Lab-Grown Reports (from late 2025)?

Beginning later in 2025 (as announced on June 2, 2025), the GIA is making a significant change to how they report on lab-grown diamonds. They will no longer use the precise colour and clarity nomenclature (like D-Z for colour or FL-I3 for clarity) that they developed for natural diamonds.

Instead, GIA will now use descriptive terms to characterise the quality of laboratory-grown diamonds. These will typically fall into one of two categories: 'premium' or 'standard,' based on a combination of metrics related to their colour, clarity, and finish. If a lab-grown diamond fails to meet GIA's minimum quality standards, it will not receive a designation from them.

Why is the GIA Evolving Its Approach Again?

This latest change by the GIA is a response to the rapid expansion and unique characteristics of the lab-grown diamond market. As Tom Moses, GIA Executive Vice President and Chief Laboratory and Research Officer, noted, "More than 95% of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of colour and clarity."

The GIA developed its universally accepted colour and clarity scales in the 1940s to describe the vast and continuous spectrum of characteristics found in natural diamonds. This new descriptive system for lab-grown diamonds aims to:

• Reflect the Manufactured Product: Acknowledge that lab-grown diamonds, being manufactured, tend to cluster within a much narrower, higher-quality range of colour and clarity.
• Prevent Consumer Confusion: Clearly differentiate the two products based on their origin, ensuring that consumers understand the inherent differences between a mass-produced item and a rare natural wonder. This helps maintain confidence in both sectors by providing distinct, relevant assessment methods.

It’s crucial to understand that even with this change, the GIA will still clearly label whether a diamond is lab-grown or natural on every report. Furthermore, a laser inscription on the diamond's girdle will continue to unambiguously state its origin.

Beyond GIA: Are the GIA the only diamond certifiers? 

No, GIA is certainly not the only diamond certifier globally. There are many other reputable companies that grade diamonds, including the International Gemological Institute (IGI). Both GIA and IGI are highly respected authorities, known for their high standards in grading diamonds.

At Morgan & Co, we meticulously source our diamonds to offer you the best options available. We generally purchase GIA-graded diamonds for our natural stone selections. For our lab-grown diamonds, we source from both GIA and IGI, though we predominantly rely on IGI when sourcing lab-grown diamonds.

Is IGI Changing Their Lab-Grown Grading Approach?

As of now, there has been no public announcement from IGI indicating they will change their grading methodology for lab-grown diamonds in the same way GIA plans to. IGI continues to be a major player in grading lab-growns using the standard 4Cs terminology (Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat Weight), alongside clear origin disclosure. This means that for the lab-grown diamonds we predominantly source through IGI, our process for selecting and presenting your forever lab-grown diamond will see very little, if any, immediate change.

What Does This Mean for Morgan & Co Clients?

At Morgan & Co, located here in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, our foundational philosophy revolves around crafting exquisite jewellery that truly embodies your unique story. We believe in empowering our clients with knowledge and offering the best options available to create your perfect piece. To serve your diverse preferences, we proudly source both natural diamonds (cherished for their inherent rarity, proven value retention, and undeniable status as enduring heirlooms) and lab-grown diamonds (celebrated for their accessible brilliance and ethical origins).

Here’s what these evolving GIA changes, and our sourcing strategy, mean for you:

1. GIA Reports for Lab-Growns: A Shift in Terminology: If you encounter lab-grown options from sources utilising GIA's new reporting system, you will see descriptive terms ('premium'/'standard') rather than precise 4Cs grades. This highlights GIA's intention to differentiate grading terminology based on origin.
2. Consistent 4Cs with IGI for Lab-Growns: Since we predominantly source IGI certified diamonds for our lab-grown diamonds, you can expect continued consistency. IGI will still provide the detailed 4Cs grading (Cut, Colour, Clarity, Carat Weight) on their lab-grown reports, ensuring clear, consistent information about your chosen lab-grown diamond's qualities.
3. The Critical Importance of Origin Verification: Regardless of the certifier or the diamond's origin, it remains absolutely vital to verify your diamond's source. Every diamond we source at Morgan & Co comes with a verified grading report. For natural diamonds, this will be a GIA Natural Diamond Grading Report. For lab-grown diamonds, it will predominantly be an IGI report, clearly stating "LABORATORY GROWN." We are always delighted to sit with you in our Buderim studio, walk you through your certificate, explain every detail, and ensure complete transparency about your stone’s unique journey.
4. Informed Investment & Enduring Value: The GIA’s updated approach, alongside IGI's consistency, further clarifies the fundamental differences between natural and lab-grown diamonds in terms of market dynamics and long-term value retention. While lab-grown diamonds offer incredible brilliance at an accessible price point, natural diamonds retain their inherent rarity, historical significance, and proven value over time. As the diamond market continues to evolve, working with a trusted expert like our team at Morgan & Co becomes even more important. We help you navigate these nuances, understand the long-term implications for both natural and lab-grown options, and ensure your investment perfectly aligns with your values and expectations.

Final Thoughts

The GIA’s updated grading reports reflect the dynamic nature of the diamond market and underscore their commitment to clear, science-based distinctions. At Morgan & Co, we will continue to monitor all changes brought in by leading certifiers like GIA and IGI, constantly educating ourselves on what this looks like for the diamonds we source for our clients.

For us, these evolutions simply reinforce the core values that have always guided our craft: a belief in natural, lasting beauty, integrity in sourcing for both natural and lab-grown options, and creating jewellery that holds deep meaning and enduring value for generations.

If you’re navigating the world of diamonds—whether you’re curious about lab-growns or natural stones—our experienced team is here to help you understand every aspect of your choice.

Book a private consultation at our Buderim studio to explore bespoke designs crafted with exceptional natural or lab-grown diamonds—each one sourced with the utmost care, selected with purpose, and destined to be a cherished heirloom.

With Love,
Morgan xo