What Is GIA Certification for Lab Grown Diamonds

Yes, GIA does certify lab grown diamonds, but their reports clearly identify them as "laboratory grown" rather than natural diamonds. This certification provides the same rigorous grading standards, ensuring authenticity and quality for your investment.

Understanding these key points helps you make informed decisions:

• GIA began issuing lab grown diamond reports in 2007 with updated policies
• Lab grown certificates include identical 4Cs grading plus origin identification
• Professional certification protects your investment and ensures diamond authenticity
• GIA reports distinguish lab grown diamonds clearly to prevent marketplace confusion

Mikado Diamonds specializes in custom engagement rings featuring properly certified lab grown diamonds from GIA and IGI. 

Our expert-guided process includes diamond selection first, custom design renderings, transparent pricing, and personalized touches that reflect your unique love story while ensuring every stone comes with legitimate professional certification.

Certification confusion can lead to costly purchasing mistakes. Keep reading to discover exactly what GIA reports reveal about lab grown diamonds.

Does GIA Certify Lab Grown Diamonds?

Yes, GIA absolutely grades lab grown diamonds, but with an important distinction. Since 2007, GIA has issued reports for laboratory grown diamonds, clearly marking them as "Laboratory Grown Diamond" on the certificate rather than simply "Diamond."

This distinction matters because it maintains transparency between natural and lab grown stones while providing the same rigorous grading standards you expect from GIA.

What GIA Reports Actually Say About Lab Grown Diamonds

GIA's lab grown diamond reports include all the same quality assessments as natural diamond certificates:

• The 4 Cs grading (Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat weight)
• Detailed plotting diagrams showing inclusions and blemishes
• Proportions and measurements for accuracy verification
• Growth method identification (CVD or HPHT process)

The key difference is the clear "Laboratory Grown Diamond" designation at the top of the report. GIA also laser inscribes the girdle with the report number and "LG" to identify it as lab grown.

Timeline: When GIA Started Certifying Lab Grown Diamonds

• 2007: GIA began issuing identification reports for lab grown diamonds
• 2016: Expanded to full grading reports with complete 4 Cs analysis
• 2019: Started color grading for fancy colored lab grown diamonds

This progression shows GIA's recognition that lab grown diamonds deserve the same professional evaluation standards as natural stones.

What GIA Lab Grown Diamond Reports Actually Tell You

GIA lab grown diamond reports contain the same detailed grading information as natural diamond certificates, but with one crucial difference: they're clearly marked as "laboratory grown" to distinguish them from mined diamonds.

GIA applies identical grading standards to lab grown diamonds as they do for natural stones:

• Cut Grade: Evaluates proportions, symmetry, and polish using the same Excellent to Poor scale
• Color Grade: Uses the traditional D-Z color scale, with D being colorless
• Clarity Grade: Assesses inclusions and blemishes from Flawless to I3
• Carat Weight: Measured to the hundredth of a carat with precision scales

The grading process is identical because lab grown diamonds have the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds. 

We see this consistency when working with our clients on custom engagement rings featuring lab grown diamonds over 3 carats, where GIA's rigorous standards ensure the same quality expectations are met.

For lab-grown diamonds, GIA does not issue a physical paper grading report; instead, the diamond is laser-inscribed on the girdle with its unique GIA report number, ensuring permanent identification and traceability. This inscription allows the diamond to be confidently matched to its official grading details at any time, and the complete GIA Laboratory-Grown Diamond Report can be securely viewed online by entering the report number at https://www.gia.edu/report-check-landing, providing the same authoritative information on cut, color, clarity, and carat weight without the need for a printed document.

Why GIA Certification Matters for Your Lab Grown Diamond Purchase

When you're investing thousands of dollars in a lab grown diamond, professional certification is your guarantee that what you're buying matches exactly what you're paying for.

How GIA Certification Protects Your Diamond Investment

GIA certification serves as an independent verification system that eliminates guesswork from your purchase. Without this professional grading, you're essentially trusting a seller's word about your diamond's quality characteristics.

The detailed analysis means you know exactly what you're purchasing, whether you're selecting a 3-carat round lab grown diamond or exploring unique shapes like oval or emerald cuts.

The certification also protects against common purchasing mistakes like confusing lab grown diamonds with diamond simulants or paying premium prices for average quality stones.

Finding Your Perfect Certified Diamond

Understanding GIA certification for lab grown diamonds is just the first step in making an informed purchase decision. Without proper certification from recognized authorities like GIA or IGI, you risk overpaying for lower quality stones or questioning the authenticity of your investment.

That's why Mikado Diamonds specializes in providing complete transparency with every lab grown diamond, offering both GIA and IGI certified stones with detailed grading reports you can trust. Our collection features certified lab grown diamonds in popular shapes like oval, radiant, and emerald, plus rare cuts like kite and hexagonal, all with clear documentation of their quality characteristics.

Browse our certified lab grown diamond collection today and discover how professional certification combined with our custom design expertise creates the perfect engagement ring with complete confidence in your choice.