Gemmological Science International (GSI), a renowned authority in diamond and jewellery certification, has issued a cautionary alert regarding a concerning surge in undisclosed laboratory-grown coloured diamonds infiltrating natural diamond jewellery, masquerading as their natural counterparts.
Debbie Azar, President and Co-Founder of GSI, highlights the recent uptick in laboratory-grown coloured diamonds, particularly in shades of brown, yellow, and pink, being interspersed with natural-coloured diamonds in jewellery pieces. She underscores the challenge posed by the predominant focus of existing jewellery screening equipment on white near-colourless diamonds, which renders the detection of coloured lab-grown diamonds more challenging.
GSI employs a distinctive screening and detection process for finished diamond jewellery, leveraging specialized knowledge, advanced equipment, and recently integrated AI-enabled technology to identify undisclosed laboratory-grown coloured diamonds effectively.
Several of the undisclosed laboratory-grown coloured diamonds flagged by GSI were categorized as Type IIA with a single nitrogen, with sizes ranging from melee to as large as 1ct, all mounted in jewellery settings. Some instances revealed intentional cutting of lab-grown diamonds to mimic natural diamonds, featuring characteristics such as severe fractures, pinpoint clouds, polished-over “naturals,” and distinct brown grain lines, closely resembling those found in natural diamonds, thus potentially eluding standard gemmological observation.
GSI emphasizes the critical importance of employing proper processes, equipment, and expertise when identifying diamonds to maintain the integrity of the industry. The continuous advancement in diamond growth technology enables growers to increasingly replicate natural diamonds with greater success. However, GSI remains at the forefront of testing and detecting undisclosed lab-grown diamonds in finished jewellery, ensuring industry integrity.
As the sole major laboratory offering screening and detection for finished diamond jewellery globally and at scale, GSI screens millions of diamonds annually, reinforcing its commitment to upholding industry standards and consumer trust.
