The Gemological Institute in America (
GIA) was established in 1931. It was founded to invest in gemological research, to provide education and laboratory services and to protect every diamond and gemstone consumer. In the 1950s the GIA introduced diamond certification to the diamond industry. Today, the GIA’s diamond grading reports are the most popular and internationally recognized. Along with their colorless diamond grading services, the GIA also offers a variety of grading reports for colored diamonds, synthetic diamonds and colored gemstones. The GIA offers two different diamond documents for colorless diamonds: a Diamond Grading Report and a Diamond Dossier.
GIA Diamond Grading Report® The GIA Diamond Grading Report® assesses all of the characteristics of untreated colorless diamonds (D-Z grade) that weigh at least .15 carats. It includes a clarity characteristics plot as well as a diagram of the diamond’s proportions. Only round brilliant diamonds receive a cut grade. The following list outlines the specific details that can be found on a GIA diamond grading report.
Date: Date of evaluation.
Report Number: Each report is issued a GIA number registered in their database.
Laser Inscription: Clients can request their diamond be laser inscribed with its GIA report number.
Shape and Cutting Style: The shape, form or outline or the diamond as well as the style of its facet cutting style. Ex: Round Brilliant, Pear-Shaped Modified Brilliant, Rectangular Asscher Cut.
Measurements: Round diamonds’ measurements in millimeters are listed as “minimum diameter- maximum diameter x depth” while rectangular or other fancy shaped diamonds are listed in millimeters as “length x width x depth”.
Carat Weight: Weight of diamond in carats.
Color Grade: An evaluation of the absence of color in the diamond according to the GIA grading scale (D-Z) when compared to a master stone.
Clarity Grade: An evaluation of the internal and external clarity characteristics in the diamond according to the GIA grading scale when examined under a 10x magnifying loupe.
Cut Grade (For Round Brilliant Diamonds Only): An evaluation of the cut quality of round brilliant diamonds.
Finish:
Polish: Smoothness of the surface of the diamond graded from Excellent to Poor.
Symmetry: The diamonds overall shape and outline, facet evenness, and facet alignment graded from Excellent to Poor.
Fluorescence: Intensity of glowing color emitted when diamond is viewed under a UV light. Graded from None to Very Strong.
Comments: Any additional pertinent information about the diamond.
Additional Inscription: Clients can have their logo, brand name, or other text/graphics inserted here.
Clarity Characteristics Map: A diagram approximating the shape and cutting style of the diamond when viewed from above and below. Color coded symbols indicate the size, location and nature of clarity characteristics in the stone.
Proportions Diagram:
GIA Color and Clarity Scale:
GIA Diamond Dossier®The GIA issues a Diamond Dossier for diamonds that weight between .15 and 1.99 carats. As a security feature, a very small inscription of the certificate serial number is imprinted by laser along the girdle of your diamond. The GIA Diamond Dossier® analyses and evaluates the same diamond characteristics as the GIA Diamond Certificate aside from the plotted clarity characteristics map. Please refer to the GIA Diamond Grading Report® description above for a more specific overview of each diamond characteristic and its analysis.
