RAPAPORT… The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has discovered a 6.18-carat synthetic diamond that fraudsters had misrepresented as natural by falsely pairing it with a mined-diamond grading report.
“This is the largest lab-grown diamond ever certified by a leading gemological laboratory where the sole purpose was to pass off a lab-grown stone as natural,” Bob Van Es, IGI managing director for Thailand and Hong Kong, said Wednesday.
A client submitted the round brilliant-cut loose stone to IGI’s Thailand lab for verification purposes. It came with a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for a natural, D-flawless diamond, but had in fact been cut with “meticulous precision” to match the data on that report, IGI noted. The stone was also inscribed with a fake GIA laser number corresponding to the certificate.
IGI has noted a rise in consumers sending diamonds to a second lab for checking, which can help avoid getting duped by fraudsters.
“At IGI, we have seen a huge increase in double-verification demand, which means before going for a major purchase, consumers like to receive confirmation that the stone matches the original report,” Van Es noted.
Image: Diamond grading. (International Gemological Institute)
IGI Identifies 6ct. Lab-Grown Submitted as Natural
The Bottom Line
- IGI identified a 6.18-carat synthetic diamond falsely paired with a natural diamond grading report from GIA.
- The lab-grown stone was inscribed with a fake GIA laser number and cut to match the natural diamond certificate.
- Consumer demand for double verification of diamond authenticity has significantly increased, according to IGI.
More Stories
AGTA Elects New Board Members
The four incoming directors will start their term in February 2027.
Signet Sales Slide in Second Quarter
Revenue down 0.5% year on year to $1.53 billion for the period.
Phillips Names New Jewelry Specialist in Italy
Gaia Maffioli brings 15 years of experience to the role.
