The International Gemological Institute said it will open a Los Angeles diamond laboratory on October 1.

Jerry Ehrenwald, IGI president, has named Marcello Bustamante managing director of IGI Los Angeles. Bustamante, a graduate gemologist and a 15-year IGI veteran, will oversee day-to-day operations.

The 1,625 square-foot laboratory will be located at 550 South Hill Street in the Los Angeles Diamond District. The lab will be a full-service facility servicing both jewelers and consumers. IGI Los Angeles will offer diamond and gemstone appraisal, certification and testing reports on both loose stones and finished jewelry as well as Laserscribe services. Laserscribe is the Institute’s U.S. patented diamond and jewelry laser inscription service, which is invisible to the naked eye.

According to Ehrenwald, IGI is opening the Los Angeles lab in response to a substantial increase in IGI’s west coast client base over the last 18 months. With the opening of the Los Angeles lab, west coast clients can now expect to receive IGI reports within three to four business days.

“Our commitment to our clients led to the opening of the IGI Los Angeles lab,” Ehrenwald said. “With labs in both the New York and Los Angeles Diamond Districts, we are meeting the needs of our clients coast-to-coast.”

The Institute adheres to the one internationally accepted system for diamond grading. IGI’s services include: Laserscribe, diamond reports, colored stone reports, identification and appraisal reports, and diamond and colored stone courses offered through IGI’s School of Gemology.

JCK