The Gemological Institute of America is spotting more undisclosed lab-grown diamonds at its grading labs, says Tom Moses, executive vice president of GIA laboratory and research.
“There clearly has been an increase in [undisclosed synthetics],” Moses tells JCK. “I can’t tell you how much the increase has been, but we have seen more in smaller sizes and in colored diamonds. This makes sense; they are being made more by more people. It’s only natural we would see an increase.”
GIA spokesperson Stephen Morisseau adds: “The quantity of undisclosed synthetics remains a very small proportion of the diamonds submitted to GIA for grading and identification.”
Moses says on at least one occasion, law enforcement has contacted GIA about the issue.
“There was an international event that drew their attention,” he says. “They took the information and the remainder of the inventory.”
Moses’ comments mark a turn from past GIA comments, which have generally held that the amount of undisclosed synthetic diamonds spotted at the lab has remained constant.
The Surat Diamond Association, which represents the trade in Surat, India, has confirmed press reports that undisclosed man-made diamonds have been spotted there.
“We have informed the concerned authorities to take the necessary action,” a spokesperson tells JCK.
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