IGI lab grown diamond reports provide individual colour and clarity grades, while GIA's laboratory-grown diamond assessment introduced in 2025 uses overall Premium or Standard quality categories. Both identify laboratory-grown origin, but older GIA reports can contain individual grades, so compare the report type and issue date rather than the laboratory name alone.
IGI vs GIA lab grown diamond reports at a glance
IGI stands for International Gemological Institute, and GIA stands for Gemological Institute of America. Both examine diamonds independently of the retailer; their documents describe the submitted stone rather than guarantee its selling price or future value.
| Feature | IGI laboratory-grown diamond report | GIA laboratory-grown diamond assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Origin identification | Identifies the diamond as laboratory grown. | Identifies the diamond as laboratory grown. |
| Colour and clarity | Lists individual grades, such as D colour and VVS2 clarity. | The assessment introduced in 2025 uses Premium or Standard categories instead of individual colour and clarity grades. |
| Weight and dimensions | Records carat weight, shape and measurements. | Records carat weight, shape and measurements. |
| Cut and finish | Records applicable cut and finish information; an overall cut grade is not available for every shape. | Cut and finish form part of the assessment criteria; do not assume the document provides the same individual grades as an IGI report. |
| Growth and treatment information | Laboratory-grown reports commonly disclose growth method and information about post-growth treatment. | Disclosure differs between historical report formats and the newer assessment. Read the actual document. |
| Online verification | Check the number through IGI's official report verification service. | Check the number through GIA Report Check. |
| Inscription | Check the report's inscription entry and match it to the stone where present. | The newer assessment service includes a laboratory-grown identification inscription and assessment number. |
This comparison concerns laboratory-grown diamonds, not natural-diamond reports. A newer GIA assessment and an older GIA grading report are different documents, even though both come from the same laboratory.
What each document tells you about diamond quality
IGI: individual grades for detailed comparisons
An IGI laboratory-grown diamond report typically records carat weight, colour, clarity, measurements, polish, symmetry and relevant comments. Cut information depends on the diamond's shape and the report service, so an oval or emerald-cut diamond should not be expected to have the same overall cut grading as a round brilliant.
For example, the description of this 1.00 ct D VVS2 oval lab grown diamond gives separate weight, colour and clarity specifications. Those specifications illustrate the detail buyers should match against the actual report before purchase.
GIA: distinguish older grades from newer categories
GIA introduced its Premium and Standard laboratory-grown diamond quality assessment in 2025, replacing its previous grading approach for eligible new submissions. These categories combine quality criteria rather than expressing colour and clarity as separate grades.
Older GIA laboratory-grown diamond reports may still show individual colour and clarity grades. Their age alone does not make them invalid, but a Premium assessment should not be translated into one exact colour and clarity combination.
Neither document replaces viewing the diamond
A laboratory report does not fully describe how a diamond looks in different lighting. Compare clear photographs or video for light return, visible inclusions and shape-specific features, such as an oval diamond's bow-tie pattern.
Neither laboratory name alone proves that one diamond is more attractive or better value. For an AED price comparison, also account for weight, dimensions, quality information, gold purity, setting and the seller's terms.
Growth method and post-growth treatment
Laboratory-grown diamonds are produced using high pressure high temperature, known as HPHT, or chemical vapour deposition, known as CVD. Some undergo post-growth treatment to modify colour; growth method and later treatment are separate pieces of information.
Read the report's comments rather than assuming that CVD means untreated or that HPHT identifies a particular quality level. Neither growth method alone establishes appearance, value or environmental impact, and a grading report is not an environmental certification.
How to verify a report number and laser inscription
Online verification checks whether a laboratory has a record corresponding to the number provided. It does not, by itself, prove that the diamond being sold is the diamond described in that record.
- Request a complete, legible report or assessment before payment, including its number and issue date.
- Open the issuing laboratory's official website independently. Use IGI report verification or GIA Report Check, rather than relying only on a seller's screenshot or QR code.
- Enter the number and any additional details requested. Match the returned shape, weight, measurements and quality information against the supplied document.
- Check the inscription entry. Ask a jeweller to inspect the diamond's girdle, the narrow edge between its upper and lower sections, under suitable magnification.
- Confirm that the visible inscription matches the laboratory record. If details conflict or the inscription cannot be inspected, request clarification or independent examination before proceeding.
A laser inscription is microscopic and normally cannot be read with the unaided eye. A setting can obscure it, and a matching inscription is an identification aid rather than a substitute for gemmological examination when authenticity is in doubt.
What UAE buyers should request with IGI certified lab grown diamonds
For shoppers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, the practical priority is to establish which diamonds each document covers. A centre-diamond report does not automatically grade the smaller diamonds, verify the gold or state the finished jewellery's total diamond weight.
Every Buvea piece with a centre diamond comes with an IGI certificate for that centre diamond, a separate IGI report covering the smaller diamonds and a gold certificate. These documents have different purposes; a report covering smaller diamonds should not be assumed to provide an individual loose-stone report for every accent diamond.
Buvea Jewels is based at Office 203, Al Buteen Building 2, Gold Souk Gate 1, Deira, Dubai, with no other store locations. Prices are in AED, with free UAE delivery in 3-5 business days and 15-day returns; retain the reports and purchase documents together.
Frequently asked questions
Does GIA still give individual grades for lab grown diamonds?
GIA's laboratory-grown diamond assessment introduced in 2025 uses Premium or Standard categories rather than individual colour and clarity grades. Older GIA laboratory-grown reports can show individual grades, so check the document type and issue date.
Can an IGI certificate or report number be copied?
Yes. A genuine report number can be copied onto a misleading document or used for a different stone, so verify the laboratory record and match the diamond's characteristics and inscription where present.
Does IGI certification make a lab grown diamond cheaper than GIA?
A laboratory name alone does not determine retail price. Compare the actual quality information, weight, dimensions, setting and seller terms; a price difference is not evidence of an equivalent difference in diamond quality.
Is a diamond grading report an insurance valuation?
No. A grading report or quality assessment describes the examined diamond, while an insurance valuation estimates a monetary amount under stated conditions and may cover the complete jewellery item.
To see these documents with a finished ring, browse our solitaire engagement rings, where each centre diamond comes with its own IGI certificate, or read more about IGI certified Lab Grown Diamond jewellery at Buvea.
