GIA and IGI Overhaul Lab-Grown Diamond Grading: What It Means for Engagement Rings in 2025 - Future Jewelry

GIA and IGI Overhaul Lab-Grown Diamond Grading: What It Means for Engagement Rings in 2025

Quick answer: Only GIA changed. Since October 1, 2025, GIA no longer gives lab-grown diamonds natural-diamond color and clarity grades; it classifies them as Premium or Standard. IGI still grades lab-grown diamonds on the 4Cs, so for an engagement ring you will usually compare IGI 4Cs reports.

The world of lab grown diamonds is experiencing a seismic shift in 2025. One of the most respected authorities in diamond grading, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), has changed how it assesses and reports on lab grown diamonds, while the International Gemological Institute (IGI) continues to grade them on the 4Cs. This move is set to reshape how consumers, retailers, and the industry at large perceive lab grown engagement rings.

Why Did GIA Change Its Grading?

From late 2020, GIA described lab grown color and clarity on the same scale as GIA grading reports for natural diamonds, and IGI lab-grown reports provide 4Cs assessments. This gave buyers a familiar way to compare stones, whether mined or lab created. GIA concluded that specific grades were less useful for lab grown stones because most fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity.

The New Grading System: “Premium” and “Standard”

GIA announced on June 2, 2025 that it would use descriptive terms to characterize the quality of lab grown diamonds, and its revised service for D-to-Z stones launched October 1, 2025. GIA now classifies each laboratory-grown diamond as Premium or Standard, and a stone that does not meet the minimum for Standard will not receive a GIA assessment. IGI has not adopted this system and still grades lab grown diamonds on the 4Cs. Existing GIA lab-grown reports remain valid.

The change reflects how tightly clustered lab grown quality has become, thanks to controlled manufacturing processes. Note that Premium is a high bar: it requires D color and VVS clarity or better, with Excellent polish and symmetry.

Why Is Lab Grown Quality So Consistent?
Lab grown diamonds are created in highly controlled environments using either Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) methods. These processes allow manufacturers to produce diamonds of consistent quality, often with help from treatment after growth.

• Color: Many CVD diamonds are treated at HPHT conditions afterward to remove any brown coloration; since 2020 about 80% of CVD diamonds submitted to GIA had post-growth processing.

• Clarity: Grades still vary from stone to stone, which is why GIA keeps a Standard tier down to VS clarity.

• Consistency: The controlled environment means fewer flaws and more predictable results.
Because Premium requires D color, many good lab grown diamonds will be classed Standard under the new system.

What Do GIA and IGI Reports Look Like Now?

Instead of detailed breakdowns of color and clarity, a GIA lab grown assessment states whether a stone is Premium or Standard, and each stone is laser inscribed with the term “Laboratory-Grown”. IGI reports still list cut, color, clarity and carat.

• Premium: D color, VVS clarity or better, Excellent polish and symmetry (Excellent cut for rounds).

• Standard: At least E-to-J color, VS clarity, and Very Good polish and symmetry.

• No Assessment: For stones that don’t meet the Standard minimums.

What Does This Mean for Engagement Rings?

If you’re shopping for a lab grown diamond engagement ring, this change is good news:

• Simplicity: A GIA-assessed stone gives you a one-word quality tier instead of separate color and clarity grades.

• More detail with IGI: If you want exact color and clarity grades, an IGI report still provides them, which is how our lab-grown diamond engagement rings are certified.

• Transparency: Reports will clearly state the diamond’s status, making comparisons easier.

The Bottom Line

Lab grown diamonds keep rising in popularity: 61% of couples married in 2025 chose a lab grown engagement ring. GIA's change signals a new era in which its lab grown grading moves away from natural-diamond scales, while IGI keeps the familiar 4Cs.
If you’re considering a lab grown diamond engagement ring, check which lab issued the report and what it says: on a GIA assessment, “Premium” means D color and VVS clarity or better.

Sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is an IGI or GIA report better for a lab grown engagement ring?

It depends on how much detail you want. IGI still lists exact cut, color, clarity and carat grades on its lab grown reports, while GIA now gives a single Premium or Standard tier. If you want to compare specific color and clarity grades between stones, an IGI report gives you more detail.

What are the requirements for a GIA Standard lab grown diamond?

A GIA Standard lab grown diamond needs at least E to J color, VS clarity, and Very Good polish and symmetry. Premium requires D color, VVS clarity or better, and Excellent polish and symmetry. Stones below the Standard minimums do not receive a GIA assessment at all.

Are lab grown diamonds treated after growth?

Many are. Many CVD diamonds are treated at HPHT conditions after growth to remove brown coloration, and since 2020 about 80% of CVD diamonds submitted to GIA had post-growth processing. The treated stone is still a real diamond, and grading reports help document what you are buying.

Why are lab grown diamonds so consistent in quality?

Because they are grown in highly controlled environments using CVD or HPHT methods. That control means fewer flaws and more predictable results, and GIA notes that most lab grown diamonds fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity, which is why it moved to broader tiers.

Does a lab grown diamond engagement ring come with a certificate?

It should, especially for larger stones. A grading report from a lab such as IGI or GIA confirms the stone is lab grown and documents its quality. At Future Jewelry, lab grown diamonds of 2 carats and up come IGI or GIA certified.