A 6.18-carat round brilliant-cut stone submitted to the International Gemological Institute (IGI) as a mined diamond has been revealed as lab-grown.
The loose stone was submitted to the institute’s Thailand laboratory for verification purposes, IGI reports, and was accompanied by a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certificate stating it was a natural, D-colour diamond with flawless clarity and triple excellent cut.
While qualities of the stone closely corresponded to the GIA report, IGI’s gemmologists were able to ascertain the diamond was lab-grown and had been cut and polished specifically to match the data on the report. To further the deception, the diamond was inscribed with a fake laser number, IGI says.
“This is the largest lab-grown diamond ever certified by a leading gemmological laboratory, where the sole purpose was to pass off a lab-grown stone as natural,” says IGI Thailand and Hong Kong managing director, Bob Van Es. “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 the stone matches the original report.”
“A second opinion ensures the integrity of diamonds through detailed analysis, which is an extra, necessary buffer that protects consumers from purchasing misrepresented gemstones,” adds IGI’s chief executive officer, Roland Lorie. “As fraud becomes more apparent, IGI continues to demonstrate its expertise in identifying this malpractice and serving as the end authority for consumers to trust that Institute-certified jewellery is accurately graded and analyzed.”
