Lab-grown diamonds
IGI now grades most of the lab-grown stones we see
IGI has overtaken GIA as the most common grading lab behind lab-grown parcels reaching us, though GIA still leads for natural stones.
Imperial Star Gems trade desk1 min read
Most lab-grown parcels now arrive with an IGI report rather than a GIA one; natural stones remain mostly GIA.
- Across our recent lab-grown intake, IGI reports outnumber GIA reports by a wide margin.
- Natural stones show the opposite pattern: GIA remains the more common report by far.
- Turnaround time is the main driver — IGI has expanded lab-grown capacity faster than demand has grown, keeping wait times short.
The two labs use the same grading scales, so a VS1 from one reads the same as a VS1 from the other; see grading report, GIA and IGI for what each report actually certifies. What differs is resale familiarity: buyers researching lab-grown are now just as used to seeing IGI. See lab-grown stones in stock.
Market commentary drawn from publicly available market data and trade reporting, not investment advice. Prices move; figures are indicative and correct as of the date above.