The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will this year open a laboratory in Surat, and expand its operations in Antwerp to include diamond grading.
The GIA has secured premises for the two locations, and expects to open both in the second quarter, it said Monday.
The Surat laboratory will bring the GIA’s services — including its Melee Analysis Service for detecting synthetics — closer to companies in that important manufacturing hub, the organization noted. In Antwerp, it will introduce diamond-grading services, and increase capacity for its mine-to-market (M2M) program, which matches rough diamonds to their resulting polished, the lab said.
“Expanding our facility in Antwerp, and opening a new location in Surat, continues GIA’s mission-driven effort to bring our research-based laboratory services for diamonds, colored stones and pearls ever closer to our clients,” said Tom Moses, the GIA’s executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.
Clients will be able to drop off goods for every service at both the Surat and Antwerp labs, the GIA added.
Image: Valerie Power/GIA
Source: Diamonds.net