The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) reaffirms its commitment to providing precise and comprehensive grading for all diamonds, including laboratory-grown stones. This approach ensures consistency, transparency, and informed decision-making across the industry.
While the GIA has announced it will introduce a simplified classification system for lab-grown diamonds — using the categories “Premium” and “Standard” — the DCLA will maintain its tradition of detailed grading across the full range of quality characteristics. This includes reporting actual colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight for every diamond submitted, regardless of its origin.
The GIA’s new system, expected later this year, will group lab-grown diamonds based on overall appearance and finish, with certificates including carat and cut details but without specific colour and clarity grades.
DCLA recognises that both natural and laboratory-grown diamonds hold unique value and significance. By continuing to offer full grading reports, the DCLA supports both the trade and consumers in understanding and appreciating the distinct qualities of each stone.
At DCLA, we believe that consumers and the trade deserve full and detailed grading information, regardless of the diamond’s origin. Misrepresentation and confusion are more likely to arise when simplified or vague grading systems are used — especially as laboratory-grown diamonds become more prevalent in the market.
As Australia’s official CIBJO laboratory, DCLA remains dedicated to upholding the highest international standards in diamond certification and grading.
Sotheby’s New York is set to host an extraordinary High Jewellery auction on 13 June, featuring 110 remarkable lots — many of them centred around colourless and fancy coloured diamonds. This exclusive sale not only showcases some of the most important stones on the market today but also brings to light jewellery with historic provenance, including pieces from the Vanderbilt and Wade families, and a private collection chronicling a decades-long romance.
The Crown Jewel: 35.01ct Graff Diamond Ring Leading the sale is a breathtaking 35.01-carat emerald-cut diamond ring from luxury jeweller Graff. This D-colour, VVS2 clarity diamond is described as “highly important,” and is expected to fetch between USD $2 million and $3 million (approximately AUD $3 million to $4.5 million). It’s one of 13 spectacular jewels from a private collection titled Joie de Vivre: Journey in Jewels — a tribute to a husband’s enduring love, with each piece gifted to his wife throughout a 60-year marriage.
Another standout from the same collection is a pair of emerald and diamond earclips by Graff, boasting four sugarloaf cabochon emeralds weighing a total of approximately 84 carats. These exceptional earrings carry a presale estimate of USD $800,000 – $1.5 million.
Additional highlights from this private collection include:
An aquamarine and diamond bracelet: USD $40,000 – $60,000
A jade and diamond pendant-brooch, circa 1910s: USD $25,000 – $35,000
Fancy Colours Steal the Spotlight The number two lot of the sale is a striking 5.02-carat fancy pink diamond ring with VS2 clarity, estimated at USD $1.5 million – $2.5 million. Following closely is a 2.02-carat fancy vivid blue diamond ring, cut in a modified rectangular mixed style, with an estimate of USD $1.4 million – $1.8 million.
Also drawing significant attention is a pair of flawless D-colour pear-shaped diamonds weighing 10.32 and 10.11 carats respectively. Both diamonds are rated “excellent” in polish and symmetry, with a combined estimate of USD $1.1 million – $1.5 million.
American Legacy: Vanderbilt and Wade Family Heirlooms Among the historic highlights is a ruby and diamond sautoir by Marcus & Co., dating back to circa 1915. The centrepiece is a 9.60-carat unheated Burmese ruby, surrounded by old European-cut diamonds and accented with calibre-cut rubies. This important jewel is estimated at USD $1 million – $2 million and once belonged to Emily Vanderbilt Wade, the great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt and daughter of Rhode Island Governor William Henry Vanderbilt III.
Three other Vanderbilt Wade jewels will also go under the hammer:
Cartier Art Deco diamond bracelet: Estimated at USD $60,000 – $80,000
Rene Lalique Art Nouveau pendant: Crafted from gold, enamel, emerald and pearl, circa 1900, with an estimate of USD $20,000 – $30,000
Multistone tassel sautoir: Featuring rubies, emeralds, pearls, diamonds and enamel, and possibly designed by Paulding Farnham of Tiffany & Co., with an estimate of USD $40,000 – $60,000
A Rare Opportunity for Collectors and Connoisseurs This Sotheby’s auction is not only a chance to acquire some of the world’s most exquisite diamonds and gemstones but also to own a piece of history. With provenance linking to America’s most prominent families and jewellery houses such as Graff, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co., the pieces represent both artistic excellence and emotional legacy.
For collectors, investors, and jewellery lovers alike, 13 June will mark a significant date on the global jewellery calendar.
In a landmark decision that will reverberate through the global diamond industry, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) the world’s foremost authority in gemology—has announced it will no longer use its internationally recognized 4Cs grading system for laboratory-grown diamonds. Instead, beginning later this year, lab-grown diamonds submitted to GIA will receive simplified descriptors—categorized broadly as either “premium” or “standard”—or no grade at all if the quality is subpar.
While GIA’s move to redefine lab grown diamond grading might sound like a simple nomenclature change, it’s much more than that. This move marks a definitive moment in the ongoing separation of natural diamonds from lab-grown diamonds. It confirms what many in the industry have long known: lab-grown diamonds are not the same as natural diamonds and should not be treated as such.
Why the 4Cs Is Essential for Natural Diamonds
GIA created the 4Cs—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight—as a rigorous system to help consumers understand the unique and complex qualities of natural diamonds. No two natural diamonds are exactly alike. They are rare geological miracles forged deep within the Earth over billions of years, each carrying a singular fingerprint from Mother Nature. A grading report for a natural diamond is essential because these stones exist along an immense spectrum of characteristics.
Meet the Expert
Grant Mobley is the Jewelry & Watch Editor of Only Natural Diamonds.
He is a GIA Diamonds Graduate.
He has over 17 years of jewelry industry experience, starting with growing up in his family’s retail jewelry stores.
An uncut lab grown diamond
Why GIA Is Changing the Way Lab Grown Diamonds Are Graded
Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are man-made and mass-produced using high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes. According to Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer, “More than 95% of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity. Because of that, it is no longer relevant for GIA to describe man-made diamonds using the nomenclature created for the continuum of color and clarity of natural diamonds.”Why Lab Grown Diamond Grading Needs a Different System
By replacing detailed grading reports with broader descriptors, such as “premium” and “standard,” GIA is drawing a clear line in the sand. They are telling consumers that these are not the same products and they should not be evaluated in the same way. And coming from GIA—the trusted nonprofit organization that established global diamond grading standards in 1953—this statement couldn’t be more authoritative.
Natural Diamonds: Rarity, Value, and Geological Identity
To understand why this change to lab grown diamond grading matters, it’s essential to examine what drives the value of natural diamonds: rarity and identity. Each natural diamond is finite, with unique growth patterns, internal inclusions, and color subtleties shaped by millions or even billions of years underground. These one-of-a-kind gems are the original luxury product—not just beautiful but rare and no longer forming in nature. Lab-grown diamonds, conversely, can be created in virtually unlimited quantities and replicated in appearance with astonishing ease. There is no rarity. There is no geological story. There is no true investment potential.
Ring Courtesy of The Clear Cut
Why Clarity in Lab Grown Diamond Grading Matters for Consumers
This distinction has become increasingly blurred by confusing marketing language and unclear labeling practices. Some in the lab-grown diamond space have leaned on the unsubstantiated language of “sustainability” and “equality” in comparison to natural diamonds, despite offering a fundamentally different product. But consumers deserve transparency. They deserve to understand what they’re buying, what it’s worth, and what makes one stone different from another. That’s precisely why this change from GIA is so important.
It’s also a return to the Institute’s founding principles. GIA exists to protect the public trust in gems and jewelry. With this shift, the Institute is ensuring that consumers can make informed choices without being misled by false equivalencies. By stepping away from the 4Cs for lab-grown diamonds, GIA is reaffirming its commitment to scientific integrity and public transparency.
GIA Diamond Grading Report
Let me be clear: This is not about pitting one product against another. Lab-grown diamonds have their place in the market. But we must stop pretending they are interchangeable with natural diamonds. They are not heirlooms, they are not investments, and they are not rare.
GIA’s decision demonstrates that natural diamonds continue to be the benchmark of authenticity, value, and irreplaceability. They are not merely carbon crystals—they are ancient, unrepeatable creations of nature, each with a backstory written in geologic time.
As this policy rolls out in late 2025, expect other gem labs to follow suit. The line separating lab-created simulacra and natural geological masterpieces is being redrawn with bold ink—and GIA is holding the pen.
Jewelers based in Dubai have set a world record with a diamond-stud necklace that’s 108 meters long.
Amaar Jewels was officially certified by Guinness World Records after crafting the piece from 650 grams of rose gold and more 600 hand-set lab grown diamonds.
It took 60 days to make what Amaar called “one continuous masterpiece”.
The necklace was displayed for the first time at the the 55th Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show (WJMES), which opened on 28 May at Expo Centre Sharjah, UAE, with more than 500 exhibitors 1,800 designers and manufacturers and over 80,000 visitors expected.
The difference in diamond grading between laboratories like GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and DCLA (Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia) can occur due to the subjective nature of diamond grading and variations in grading standards, tools, and methodology.
Here’s a detailed explanation of why this happens:
Example of a diamond graded GIA E VS2 vs DCLA F SI1:
1. Grading is Subjective to Some Extent
Even though labs follow international grading systems like those defined by CIBJO or GIA, colour and clarity grading involves human judgment under magnification and controlled lighting conditions. Two experienced graders may interpret borderline characteristics differently.
Colour: E and F are adjacent grades, and the difference is extremely subtle—often imperceptible to the untrained eye.
Clarity: The distinction between VS2 (Very Slightly Included 2) and SI1 (Slightly Included 1) can also hinge on size, position, nature, and number of inclusions, which may be judged differently by separate labs.
2. Different Lab Philosophies
GIA is widely considered the global benchmark for consistency and tends to be more conservative in some grading aspects, especially in colour.
DCLA, while highly respected and CIBJO-accredited (and Australia’s official diamond authority), might interpret certain characteristics differently based on their internal grading protocols.
3. Grading Conditions and Equipment
Minor differences in:
Lighting
Magnification tools
Grading environments can affect the appearance of a diamond, especially in borderline cases.
4. Grading Date and Re-evaluation
Grading can differ if:
The diamond was graded at different times.
The diamond was repolished or slightly recut between submissions.
The grader has different levels of training or experience (even within the same lab over time).
5. Lab-to-Lab Variance Is a Known Industry Factor
Even among top labs (GIA, IGI, HRD, AGS, DCLA), 1-grade differences in colour or clarity are common and not considered errors. This is why many dealers and appraisers say a difference of one colour or clarity grade is within acceptable tolerance.
In Your Example:
GIA E VS2 vs DCLA F SI1:
The colour difference (E vs F): within acceptable tolerance; both are considered colourless.
The clarity difference (VS2 vs SI1): SI1 is a full grade lower, but this could be due to:
An inclusion judged more impactful by DCLA
A stricter application of clarity grading by DCLA
GIA possibly being more lenient on that particular clarity characteristic
Differences like GIA E VS2 and DCLA F SI1 can result from:
Subjective human interpretation
Slightly different grading standards
Borderline characteristics
Environmental and technical grading factors
For buyers or sellers, it’s important to:
Always compare certificates from top-tier labs.
Understand that 1-grade discrepancies are common.
Consider getting a professional review if there’s a significant value implication.
Graff has opened its biggest store in North America, at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas luxury resort and casino.
The 3,300sq ft showroom is second only to the flagship Graff in Paris, at 3,700sq ft.
Graff, founded in 1960 by British jeweler Laurence Graff, is recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious luxury jewelers.
CEO Francois Graff (Laurence’s son) said: “The opening of our new salon at Fontainebleau Las Vegas represents a pivotal moment for Graff in North America, a testament to our continued success and commitment to expansion across the region.”
The Las Vegas store is the brand’s 10th location in North America. It has more than 50 worldwide.
The new showroom features a serpentine counter with angular displays inspired by diamond facets, a bespoke bridal area with engagement rings, wedding bands, and bridal jewelry crafted from celadon wood and chiseled glass.
To celebrate the opening, Graff has curated a special selection of high jewelry featuring rare diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
A 35.09-carat sapphire yesterday set a new world record for the highest per-carat price paid at auction.
The Regent Kashmir sold for HKD 74.7m (USD 9.6m), equivalent to USD 271,515 per carat, at Christie’s Hong Kong.
The same gem also set a record back in 2015, when it was sold at Christie’s Geneva for USD 7.4m, equivalent to $209,689 per carat.
That record was broken the same year by another sapphire, the 27.6- carat Jewel of Kashmir, which sold for $6.7m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2015, equivalent to USD 243,703 per carat.
But the record now reverts to gem known as the Regent Kashmir, an antique cushion-shaped, unheated, royal blue sapphire set in a platinum ring with round diamonds.
“The Regent Kashmir sapphire’s record-breaking price of $271,515 per carat with a total price of $9.5m, is a landmark moment for the sapphire market – proof that the rarest gems still command unstoppable power,” said Tobias Kormind, MD and co-founder of online jeweler 77 Diamonds.
“Gemstones of this calibre continue to be sought after and go up in value.”
The sapphire sold above its low estimate (HKD 65m, USD 8.3m) but didn’t reach its high estimate (HKD 95m, USD 12.1m).
A fancy intense 3.03-carat pink diamond is among the highlights at Phillips’ New York Jewels Auction next month with a $1.2m to $1.6m estimate.
Other diamonds of note include a 4.43-carat oval fancy vivid yellow diamond ring (estimate $75,000 to $125,000), and a colorless emerald-cut diamond weighing 6.03 carats (F color, VVS1 clarity) with a $90,000 to $150,000 estimate. All three diamonds are set in rings.
The sale also features Etoile de Mer, a starfish-shaped sapphire, tsavorite, and diamond brooch by Jean Schlumberger, the French jewelry designer who famously revitalized Tiffany & Co during his tenure there, from 1956.
Among the 105 lots there is also a selection of signed jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Chaumet, and others. The sale is on 12 June.
The Blue Belle sapphire and diamond necklace is to lead a Christie’s New York sale next month with an estimate of $8m to $12m.
The tassel pendant features a 392.52 carat unheated, cushion modified, mixed-cut sapphire from the famed Ratnapura region of Sri Lanka, together with oval-shaped diamond terminals, and a brilliant-cut diamond neckchain, mounted in gold.
The estimate is well below the $17.6m the piece sold for at Christie’s Geneva when it last changed hands in November 2014.
The sapphire was recovered in 1926 and was sold in 1937 to was sold to British motor magnate Lord Nuffield, founder of Morris Motors.
There were reports at the time that the gem would be gifted to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on her coronation day, though this didn’t actually happen.
“Sapphires of this caliber are extraordinarily rare,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry.
“This remarkable stone must be considered among the most prestigious colored gemstones to appear on the market in many years – truly worthy of any world-class collection.
Among other highlights at the Magnificent Jewels live auction on 17 June, is the Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond, 10.38-carat kite-shaped fancy purple-pink diamond that is said to have belonged to Marie Antoinette.
It has recently been set into a contemporary ring by the Parisian jeweler Joel Arthur Rosenthal
Petra Diamonds is to begin discussions with financiers on refinancing a $273m bond that matures in March next year amid scepticism that the company will survive the event.
The ratings agency S&P last week downgraded the company’s credit to CCC on the increased likelihood of default, and maintained a negative outlook.
Shares in the company fell 10% today shortly after the company posted its third quarter results. Petra is now trading at a fresh all-time low and is valued at only £34m on the London Stock Exchange.
While its remaining two assets – the Cullinan and Finsch mines in South Africa – had a solid three months operationally, with a quarter to go, full year guidance has been maintained at 2.4 to 2.7 million carats.
However, the company is still burning cash.
Petra drew on a further $33m as consolidated net debt increased to $258m as of end-March, which the company put down to working capital requirements.
The truth is that the company is desperately in need of improved diamond prices, which have continued to trough this year amid economic uncertainty generated by US President Donald Trump’s on-off tariff regime.
Petra said in April that it had postponed the sale of about 200,000 carats of diamonds from the Cullinan mine near Pretoria because of the “considerable diamond market uncertainty caused by the US tariffs announcement”.
“S&P believes the company faces mounting liquidity challenges amid uncertainty regarding the recovery of the rough diamond market and approaching debt maturities in 2026, with increased likelihood of default – including distressed exchange or debt restructuring – over the next 12 months, if Petra is unable to refinance its debt maturities on time,” said analysts at Berenberg Bank in a note last week.
Commenting on the third quarter results – in which revenue fell to $42m from $106m in the comparative quarter last year (buoyed by sales from a deferred tender) – interim joint CEOs Vivek Gadodia and Juan Kemp, said Petra had experienced “a very difficult diamond market”.
They added: “We believe the steps we have taken over the past 12 months position Petra well for a successful refinancing. We will now look to commence engagements with our lenders on the refinancing of our debt maturing in early 2026.”
