For a lab-grown engagement ring, the IGI report is the one that lets you compare stones grade by grade. It lists carat weight, color, clarity, measurements, cut (on rounds), growth method and any post-growth treatment. Since October 1, 2025, GIA no longer uses its D-to-Z color and clarity grades for lab-grown diamonds. Instead it puts each stone in one of two categories: Premium (D color, VVS clarity or better, Excellent polish and symmetry) or Standard (color down to J, VS clarity or better, Very Good or better).
So a VS1 G and a VVS1 F both come out "Standard" at GIA, but they're two different stones on an IGI report. Compare stones on reports from the same lab, verify the report number online, and look at the stone itself. Every center diamond in our lab-grown engagement ring builder ships with an IGI report. Accent stones are not covered by it.
- GIA changed its system: it announced the change on June 2, 2025, gave the details on August 26, 2025 and launched it on October 1, 2025. Lab-grown stones now get a Premium or Standard category instead of letter grades.
- IGI still gives letter grades: its lab-grown reports show color (for example D or G) and clarity (for example VVS1 or VS1). They also state whether the stone was grown by CVD or HPHT.
- Grades decide the price: two of our three quality tiers would fall in the same GIA "Standard" category. The IGI report is what shows the difference you pay for.
- The report covers one stone: in a ring, the report describes the center diamond only. In our catalog, 308 of 386 lab-grown ring listings also carry accent stones, and those are not on the report.
- Always verify: look up the number on the lab's website and check that it matches the laser inscription on the stone.
- IGI vs GIA for lab-grown diamonds, side by side
- What changed at GIA, and when
- Our three quality tiers on each system
- Which report matters for an engagement ring
- How to read an IGI lab-grown report
- How to verify a report number
- What ships with a GOLDZENN ring
- Method, sources and last updated
- Frequently asked questions
IGI vs GIA for Lab-Grown Diamonds, Side by Side
Both labs are independent, and both identify a lab-grown diamond as lab-grown. The difference is how much quality detail the report gives you. This table compares IGI's lab-grown diamond report with GIA's current Laboratory-Grown Diamond Quality Assessment, which covers colorless to near-colorless stones.
IGI's fields come from recent IGI lab-grown reports published on IGI's own report server. GIA's come from GIA's press releases, its service page and its criteria chart. All of them are linked in the method section. The polish, symmetry and cut terms are explained in our diamond cut quality guide.
What Changed at GIA, and When
A lot of pages still describe GIA lab-grown reports with full color and clarity grades. That was true until September 30, 2025. Here is what GIA itself published.
- June 2, 2025: GIA announced it would start using descriptive terms for lab-grown diamond quality instead of the color and clarity scales it built for natural diamonds. Its reason: "More than 95% of laboratory-grown diamonds entering the market fall into a very narrow range of color and clarity." GIA also said: "Existing GIA reports for laboratory-grown diamonds remain valid."
- August 26, 2025: GIA published the details: two categories, Premium and Standard, based on clarity, color, polish, symmetry and cut.
- October 1, 2025: the new assessment launched. It covers loose, colorless to near-colorless lab-grown diamonds of 0.15 carats and up. Each stone is laser inscribed with "Laboratory-Grown" and its GIA assessment number, and it's returned with a printed document.
To be Premium, a stone has to meet the Premium level on all five criteria. Any mix of Premium and Standard results makes it Standard. A stone that misses even one Standard minimum gets no GIA assessment at all. Because the service is for loose stones, a diamond that's already set has to come out of the ring before it can be submitted.
What Our Three Quality Tiers Look Like on Each System
Every ring in our lab-grown engagement ring builder is offered in three center-stone qualities. This table applies GIA's published color and clarity criteria to each one. We don't submit our stones to GIA, so the right-hand column is the best category each tier could reach. The final category would also depend on polish, symmetry and, for rounds, cut.
Why this matters when you buy: on GIA's current system, our first two tiers would carry the same word. On an IGI report they're clearly different stones: VS1 vs VVS1 clarity. That difference is part of the price you see in the ring builder, so a report that prints the grade is the one that lets you check you got what you paid for.
Which Report Matters for a Lab-Grown Engagement Ring
When IGI is the practical choice
Choose by IGI grades if you are comparing lab-grown center stones across shops or across quality tiers. It's the report that still prints a color grade, a clarity grade, measurements and the growth method. That's why many lab-grown sellers, us included, ship IGI reports: the buyer can see exactly which grade they're paying for. To learn what CVD and HPHT mean on the report, see how CVD diamonds are made and how lab-grown diamonds are made.
When a GIA document can still help
A GIA assessment confirms that a stone is lab-grown and tells you whether it clears GIA's Premium or Standard bar. If you already own a GIA lab-grown report issued before October 2025, GIA says it remains valid, and it still shows the grades it was issued with. Just don't compare an older graded GIA report with a new Premium/Standard one line by line. They describe stones in different ways.
"Does IGI grade softer than GIA?"
You'll hear it on forums and read it on some jeweler blogs: IGI's color and clarity grades supposedly run a step more generous than GIA's. We looked for a published, named study that graded the same lab-grown diamonds at both labs and found none we could cite. Since October 2025 GIA doesn't issue letter grades on new lab-grown assessments, so a like-for-like check on new stones isn't possible anyway. What we tell buyers:
- Compare stones on reports from the same lab: IGI with IGI.
- Look at the stone, not just the paper: photos, video or in person.
- For rounds, check the cut grade. For fancy shapes like oval, pear or emerald, check polish, symmetry and the measurements, since they affect how the stone looks face-up.
- Verify the report number on the lab's site (steps below).
How to Read an IGI Lab-Grown Report
The diagram follows the field layout of recent IGI lab-grown reports. It's our own illustration, and every value on it is a placeholder.
Illustration with placeholder values. This is not an IGI or GIA document. Tap the image to open it full size.
- Report number and date. IGI lab-grown report numbers start with "LG". This is the number you look up online.
- Description. It should say "Laboratory Grown Diamond". If you're paying for lab-grown, this is the line that confirms it.
- Shape, cutting style and measurements. Measurements are in millimetres. For fancy shapes, length ÷ width tells you how long or round the stone looks.
- Carat weight. The weight of this one stone. On a ring listing, our carat option means the center stone only.
- Color and clarity grades. For example F and VS1, or D and VVS1. These are the grades GIA no longer prints on new lab-grown assessments.
- Cut, polish, symmetry, fluorescence. Round brilliants get a cut grade. Fancy shapes show polish and symmetry.
- Inscription. The laser inscription on the girdle, normally "LG" plus the report number. It should match line 1.
- Comments. The growth process (CVD or HPHT), plus either "As Grown – No indication of post-growth treatment" or "may include post-growth treatment". Both are normal. The comment simply tells you which applies.
- QR code. When the printed report has one, scanning it opens the online record.
How to Verify a Report Number
Concept illustration (AI-generated), not a GOLDZENN product photo. The laser inscription sits on the girdle, the thin edge of the stone.
- Find the number at the top of the report. On IGI lab-grown reports it starts with "LG".
- Look it up. Use IGI's Verify Your Report page and enter the number exactly as printed, or scan the QR code. For a GIA document, use GIA Report Check.
- Match every field: shape, measurements, carat weight, color, clarity and the comments line. The online record should agree with the paper.
- Check the stone. Under 10x magnification, the girdle inscription should match the report number. Once a stone is set, prongs can hide part of the girdle, so ask your jeweler to check it under a loupe or microscope.
- Keep the report with your ring paperwork. The number is how anyone, from an insurer to a jeweler, ties the document to your stone.
What Ships with a GOLDZENN Engagement Ring
Astrid oval in 14K yellow gold. Product render, not a photo.
- IGI report for every center stone. All 386 active lab-grown engagement ring listings, and all 45,144 shape, carat, quality and metal combinations, are set up with a lab-grown center diamond and an IGI report. Our product pages list it under "What's included".
- In the box: the printed IGI report for your center diamond, plus a GOLDZENN certificate of authenticity for the ring. Rings are made to order, so the report is issued for your stone after you order, not before.
- Three qualities: VS1 F–G, VVS1 F–G or VVS1 D, with a center stone from 1 to 4 carats on every design and up to 5 carats on half of them. Carat means the center stone only.
- Accent stones are not on the report. 308 of our 386 listings have side, halo, hidden-halo or pavé stones. The IGI report describes the center diamond only.
- We don't offer GIA reports. Our center stones ship with IGI reports.
- Metal and timing: solid 14K or 18K gold in yellow, white or rose, made to order in about 3 weeks.
To see the options together, pick a shape, carat, quality and gold in our lab-grown diamond engagement ring builder. Have a question about a report before you order? Text or call us at (321) 521-4651.
Method, Sources and Last Updated
- GIA: June 2, 2025 announcement, August 26, 2025 launch details, the GIA lab-grown assessment criteria chart and GIA's laboratory-grown diamond services page. All were read in November 2026.
- IGI: the fields and wording in this guide come from recent IGI lab-grown diamond reports served from IGI's own report server (pdf.igi.org) and dated 2023 and 2026, plus IGI's "Verify Your Report" service.
- GOLDZENN catalog: product metafields (center certificate, center stone type, side-stone weight) and variants of every active lab-grown engagement ring listing, read from our store on November 3, 2026: 386 listings and 45,144 variants.
- Not covered: colored lab-grown diamonds, natural diamonds and other labs. Lab fees change, so we don't quote them as current.
- Last updated: November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IGI or GIA better for a lab-grown diamond?
Neither lab is "better" across the board; they now report different things. For a colorless lab-grown diamond, an IGI report prints the exact color and clarity grades, so it is the more useful document for comparing stones and prices. A GIA assessment tells you only whether the stone reaches its Premium or Standard category. Whichever report you have, compare stones on the same lab's reports and verify the number online.
Is IGI certification good for lab-grown diamonds?
Yes. An IGI report gives a lab-grown diamond full letter grades for color and clarity, plus measurements, cut on rounds, growth method and any post-growth treatment. Verify the number on IGI's site and compare stones on IGI reports.
Does GIA still grade lab-grown diamonds?
GIA still assesses them, but differently. Since October 1, 2025, colorless to near-colorless lab-grown diamonds get a Premium or Standard category instead of D-to-Z color and clarity grades. Stones below the Standard minimums get no GIA assessment.
What do GIA "Premium" and "Standard" mean?
Premium means D color, VVS clarity or better, and Excellent polish, symmetry and (for rounds) cut. Standard allows color down to J (a D stone that misses another Premium criterion is Standard), VS clarity or better, and Very Good polish and symmetry (Good symmetry is accepted on fancy shapes). A stone has to meet all five Premium criteria to be Premium.
Is an IGI "certificate" the same as an IGI report?
Yes. Labs call the document a grading report. Shops and buyers usually say "certificate" or "IGI-certified". It means the same document.
Are GIA lab-grown reports issued before October 2025 still valid?
Yes. GIA said existing lab-grown reports remain valid. They show the grades they were issued with. Just remember that new GIA lab-grown documents use Premium or Standard, so the two formats don't compare line by line.
Does the IGI report cover the side stones in my ring?
No. The report describes one stone: the center diamond. Accent, halo and pavé stones are not on it. In our catalog, 308 of 386 lab-grown ring listings include accent stones.
What paperwork comes with a GOLDZENN engagement ring?
Two documents: the printed IGI report for the center diamond and a GOLDZENN certificate of authenticity for the ring. Because each ring is made to order, the IGI report is issued for your stone after you order, so it isn't available to view before purchase.
Does an IGI report say whether the diamond is CVD or HPHT?
Yes. The comments line names the growth process, CVD or HPHT. It also says either "As Grown – No indication of post-growth treatment" or that the stone "may include post-growth treatment".
How much does a GIA lab-grown assessment cost?
When GIA launched the service in 2025, it announced a fee of US$15 per carat (US$15 minimum). Lab fees change, so check GIA's current fee schedule.
Related Guides and Collections
- Lab-grown diamond engagement rings — Build by shape, carat, quality and gold
- What a lab-grown diamond engagement ring costs — Real ring prices by carat and quality
- Engagement ring shapes on the hand — See each shape and carat on a hand
- Moissanite vs lab-grown vs natural diamonds — Which stone fits your budget and taste
Every center diamond in our ring builder ships with an IGI report. Pick VS1 F–G, VVS1 F–G or VVS1 D and see the price in solid 14K or 18K gold. Questions? Call (321) 521-4651.
Build your engagement ring →
