The GIA lab in Carlsbad has discovered an instance where a synthetic stone was fraudulently inscribed as a natural one.
According to the GIA, a round brilliant cut was submitted for an updated diamond grading report. Its girdle was inscribed with an actual GIA report number issued in 2015. The older report was for a natural, untreated diamond and contained the following grading information: 1.74 ct, round brilliant cut, D color, Excellent cut grade, and VVS1 clarity. Upon grading, the new submission was described as a 1.76 ct round brilliant cut with F color, Excellent cut grade, and VS1 clarity. Further examination, however, revealed the stone to be an HPHT-grown synthetic diamond.
The GIA noted on its website that “most synthetic diamonds that come to the laboratory are properly disclosed […] Rarely do we encounter the type of blatant fraud described here. It is important for the industry and public to exercise caution, because these types of misleading practices do occur”.
