The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced new diamond grading services and a restructuring of its diamond grading fee, effective June 4. The changes include expanding the range of the carat weight size of its Diamond Grading Report services to diamonds weighing 0.15 ct and larger.

 

The expansion of the Diamond Grading Report services follows the expansion of the Diamond Dossier Services to diamonds weighing 0.15 carat to 1.99 carat. The new fees will be:

 

Diamond Grading Report:     

• Service fees for stones sized 0.15 to 0.22 ct will be $53.
• Service fees for stones sized 0.23 to 0.46 ct will be $59.

Diamond Dossier:

• Service fees for stones sized 0.15 to 0.22 ct will be $40.
• Service fees for stones sized 0.23 to 0.46 ct will be $42.
• Service fees for stones sized 1.00 to 1.49 ct will be $90.
• Service fees for stones sized 1.50 to 1.99 ct will be $100.

GIA is introducing a new Diamond Type Analysis Service. Loose, natural diamonds may be submitted to the GIA Laboratory for analysis to determine diamond type: Ia, Ib, IIa, or IIb. This service supplements a GIA Diamond Grading Report, Colored Diamond Grading Report, or Colored Diamond Identification and Origin Report issued either previously or at the time of analysis. The fee varies depending on whether the results are disclosed verbally or if a letter describing the results is issued as follows:

 

• Verbal results only: $125.
• Letter describing results: $200.
• Letter describing results with photo: $275.

In addition, GIA is offering a new ability to print actual inscribed graphics or inscribed logos directly on all GIA Diamond Reports and Dossiers instead of describing the logo. With this new GIA Inscription Service, the “Inscription” or “Additional Inscription” line item on the grading report will be used to report both GIA and client-performed inscriptions. No distinction will be made between the two inscriptions.

 

Requests for inscriptions made more than 60 days after completion of a diamond grading report will remain subject to Update fees. Requests made within 60 days will enjoy a new, nominal flat fee of $30 for Diamond Grading Reports and $15 for Diamond Dossiers.

 

Finally, GIA is changing its Recheck and Final Observation fees. According to Tom Moses, senior vice president of GIA Laboratory and Research, “These secondary services demand the time of our most senior and experienced technical staff, yet only a small percentage of items submitted actually result in a grade change. After much consideration, we decided it was neither cost-effective nor an efficient use of resources to continue with the previous fee structure.”

 

Recheck Service, which applies to the GIA Diamond Dossier, Diamond Grading Report, Colored Diamond Grading Report, and Colored Diamond Identification and Origin Report will cost a set percentage of a basic GIA Diamond Grading Report fee or Diamond Dossier fee.

 

Color, Clarity and Cut rechecks will cost 50 percent of the Diamond Grading Fee or Diamond Dossier fee.

 

Symmetry, Measurements and Fluorescence rechecks costs 25 percent of the Diamond Grading Fee or Diamond Dossier fee.

 

Final Observation Service, which is available on the GIA Diamond Grading Report, Colored Diamond Grading Report, Colored Diamond Identification and Origin Report, but not for Dossiers, is also based on a percentage of a GIA Diamond Grading Report.

 

Final observation for Color, Clarity and Cut costs 50 percent of the GIA Diamond Grading Report fee. Final observation fees for Polish, Symmetry, Measurements and Fluorescence cost 25 percent.

 

“The new fees (…) more accurately reflect the time, resources and expertise involved in providing these services. However, in keeping with our policy, if the Recheck and Final Observation service results in a change to the diamond’s grade, there will be no charge,” Moses said.