Pink 6ct Lab Grown Etched to Resemble Natural Rough

(IDEX Online) - GIA has identified a 6.06-carat pink lab grown that was deliberately fashioned and etched to resemble a natural rough stone.

In its Fall 2026 issue of Gems & Gemology, GIA says it's the first case it has documented involving a CVD diamond modified in such a sophisticated way in an attempt to produce a natural-looking octahedral morphology.

Earlier this year it reported a 6.87-carat near-colorless CVD diamond that had been shaped to imitate a natural rough crystal.

This latest specimen goes further: its surface was deliberately etched to create features resembling those found on natural diamond crystals.

GIA used a combination of advanced testing techniques to establish the diamond's origin. Spectroscopic analysis detected a silicon-vacancy doublet, a feature associated with CVD growth.

Examination using its DiamondView instrument revealed growth layers and striations that further confirmed its synthetic origin.

The pink color was the result of several subsequent treatments, including high-pressure, high-temperature processing, irradiation and annealing.

GIA did not identify the person or company that submitted the stone, or provide details of its commercial history. It also gave no indication that the diamond had been offered or sold as natural.

In a separate case reported in the same Fall 2026 issue, GIA identified a natural diamond carrying a counterfeit inscription copied from another stone's grading report.

The 1.80776-carat diamond bore the report number of a different 1.80058-carat stone. GIA's Match iD system detected discrepancies in the inscription's font, positioning and alignment.

The 6.06 ct pink CVD-grown diamond was fashioned to resemble an octahedron and likely subsequently etched to create a resorbed appearance. Photo by Sood Oil (Judy) Chia. GIA.