The diamond industry has been shaken by the news that GIA and AGS are joining forces to combine their research, development, and intellectual property on diamond cuts. As part of this agreement, certain assets from AGSL have now been integrated into GIA’s operations – most notably its R&D team and equipment. Find out what this means for your diamond purchases.

• Who are the GIA & AGS?
• What Does This Merger Mean for Consumers?
• The New AGS Ideal Report From GIA
• Fancy Shaped Diamonds
• GIA & AGS – The best of both worlds?

Who are the GIA & AGS?

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the largest and most respected nonprofit institute dedicated to research and education in the field of gemology. For over a century, GIA has been on the cutting edge of diamond grading and characterization, setting industry standards for identifying natural diamonds.

The American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL) is an independent laboratory that grades diamonds according to its own strict set of criteria. AGSL’s highly-regarded cut grade focuses on diamond light performance—with cut the key factor in determining the overall beauty of a diamond.

With shared origins that date back to the 1930s, GIA and AGS have a rich history of working together. Founded by the same people with distinct goals – advancing diamond education (GIA) and fostering best practices among retailers (AGS) – their partnership has always been strong. This recent merger is an unexpected yet colossal move for the diamond industry; its far-reaching consequences will be felt for years to come.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

With GIA integrating certain assets from AGSL into their operations, consumers can now expect greater accuracy and consistency when it comes to diamond grading. This new agreement further strengthens GIA’s already tight standards and provides customers with even more confidence when making a diamond purchase.

At the same time, there is also an added benefit of having both organizations working together. By combining resources and expertise, gemologists can now provide more comprehensive research and analysis on diamonds, giving consumers access to the most accurate information possible.

Ultimately, this collaboration between GIA and AGS will ensure that shoppers receive the best possible quality for their diamond purchases – something that both organizations take very seriously.

The New AGS Ideal Report From GIA

As part of the GIA-AGS partnership, GIA has launched a new AGS Ideal report. This report combines the best aspects of both organizations and provides customers with key information on diamond cut, including light performance and proportions. The goal is to give shoppers an even more comprehensive look at their diamonds so they can make the most informed decision possible.

By combining their respective grading systems into one report, both GIA and AGSL are providing consumers with unparalleled accuracy when it comes to buying diamonds. The new AGS Ideal Report from GIA is yet another example of why these two organizations are considered the gold standard in diamond grading.

GIA has determined that, in only a few years, paper reports will be entirely phased out. Starting in 2023 the AGS Ideal addendum report will become available digitally; exclusively living on the GIA Report Check page and connected to a single GIA number instead of having its own individual one. The new AGS Ideal shall also remain digital-only!

Fancy Shaped Diamonds

This collaboration between GIA and AGS also has implications for fancy-shaped diamonds. With the combined resources of both organizations, gemologists will now be able to provide even more accurate assessments of the cut quality of these stones. This means that shoppers can have greater confidence when it comes to buying fancy-shaped diamonds, knowing that they are getting quality stones with consistent light performance and ideal proportions. Additionally, the new AGS Ideal Report from GIA is tailored specifically to fancy shapes as well, giving customers a comprehensive look at their diamond’s quality. Overall, this partnership ensures even better accuracy and consistency in diamond grading – especially when it comes to unconventional shapes – providing consumers with peace of mind when shopping for their perfect stone.

GIA & AGS – The best of both worlds?

For the past two decades, AGSL has been devoted to diamond cut research, optics, and light performance. Consequently, their R&D results have won praise from both consumers and industry professionals as being the most authoritative diamond grading system—despite its small size in comparison to other large labs. Today it is widely recognized that AGSL provides unrivaled insight into diamond cut quality.

GIA has established itself as the most reliable diamond grading laboratory globally, and its influence is unparalleled. When you pair these two remarkable laboratories together, they form an effective synergy that will revolutionize our concept of diamond beauty and likewise bring about a new age in diamond grading innovation. With this union at hand, consumers will benefit from even better diamonds than ever before and the entire industry can look forward to immense progress in years to come.