This change has been eagerly debated as an important topic in the diamond market for several years, as the cut quality among these shapes can differ greatly, a fact that has previously not been recognised in reporting.
As reported by Rapaport News, while round brilliant diamonds can receive a triple-Ex grade – excellent cut, polish, and symmetry – other shapes receive scores only for polish and symmetry.
Now, the GIA intends to launch the cut-grading system for fancies in 2027, initially covering those three shapes. It will share additional details about the launch and related laboratory services in early 2027.
“GIA has been working toward developing cut-grade standards for fancy-shape diamonds since the introduction of the GIA round brilliant cut-grading system in 2006,” the statement continued.
“This effort is aligned with GIA’s mission of consumer protection and will be supported by GIA education, laboratory services, and manufacturer-focused solutions.”
Additionally, the GIA intends to add new comments about fluorescence to its standard diamond grading and dossier reports, beginning later this year. Natural diamonds with D to Z colour possessing fluorescence within a certain range will receive one of two notes.
According to the report, demand for fancy shapes has increased in recent years, as nearly one-third of diamonds GIA received for grading in 2022 were fancy-shaped, up from less than a quarter over the previous decade.
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