The form and contents of the proposed GIA certificate on synthetic diamonds was a hotly debated issue at this week’s GIA Symposium in San Diego. The discussion squarely reflects perceived economic interests – and even though every side likes to talk about “protecting consumer confidence”, none of the speakers had done any serious research on what the consumer prefers. Some retailers stressed that a different nomenclature for synthetics would be confusing, but those representing natural diamonds were adamant that different wordings were absolutely imperative.

The “hottest” part of the discussion was the use of the word “synthetics”, the alternative terms “man-made” or “laboratory grown”, or, the more controversial “cultured”.

Find out more about the debate surrounding GIA's certificate on synthetic diamonds at diamondintelligenceonline.com.