International Gemological Institute (IGI) launches a new “state of the art facility” at Varacha Road, Surat – the heart of diamond industry. IGI is a world largest independent laboratory for testing and grading gemstones and fine jewelry.

The laboratory’s inaugural day was on April 14, 2010 and Roland Lorie, CEO of IGI who is recognized as an industry leader and expert honored the inaugural. More than 400 participants joined the function including leaders from Mumbai.

Varda shine, the managing director of diamond trading company (DTC) and the world’s largest supplier of rough diamonds joined the celebration and wished IGI all success. The international gemological institute honored Varda “the first lady of the diamond world” award and expressed their gratitude for her presence.

She said India has a good growth for diamond jewelry for the past 10 years and the Indian wedding business valued at $20 billion, more consumers are moving for diamond buying. IGI set up an international gemological laboratory in India and it has taken initiative and established operations within the world’s largest diamond manufacturing centre. The purpose is to be close with the manufacturers and polishers and extend technical expertise in the art of polishing and grading diamonds.

With established full service labs in Mumbai, special economic zone (SEZ), Kolkata and New Delhi, also a satellite lab in Kerala, the industry has appreciated IGI’s valuable contribution in diamond, gemstone and jewelry certification in the past 11 years in India.

The IGI laboratory in Surat is located in Varacha Road around 10,000 sq. ft. Being a sixth move in India, IGI and the diamond industries can work together and also the IGI’s new laboratory and education services will provide convenience, smooth and hassle free one stop solution for diamond companies to certify and educate in Surat.

Surat has handful of 4,500 diamond polishing factories with 450,000 polishers which are considered to be the main diamond manufacturing centre in the world. The new facility has been launched as a step in direction to bring Surat closer to its customers, Americans, Europeans and Asians, said Lorie.

Mark Brauner, Co-CEO of IGI worldwide said “After achieving success in other Indian markets, IGI has set up a state of the art testing laboratory along with IGI’s school of gemology in Surat. Now I realized the importance of this Surat lab. The quality of work has been improved and this makes Surat the first provider of high cut diamonds to china, Hong Kong and the other southeast countries”.

The services offered by IGI Surat facility are Loose Diamond Certification and IGI School of Gemology.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) laboratory in Johannesburg is near to his second anniversary. The lab opened on Feb. 2008 and steadily increases the number of gemstones came in for grading each day.

Les Milner, director of GIA lab in Johannesburg says that our intake has increased nearly 200% in the last eight months. It is due to number of factors, but the most significant is that our client recognizes the high standard of grading GIA offers. Also, they said that it is easier to sell stones with GIA report.

Milner who have 30 years of experience in South African diamond industry said he is happy to be the part of GIA’s plans which provides services on global level.

Riki corthouts of millennium diamonds says that it’s pleasure to work for the past two years. Also, he said that the lab staffs are patient, knowledgeable and willing to help especially in explaining polish and symmetry.

Johannesburg staff follows the same international grading standards used in GIA labs throughout the world and operates under the same set of core principals developed to ensure objectivity and accuracy in every report issued. The grading staffs are trained at GIA’s world headquarters in 2008.