Match the certificate to the product, not the other way round. GIA, IGI and GRA are not three versions of the same document. GIA and IGI are diamond grading laboratories that also report on lab-grown diamonds. GRA is the organisation whose reports most of the world's moissanite is sold with, and it is not a diamond grading authority in the same sense. Retailers who treat the three as interchangeable end up making claims their paperwork does not support, and that is the situation that becomes a refund, a chargeback or a marketplace suspension. Here is what each document is, which customer asks for it, and what to verify before you accept a shipment.
What each laboratory actually does
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is the independent, research-led body whose grading language became the industry default for the 4Cs. It grades natural diamonds and also grades lab-grown diamonds, stating Laboratory-Grown on the report and inscribing the girdle accordingly. Its reports carry the most weight with high-end, heritage and insurance-driven retail. Turnaround is slower and the cost per stone is higher than at commercial laboratories.
IGI (International Gemological Institute) is a large international commercial laboratory with a substantial share of the lab-grown diamond market. Its reports are widely recognized in lab-grown retail in the United States, Europe and India, it has offices in most major trading centers, and turnaround is generally faster. It issues full reports for larger stones and lighter formats for smaller goods. If you are selling lab-grown diamonds into mainstream retail, an IGI report is usually the document your buyer already knows how to read.
GRA (Gemological Research Association) is the certificate most commonly supplied with moissanite worldwide, and Holycome provides GRA documentation for its moissanite. GRA reports typically carry color and clarity terminology borrowed from diamond grading. Treat them as supplier documentation describing the stone, useful for traceability and consumer confidence, and valuable in the moissanite market - but not as equivalent to a GIA or IGI diamond report. Moissanite is a different material, so a diamond grading framework can only approximate it.
Which document belongs with which product
| Product | Document buyers expect | Who asks for it | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moissanite, loose or set | GRA | Moissanite retailers and online sellers | Holycome supplies GRA with moissanite orders |
| Lab-grown diamonds, 0.5 ct and up | IGI or GIA | Engagement and fine jewelry retail | Confirm the report states Laboratory-Grown and matches the growth method |
| Lab-grown melee and parcels | No per-stone report | Volume manufacturers and setters | Rely on written specifications, parcel photos, invoice and your own incoming check |
| Natural diamonds | GIA or IGI | Traditional retail, insurance, resale | Insurance and resale language depends on recognized reports |
| 925 silver jewelry | material composition record | Importers, marketplaces, compliance teams | Silver fineness is a metal question, not a gemstone question |
| Brass and plating raw materials | material composition record | Importers with nickel and lead restrictions | Request reports for the specific alloy and plating you buy |
| Factory social compliance | documented quality system (in-house quality) | Larger EU, UK and US buyers | Normally refreshed annually per supplier site |
A verification checklist before you accept a shipment
- Verify the report number in the laboratory's online database. Do not rely on the printed card alone.
- Confirm the carat weight and measurements match the physical stone, not just the description on the invoice.
- Check the girdle inscription where one exists, and confirm the report language - Laboratory-Grown for lab-grown diamonds.
- Compare the stone against the report photo or inclusion plot, especially on higher-value pieces.
- For parcels, confirm the written color and clarity ranges and keep a sealed sample stone from each batch.
- Keep certificates with the shipment so your retail partner can pass them to the end customer without asking you for a copy.
- Watch the report date. Re-used reports from an earlier purchase are a common sourcing shortcut and a common audit failure.
When a customer asks: is this real?
Answer precisely rather than defensively. A moissanite is a real gemstone, grown in a laboratory, documented with a GRA report, and it is not a diamond. A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond, grown in a laboratory, documented with an IGI or GIA report that states Laboratory-Grown. Give your staff one sentence per material and use the same wording on the product page, the tag and the invoice, so nothing shifts between the counter, the paperwork and the listing.
Holycome has manufactured OEM and ODM jewelry for more than 18 years, serving 100+ clients and exporting to 100+ countries. We supply GRA documentation for moissanite, material composition records for silver and brasss, and we are operating our own four-stage quality system. If you need to know exactly which documents travel with your order, send the specification to service@holycome.com through /contact-us/ and we will confirm it in writing before production starts.
