The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced the suspension of its diamond sealing services on January 17, 2020, with immediate effect. 

“The Institute is taking this action after recently encountering a small number of GIA sealing packets that had been compromised by third parties after the sealing packets left GIA,” the Institute explained. “In these instances, GIA determined that the diamonds originally enclosed in the compromised packets had been replaced with HPHT (high-pressure, high-temperature) treated natural diamonds. The substitute treated diamonds superficially matched the GIA report information for the original diamonds, including information on the sealing packet data label.”

The suspension of its sealing services will be applicable in all locations indefinitely, GIA added, “pending an investigation of the source of this fraud”.

The Institute has also announced that any party with concerns about a GIA-sealed diamond, may submit the unopened packet to any GIA laboratory for verification services. “If GIA concludes that the diamond in the sealing packet is the diamond described in the original report, the Institute will issue a verification letter confirming the diamond matches the original report. If the diamond does not match the GIA report, the Institute will issue a new report with the correct results. All sealed diamonds submitted for this free-of-charge verification service will be returned unsealed.”

GIA stressed that the verification service will be provided free-of-charge only for diamonds received in a sealed packet.

The Institute has said that laboratory clients with further questions should contact their GIA client service representative.