Page 35 - Diamond Digest :: May June 2023

Global News & Views.....
GIA India Granted ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Certification for
its Mumbai and Surat Laboratories
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 demonstrates technical competence within a defined scope for the operation of laboratory management systems
GIA India has successfully been granted the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) 17025:2017 certification for the operations of its grading laboratories in Mumbai and Surat.
The ISO/IEC 17025:2017 demonstrates technical competence within a defined scope for the operation of laboratory management systems.
GIA India successfully completed the accreditation in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 through a third- party accreditation board, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The ISO 17025 standard specifies the general requirements for competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of laboratories.
Fredy Hansotia, Senior Director – Lab Operations, GIA India, said, “ISO is one of the most rigorous and well- regarded standards in the world. Being granted the ISO/ IEC 17025:2017 certification demonstrates our continuous commitment to provide the highest recognised quality in laboratory operations to deliver consistent, reliable, and precise results, based on GIA’s globally recognised diamond grading standards, to protect consumers and meet the needs of our clients.”
Sriram Natarajan, Managing Director of GIA India, said, “As the creators of the 4Cs of diamond quality and the International Diamond Grading System TM, GIA has been at the forefront of developing and maintaining global standards for diamond grading. The ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certification underpins the integrity of GIA reports, the trust that the industry and the public place in them.”
GIA Adds “Peacock” Color Range Comment to All Pearl ReportsProtecting consumers and meeting trade needs
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is adding a report comment employing the trade color term “Peacock” for designated colors of cultured pearls from the Pinctada margaritifera black-lipped pearl oyster, commonly known as Tahitian pearls.
GIA’s industry analysis yielded the identification of the color range that was commonly agreed upon within the pearl trade as “peacock.” The general description of that color range is: a body color with a hue that contains green, of mid-to-strong saturation and mid-to-dark tone, and with moderate or stronger overtone (usually pink, but may be other hues) or orient.
When a pearl, strand or jewelry item meets the carefully defined color parameters for ‘Peacock,’ a comment that states: This pearl is often referred to as a “Tahitian” cultured pearl in the trade, and it falls into the select color range that is known as “peacock” (or a variation thereof) will be added to any GIA pearl report.
“This change comes about after a year of researching the historical and current use of the color term ‘Peacock,’ as well as considered industry feedback,” said Tom Moses,
executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer. “Based on our industry findings and GIA’s mission to educate consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, adding this descriptive trade-term to report better serves consumers.”
There will be no additional fee for this change. To learn more about GIA’s pearl reports and services, visit https:// www.gia.edu/gem-lab-service/pearl.
Although GIA is best known for creating the 4Cs and the GIA International Diamond Grading SystemTM, it has been a leader in the identification and classification of natural and cultured pearls since 1949. GIA has contributed to revising the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s pearl guidelines for the jewelry industry and is responsible for working with major pearl companies globally to develop comprehensive standards for describing pearls. These standards are the GIA 7 Pearl Value FactorsTM: Size, Shape, Color, Nacre, Luster, Surface and Matching.
GIA is adding a report comment employing the trade color term “Peacock.”
35 • Diamond Digest • May - June • 2023