The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has announced on 7 April 2025 that it is expanding services in Dubai and Hong Kong laboratories due to new tariffs and logistical challenges they represent for shipping diamonds and gemstones around the globe.
The institute said it accepts submissions of D to Z colour rough and polished diamonds up to 9.99 carats in its Dubai lab. The Hong Kong lab now accepts D to Z colour rough and polished diamonds above 3.99 carats and beyond 10 carats, as well as fancy coloured diamonds, until further notice.
The previous carat weight limit for submission to both labs was 3.99 carats; larger diamonds went to other GIA labs in New York or Carlsbad, California. Previously, Hong Kong accepted only yellow diamonds weighing up to 3.99 carats; all other colours and larger yellow diamonds were shipped to New York or Carlsbad.
Labs in Bangkok, Thailand; Gaborone, Botswana; Johannesburg, South Africa; Tokyo, Japan, and India’s Surat and Mumbai, will continue to accept diamonds up to 3.99 carats. The GIA said that rough diamonds sent for origin reports are subject to the Kimberley Process Certification rules in each country. Its labs in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo will continue to provide services for coloured gemstones and pearls, and Mumbai will continue to supply pearl services.
The institute recently has announced to its customers that it has temporarily stopped accepting goods at its overseas labs that need to be shipped to the US for service duet to the new tariffs President Donald Trump has issued. It has also asked its clients outside the US to refrain from submitting items for grading, reports or other services directly to its US labs.
According to the GIA, its labs in New York and Carlsbad will continue to take in diamonds, coloured gemstones and pearls of any size from clients in the US, or with a US country of origin. The GIA will pass on any tariff fees for submissions made by clients directly to the GIA’s US labs from abroad. (Photo courtesy: GIA)
17-04-2025
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