Important Notice to GIA Laboratory Clients Concerning the Kimberley Process

United States governing authorities have clarified that all full rough diamonds and partially polished rough diamonds are subject to the requirements of the Kimberley Process.

GIA Laboratories in the U.S.

Walk-In Clients:
We ask all walk-in clients for a copy of the Kimberley Process certificate whenever they submit full and partially polished rough diamonds.

Transport Clients:
Kimberley Process Certificates must accompany all full and partially polished rough diamonds that are shipped from outside of the U.S.

GIA Laboratories and LabDirect Participants (Consolidators) Outside of the U.S.

GIA’s policy in its laboratories (and consolidators) outside of the U.S. is to decline to accept full rough and partially polished rough diamonds from clients (whether or not the diamonds are accompanied by Kimberley Process certificates).¹ Clients who wish to submit partial or fully rough diamonds to GIA from outside of the U.S. are asked to send them for service directly to New York or Carlsbad while adhering strictly to the Kimberley Process procedures as they do so.

¹ The Kimberley Process stringently regulates the stone flow, documentation, and import/export processes of rough diamonds which cross international borders. As such, unless companies adhere absolutely to its very strict standards they risk: the confiscation of the diamonds by customs authorities, criminal charges, and heavy fines. In addition, each country has its own unique set of required government notification procedures when stones are being imported or exported with Kimberley Process certificates. For these reasons, laboratory management has decided to have all non-U.S. labs and LabDirect Participant Consolidators simply decline to accept full rough diamonds and partially polished rough diamonds from walk-in clients and to return un-serviced full and partially polished rough diamonds coming in through Transport.