Lab Grown Diamonds Β· Stud earrings
IGI Certified Stud Earrings: One Report or Two, and What It Actually Covers
βIGI certifiedβ is the most reassuring phrase on a stud listing. It is worth knowing exactly what it promises β and what it doesnβt.
Written by the Mapple Gems workshop, Surat Β· Updated 10 October 2026
Short answer
An IGI report on a lab grown diamond records that it is laboratory-grown, its growth method (CVD or HPHT), its colour, clarity and cut, its carat weight and exact measurements, and a report number you can verify on IGIβs website. For a pair of studs, ask whether the paperwork covers each stone individually β two sets of measurements are what let you check the pair truly matches. A report grades the stone only: never the metal, the setting or the small accent stones.
The International Gemological Institute was founded in Antwerp in 1975 and today grades the majority of lab grown diamonds sold. Its reports still use the familiar D-to-Z colour and FL-to-I clarity scales β worth knowing because, since October 2025, GIA no longer gives lab grown diamonds those letter grades, issuing a broader Premium or Standard assessment instead. For studs, where buyers compare two stones against each other, the granular IGI grades are genuinely useful.
What the report tells you β and what it doesnβt
| Covered by the report | Not covered |
|---|---|
| That the stone is laboratory-grown, and how it was grown | The gold karat or the metal weight |
| Colour and clarity grades | How well the setting is made or finished |
| Cut grade (on rounds), polish, symmetry | Whether the post and back are secure |
| Carat weight and measurements in mm | Halo, pavΓ© or other small accent stones |
| Any post-growth treatment | Whether two stones match each other |
The last row is the one that matters most for earrings. Two stones can each be E colour, VVS2, and 1 ct, and still differ visibly in spread or, for fancy shapes, in proportions. The report gives you the numbers to check; it doesnβt do the checking. Our guide to reading an IGI report walks through every field.
For a pair of studs, the most useful thing a certificate gives you is not the grade β it is two sets of measurements. A grading report is written about one stone. When each earringβs stone has its own report, you have two report numbers, two carat weights and two sets of millimetre dimensions, and you can check in a minute that the pair matches: diameters within a tenth of a millimetre or so on rounds, and the same length-to-width ratio on ovals, radiants and cushions. If a pair arrives with paperwork that describes only one stone, or gives a single combined figure, ask what it covers. It is a reasonable question, and a seller who knows their stones will answer it directly. We include an IGI certificate with every lab grown pair at no extra charge; if you want the report numbers for your pair before it ships, ask us.
How to verify a report
- Enter the report number on IGIβs official verification page and check the result matches the paper: shape, carat, measurements and grades.
- Look for the girdle inscription. Many IGI-graded lab grown diamonds carry the report number laser-inscribed on the edge, readable with a 10Γ loupe β a jeweller can show you in seconds. Ask whether yours are inscribed.
- Check the report says laboratory-grown. Every lab grown report states it plainly; that disclosure is the point.
- Keep the reports with your order confirmation. Together they are the record an insurer or a future jeweller will ask for.
What about halo and motif studs?
On a halo, cluster or motif stud, the certificate covers the centre stone. The small surrounding stones β melee, usually under about 0.20 ct each β are never individually graded by any laboratory, in any material. That is normal and not a red flag, but it does mean the grade on the report describes the main stone, not the sparkle around it. Ask for the melee to be described as a parcel (material, colour and clarity range, count and size) on your invoice.
Every IGI-certified stud we make uses E colour, VVS2 lab grown diamonds β from classic round four-prong studs to bezel set studs and the motif designs β made to order in Surat in 925 silver or solid 10K, 14K or 18K gold. Moissanite, by contrast, is not graded by any laboratory, so moissanite colour and clarity are always the makerβs own assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What does IGI certified mean on earrings?
That the International Gemological Institute has graded the diamond: confirming it is laboratory-grown and recording its growth method, colour, clarity, cut, carat weight and measurements under a verifiable report number.
Should a pair of studs have two certificates?
Ideally the paperwork covers each stone individually, because two sets of measurements let you confirm the pair matches. If you receive one document, ask the seller what it covers.
Does the IGI report cover the gold or the setting?
No. A diamond grading report describes the stone only. Metal karat, setting quality and the security of the post and back are the makerβs responsibility.
How do I check an IGI report is real?
Enter the report number on IGIβs official verification page and compare the details with your paper. Many lab grown stones also carry the number laser-inscribed on the girdle.
IGI or GIA for lab grown diamond earrings?
IGI grades most lab grown diamonds and still uses D-to-Z colour and FL-to-I clarity. Since October 2025 GIA gives lab grown diamonds a broader Premium or Standard assessment instead, so IGI reports are more granular for comparing a pair.
Two stones, two sets of numbers.
That is how a certificate proves a pair is really a pair.
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