The IGI Timeline

Every successful company has a unique origin story that reflects its founder’s vision, mission, and values – shaping the company’s culture, identity, and path to success.

Future Prospects

2020 – Today

  • Operates 31 laboratories and 18 schools, proudly serving the global diamond, gem, and jewelry trade.
  • Partners with the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, founded by Kering and Cartier, to build climate resilience, preserve resources and foster inclusiveness.
  • Joins the World Diamond Council to protect the integrity of the diamond value chain.
  • Certifies historic 7.50 carat lab grown diamond presented to the First Lady of America by the Prime Minister of India.
  • Develops multi-language eLearning Courses created to further empower global learning.
  • Continues as the laboratory of choice for grading of new world record lab grown diamond achievements.
  • Establishes a women’s empowerment program in India, helping individuals from socially challenged backgrounds pursue successful careers in the gem and jewelry industry.
  • Provides ongoing education & training for prestigious brands and maisons around the world.
  • Launches IGI Expressions™, the first international jewelry design competition offered exclusively online and open to everyone, celebrating excellence of talent at all levels.
  • Begins offering a cut grading system for fancy shaped diamonds.
  • Opens new IGI laboratories in Turkey and Egypt.
  • Continues growing as the world leader in lab grown diamond grading and finished jewelry grading.

Global Expansion

2000 – 2020

  • Launches its first jewelry design competition in China, inviting submissions from aspiring designers around the world.
  • Opens new IGI laboratories and schools in Dubai, Israel, HK SAR and China.
  • Protects the world’s most prestigious luxury brands with ongoing screening services.
  • Achieves ISO laboratory accreditation for both natural and lab grown diamonds.
  • Develops innovative systems for the screening and grading of small diamonds.
  • Issues co-branded grading reports with leading jewelry brands.

Market Innovator

1975 – 2000

  • Introduces the Hearts & Arrows diamond report to the consumer market.
  • Opens new IGI laboratories and schools in Thailand and India.
  • Develops breakthrough photoluminescence spectrometer technology, capable of identifying HPHT processed diamonds.
  • Begins providing rough diamond courses for professionals.
  • Opens the first IGI School Of Gemology in Antwerp.
  • Introduces the patented IGI LaserScribe inscription system.
  • Develops tamper proof security sealed reports for diamonds and colored stones.
  • Becomes the first gemstone grading laboratory to issue Jewelry Identification Reports among it’s global peers.
  • Opens new IGI laboratories in New York.
  • IGI is founded in Antwerp, Belgium, by Marcel Lorie in 1975.