2005

GIA Being Sued Over Alleged Grade for Payoff

October 2005

According to reports, the GIA’s diamond lab and the Vivid Collection are being sued after a grader was allegedly paid off to increase a grade. The suit is from Max Pincione, a former Harry Winston employee who says he lost a customer with the Saudi royal family because his stone was not accurately graded, allegedly because of a payoff.

We have no idea if the charges are true or not. But the case has opened up many questions on subjects like the appropriateness of GIA fund-raising — which many people share.

Even so, we have no question that the overwhelming majority of GIA employees are people of integrity — and there is no lab that has the reputation for integrity in the market that GIA has. Whatever happens with this lawsuit, we have no doubt that the GIA brand will survive.

Perhaps the lesson to be learned here is that people who should trust their eyes more than a name on a piece of paper. That is why all labs (including GIA) have a disclaimer that grades are only an opinion.