Whether you’re buying an engagement ring, insuring a family heirloom or selling a stone, one document matters more than any other: an independent diamond grading certificate. It is the diamond’s passport, the record of its identity, quality and origin. But not all certificates carry equal weight, and where your diamond is graded can shape its value, its insurability and its resale prospects for decades.
Where to Get a Diamond Certificate Worldwide
Diamond certification is offered by a number of laboratories around the world. In the United States, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) are widely known. In Europe, Antwerp is home to HRD Antwerp and the headquarters of the International Gemological Institute (IGI), which also operates extensively across India and Asia. Each has its own strengths, and each serves markets primarily in its own region.
For Australian buyers, sellers and jewellers, however, sending a diamond overseas for grading introduces real complications: international shipping, insurance limitations, customs, weeks of waiting and, most importantly, no chance to see who is grading your stone or ask them questions. That is why a locally based, internationally accredited laboratory matters.
DCLA: 25 Years of Independent Diamond Grading in Australia
The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) was established in 2001 in Sydney, marking a quarter of a century serving the Australian diamond trade and public. From its laboratory at Suite 901, Level 9, Citisite House, 155 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, DCLA has become the benchmark for diamond certification in the country. Learn more about DCLA.
International Accreditation: CIBJO, WFDB and IDC
A certificate is only as credible as the standards behind it, and DCLA’s credentials are recognised at the highest levels of the international diamond industry.
CIBJO (The World Jewellery Confederation). DCLA is the official CIBJO laboratory for Australia and holds the CIBJO C2 AU Diamond Masterset for colour comparison. The Masterset is the reference set of stones against which diamond colour is graded, so every DCLA colour grade is anchored to an international standard.
IDC (International Diamond Council) and the WFDB. DCLA is a recognised IDC laboratory, as noted in the WorldFed Newsletter No 6. The IDC is the grading standards body established by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) together with the International Diamond Manufacturers Association, representing the world’s diamond bourses and manufacturers. DCLA’s grading protocols align with CIBJO and IDC standards, so its reports are directly comparable to certificates from other internationally recognised laboratories.
Listed on IDEX and RapNet
Credibility in the trade is measured by acceptance in the global marketplace. DCLA is listed on RapNet and IDEX, the two leading international diamond trading platforms. Diamonds carrying a DCLA report can be listed and traded by dealers worldwide, giving owners of DCLA-certified stones access to international markets, not just local ones.
What Sets DCLA Apart
A written full-replacement guarantee. DCLA is the only laboratory in Australia offering a written full-replacement guarantee on every report. Read about the DCLA Diamond Certificate.
Complete independence. DCLA is privately owned and operated, with no trade funding, influence or conflict of interest.
Transparency you can see. Every diamond is graded on-site in Sydney by qualified gemmologists, and clients can meet the team who grade their diamond. Your stone never disappears into a distant facility. See the technology and grading process.
Uncompromising standards on treatments and colour. DCLA screens every diamond for enhancements and issues grading certificates only for diamonds of natural colour origin. Learn about colour authentication and diamond treatments.
Natural and lab-grown expertise. DCLA certifies both natural and lab-grown diamonds, with clear origin disclosure. Understand synthetic diamonds.
Trusted where it counts. DCLA reports are relied on by jewellers, insurers and courts in Australia and beyond.
Beyond the Certificate
Owners can check a certificate online, protect their stone with cold laser inscription, and use diamond verification and traceability services. DCLA also provides diamond and jewellery valuations, rough and uncut diamond services, bespoke jewellery and independent advice on selling a diamond.
New to diamonds? Start with The 5 C’s of Diamonds, explore diamond shapes, or browse the glossary and picture library.
How to Get Your Diamond Certified in Australia
DCLA services are open to both the public and the trade. All diamonds submitted for grading must be loose, not set in jewellery. Stones can be submitted in person at the Sydney laboratory or by courier, with Secure National Couriers used within Australia and Brinks for international clients. See how to submit a diamond.
The Bottom Line
There are many places in the world to get a diamond certificate. For anyone buying, selling or insuring diamonds in Australia, DCLA offers what overseas laboratories cannot: CIBJO and IDC accreditation, acceptance on IDEX and RapNet, a written guarantee, and the chance to meet the gemmologists grading your stone. After 25 years, DCLA remains Australia’s foremost authority in diamonds.
Have questions? Read the FAQs
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