ICA-GemLab to Open India’s First Gemological Laboratory in Surat

ICA-GemLab, an internationally recognised organisation specialising in diamonds, jewellery and coloured gemstones, will open a new gemological laboratory in Surat, Gujarat, in October.

The new laboratory will offer testing and reporting services for diamonds, coloured gemstones and jewellery. It will also bring these services closer to manufacturers and traders in the jewellery supply chain.

New Gemological Laboratory in Surat

Surat is one of the world’s major centres for diamond and jewellery manufacturing and trade. Therefore, the new ICA-GemLab laboratory will give businesses easier access to gemological testing.

The facility will support the industry at the manufacturing and trading stages. In turn, this will allow businesses to obtain gemological information before their products reach consumers.

The new facility is also part of ICA-GemLab’s plan to provide direct access to its services in key sourcing and trading markets.

ICA-GemLab Expands into India

The Surat laboratory will be ICA-GemLab’s first facility in the Indian subcontinent. It will connect with the organisation’s headquarters in Bangkok. It will also work with its existing offices in Dubai and Hong Kong.

In addition, ICA-GemLab is affiliated with the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA). The organisation represents the coloured gemstone industry.

The Surat laboratory will follow the reporting standards and professional practices used across the ICA-GemLab group. As a result, customers in India will have access to the organisation’s established testing and reporting services.

Kalpesh Desai to Lead ICA-GemLab India

ICA-GemLab India will be led by Kalpesh Desai as Director.

Speaking about the new laboratory, Desai said:

“India has a significant share of the world’s diamond processing, with Surat being one of its key centres. Our aim is to provide direct access to our internationally established analytical methods and reporting standards to manufacturers, traders, retailers, designers and consumers.”

He added:

“We are working with a long-term plan. Our aim is to provide reliable gemological information, documented methodologies and analysis that can help traders and consumers make decisions based on appropriate information.”

ICA-GemLab Strengthens Its India Presence

Amira Hatta, Managing Director, ICA-GemLab Global, said:

“India is one of the most important markets in the global gems and jewellery industry. Opening a laboratory in Surat will bring our analytical capabilities directly to this market, so that customers will have access to our services closer to where they operate.”

The new laboratory will therefore give manufacturers, traders and other industry professionals direct access to ICA-GemLab’s services.

Three Types of Gemological Reports

The Surat laboratory will issue three types of reports:

• Diamond Reports
• Coloured Gemstone Reports
• Jewellery Reports

These services will be available to manufacturers, wholesalers, traders and retailers. Jewellery brands and designers can also use the services. In addition, industry professionals and consumers will have access to the laboratory.

ICA-GemLab’s Global Network

ICA-GemLab is headquartered in Bangkok. It also has offices in Dubai and Hong Kong.

Furthermore, the organisation has a partnership with Sri Lanka’s National Gem & Jewellery Authority. Through this partnership, testing capabilities are available in Sri Lanka.

The new Surat laboratory marks another step in ICA-GemLab’s expansion. More importantly, it will place gemological testing and reporting services closer to one of India’s leading diamond and jewellery centres.