GIA is laying off 151 workers from its Carlsbad, Calif., headquarters, according to a WARN notice it filed on July 28 that was posted in late August.
The layoffs involve personnel in the gem lab as well as some corporate functions, says GIA spokesperson Stephen Morisseau. They are due to take effect Sept. 23.
“Many organizations in the global gem and jewelry sector are having to make difficult decisions due to the general downturn in economic conditions affecting the global gem trade,” Morisseau tells JCK.
“These reductions will not affect our ability to advance our important consumer protection mission, nor to meet the needs of our clients, students, and stakeholders.”
The increasing market share of lab-grown diamonds may have affected operations at the GIA lab. Though GIA has offered full grading for lab-grown diamonds for the past three years, most lab-grown sellers seem to prefer using IGI.
The GIA layoff news was first reported in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Top: Graders at the GIA lab (Photo courtesy of GIA)
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