Yes, but it depends on the stone. At Carat Club Co., diamonds 0.5 carat and above are individually IGI-certified and laser-inscribed with a verifiable serial. Stones below 0.5 carat are not certified by default, because independent grading can cost more than the stone itself. Certification for smaller stones is available on request.
That single rule answers most of what buyers actually want to know. The longer version is worth reading, because a certificate is the one thing standing between you and taking a jeweller's word for it.
What does an IGI certificate on a diamond stud actually tell you?
IGI is the International Gemological Institute, an independent lab that grades a diamond and issues a report on it. For a lab-grown stone, that report confirms it is laboratory-grown (not passed off as mined) and records the 4Cs: carat weight, colour, clarity and cut. It also notes the laser inscription, a microscopic serial number etched on the diamond's girdle that ties the physical stone to its paperwork.
Why does this matter for studs specifically? Studs are small, worn in pairs, and easy to describe vaguely. "D colour, VVS2" means something precise when a third party has verified it and put a serial on the stone. Without a report, those letters are just a claim. If you want the fuller picture on which lab to trust and how IGI compares to GIA, we wrote a plain guide to IGI versus GIA for lab-grown diamonds.
Why does 0.5 carat matter?
Certification is not free. IGI charges to grade and inscribe each stone, and that fee is roughly the same whether the diamond is tiny or substantial. On a 0.5 carat stone and up, the cost of a report is a small fraction of the piece, so certifying it is sensible and we do it as standard. On a stone well below half a carat, the grading fee can genuinely exceed what the diamond is worth. Charging you for paperwork that costs more than the gem it describes would be hard to defend.
So the line sits at 0.5 carat. At or above it, every stone is individually IGI-certified. Below it, we skip the certificate by default and offer it on request for anyone who wants one. Honest, and it keeps entry prices where they should be.
Which Carat Club Co. studs come certified, and which don't?
Walk the ladder from entry to statement and the rule plays out cleanly.
Origin is the entry point and the deliberate exception. The stone is lab-grown, D colour, VS1, Ideal cut, and passes the same in-house inspection as every other line. To hold the HK$999 price, it ships without an IGI certificate as standard. This is not lower-grade quality; it is the same stone with the paperwork made optional. If you want it certified, message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
Essential is the everyday solitaire and where certification becomes standard. At 0.5 carat, every stone is D colour, VVS2, Ideal cut, individually IGI-certified and laser-inscribed, held by La Poussette locking backs. It runs from 0.5ct up to 2.0ct, single or pair, in 9K white gold, 18K white gold or PT950. A 0.5ct single starts at HK$2,300; a pair from HK$4,300.
Vanguard is the men's single-stud design, sharper in profile, and it makes the point better than anything else on the ladder. Even at its 0.5ct entry price, every stone is individually IGI-certified with a laser-inscribed serial. It starts at HK$1,599 for a 0.5ct single in platinum-plated S925, or HK$2,700 in PT950. So a certified 0.5ct stud can start at HK$1,599; Origin, the same 0.5ct size, is priced at HK$999 precisely because the certificate is left off. That choice, pay for the paper or not, is the whole point of how we price.
Statement is the large-scale end, 3 to 5 carats of visible fire. Every stone is strict D colour, VVS2 to VS1, Ideal cut, individually IGI-certified and laser-inscribed, on La Poussette backs. It comes in 18K white gold or PT950, from HK$18,500 for a 3.0ct single, or HK$37,000 for the pair. At this size, nobody would consider buying without the report, and you never have to.
Should you pay to certify a smaller stud?
Request it if the certificate has a job to do. If the studs are a gift and the person receiving them will want proof of what they are, the paperwork earns its keep. Same if you insure the piece; insurers usually want an independent grading report to set a value. And if the report simply lets you sleep easier, that peace of mind is a fair reason on its own.
Skip it when the certificate would cost more than it protects. On a sub-0.5 carat everyday stud you plan to wear and enjoy, our in-house inspection already covers the grade, and a report you file away and never look at adds cost without adding much. If you are torn between two sizes before you even get to the certificate question, our note on choosing a lab-grown diamond stud size is the better place to start.
How do you verify an IGI certificate yourself?
You do not have to take our word for it, which is the point of certification. Every certified stud arrives with its IGI report number. Take that number to the IGI public database at igi.org, enter it in the report-check tool, and the full grading pulls up on your screen: carat, colour, clarity, cut, all straight from IGI rather than from us. For extra assurance, a jeweller can read the laser inscription on the girdle under magnification and match the serial to the report. Same stone, same number, verified twice.
Frequently asked questions
Do all lab-grown diamond studs come with a certificate?
No, and any brand claiming otherwise is glossing over the economics. At Carat Club Co., studs 0.5 carat and above are individually IGI-certified as standard. Below that, and on our Origin entry line, studs ship without a certificate by default because grading can cost more than the stone, with IGI available on request.
Can I get an IGI certificate for a stud under 0.5 carat?
Yes. Certification for smaller stones, and for the Origin line, is available on request. Message us on WhatsApp before or with your order and we will quote the IGI grading and inscription for that stone.
Does an IGI certificate make a lab-grown diamond worth more?
It does not change what the diamond is; a D colour, VVS2 stone is that grade with or without paper. What the certificate adds is independent proof and easier resale or insurance. It confirms value rather than creating it, which is why it makes more sense as stones get larger.
How long does delivery take?
Every pair is made to order, so allow 2 to 3 weeks from order to dispatch. We ship to Hong Kong and 14 other APAC markets. Each piece carries a one-year free repair guarantee and a 7-day exchange on any defect. We do not accept change-of-mind returns, so use the size guide and reach out if you are unsure before ordering.
