The International Gemological Institute (IGI) after having offered the tanzanite grading in accordance with the Tanzanite Quality Scale, in North America and India, has now begun this service in Hong Kong. IGI was the first grading lab to offer the certificates beginning in North America in March 2007.

The IGI certificates inform the customer about the tanzanite tested as authentic and sourced originally from Mount Kilamanjaro in Tanzania, the only known tanzanite source in the world. The Tanzanite Foundation and the IGI have planned a celebration for the Hong Kong centre launch on September 27, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

"A key consideration for the Tanzanite Foundation in working with IGI to launch the tanzanite-grading initiative was IGI's global reach and reputation," said Tanzanite Foundation Technical Director Gabriella Endin.