On January 29, 2018, leading international organizations in the diamond and jewelry industry jointly released the “Diamond Terminology Guide,” establishing a unified standard for communication and description related to both natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds. The industry organizations that participated in developing this standard include the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC), the International Diamond & Jewelry Federation (CIBJO), the Diamond Producers Association (DPA), the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC), the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI), the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA), the Jewelers’ Circular Trade Association (USJC), the World Diamond Council (WDC), and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB)—a total of nine organizations.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri stated, “Protecting consumer confidence is the key to our industry’s long-term success.” The “Diamond Terminology Guide” is an important tool for realizing this vision—it helps standardize the use of terminology and makes it easier to distinguish between natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds in all our internal communications as well as in our interactions with consumers. Cavalieri also noted: “The ‘Diamond Terminology Guide’ is a vital complement to CIBJO’s Diamond Blue Book, and the two documents maintain a high degree of consistency. Featuring clear and easy-to-understand language, and backed by strong support from leading industry organizations, we believe this guide will be widely adopted across both wholesale and retail sectors.”

Diamond Terminology Guide

Introduction and References

Nine leading organizations in the international diamond industry—including AWDC, CIBJO, DPA, GJEPC, IDI, IDMA, USJC, WDC, and WFDB—have jointly developed this guideline, which aims to encourage organizations, institutions, suppliers, and retailers across the industry to adopt comprehensive, fair, effective, clear, and easily understandable terminology for diamonds, synthetic diamonds, and imitation diamonds.

The “Diamond Terminology Guide” is designed to serve as a universally recognized reference document for the diamond and jewelry industry when dealing with both natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds. Its development is based on two internationally widely accepted standards: ISO 18323 (“Jewellery—Consumer Confidence in the Diamond Industry”) and the CIBJO Diamond Blue Book.

Definition

• Diamonds are minerals created by nature; the term “diamond” always refers to natural diamonds.

• Synthetic diamonds are artificial products that possess the same fundamental physical properties as diamonds.

• An imitation diamond, or diamond simulant, is an artificial product that mimics the appearance of a diamond but lacks its chemical structure and physical properties or characteristics.

• A gemstone is a naturally occurring mineral that is used in jewelry due to its combination of beauty, rarity, and intrinsic value.

Terminology

• When it comes to synthetic diamonds:

- Use the following authorized qualifiers to refer to synthetic diamonds: “synthetic,” “laboratory-grown,” or “laboratory-created.”

- Do not use English abbreviations such as “lab-grown” and “lab-created.”

- Do not use the terms “cultured diamonds” or “cultivated diamonds,” as “cultivated” and “cultivated” specifically refer to organic/biological products.

- Do not use the following words: “real,” “genuine,” “authentic,” or “natural,” as these terms specifically refer to natural minerals and gemstones.

Recommendation

• By definition, diamonds are natural. Therefore, when referring to diamonds, use the term “diamond” alone, without any qualifiers. If it is necessary to distinguish them from synthetic diamonds, the term “natural diamond” may be used as a synonym.

• Do not use the following ambiguous terms: “natural treated diamond” and “treated natural diamond.” Instead, simply refer to them as “treated diamond.”

When and where to use the Diamond Terminology Guide

• AWDC, CIBJO, DPA, GJEPC, IDI, IDMA, USJC, WDC, and WFDB strongly recommend that all traders, industry associations, and other organizations ensure that any documents, websites, and other communication channels used for the sale, purchase, and promotion of diamonds, synthetic diamonds, gemstones, gemstone laboratory reports, diamond jewelry, and synthetic diamond jewelry comply with this guideline.

For any questions about this guide, please contact Lisa Levinson at lisa@diamondproducers.com.