Having been informed about many foreign vendors of irradiated diamonds misinforming their potential customers about their products and the compliance with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) recommends that a warranty accompany ANY irradiated gemstone, regardless of the type, upon its release into the supply chain. The warranty should assure full compliance with all licensing requirements.

Many gemstones – including diamonds, topaz and tourmaline – are commonly irradiated to alter their natural color, which even though is a low level radiation with no health risks involved, these irradiated stones are closely regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). They may not be distributed in the U.S. unless initially possessed and distributed by entities fully licensed to do so by the NRC. Once the stones have been released into the marketplace by such a licensed entity they may be freely traded.

The Essential Guide to the U.S. Trade in Irradiated Gemstones has been jointly issued by the JVC and the American Gem Trade Association, and is available for viewing on the JVC website – www.jvclegal.org.