Vicenza, Italy | September 7, 2026: The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) concluded its centenary congress in Vicenza with a significant shift in diamond nomenclature, recommending “synthetic diamond” as the sole Blue Book term for diamonds that are not of natural origin. The decision came amid wider discussions on natural diamond demand, supply discipline, sustainability, geopolitics, traceability and the future of the jewellery trade.
The four-day congress, held from September 4 to 7, brought together nearly 500 delegates representing the global jewellery supply chain. CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri opened the centenary edition on September 4 by tracing the organisation’s evolution from its origins as BIBOA in 1926 through its 1961 relaunch as CIBJO and the development of its Blue Book standards.
The opening keynote by Gareth Penny, chairman of Ninety One and former De Beers Group CEO, focused on rebuilding natural diamond demand among younger consumers. Penny argued that diamonds need to be marketed for their emotional and symbolic value rather than their physical composition, with engagement jewellery remaining a key category.
He also called on the industry to better communicate the economic benefits generated in producing countries such as Botswana and Namibia, arguing that sustainability must move from simply “doing good” to demonstrating its impact.
Later the same day, Martin Rapaport offered a more critical assessment of the natural diamond market. He attributed part of the disruption to the way synthetics have been presented to consumers and noted that one-carat natural polished diamond prices have fallen by roughly 50% from their post-pandemic peak.
Rapaport called for natural diamonds to be positioned around scarcity, luxury and emotion, while identifying pre-owned natural diamonds as an opportunity for younger consumers.
On September 5, a geopolitics panel examined the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, US tariffs and the US-Iran war on the jewellery trade.
Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), discussed the impact of G7 and EU sanctions on Russian-mined rough diamonds and noted that Russian goods previously moving through Antwerp have subsequently been moving towards India and Dubai. The discussion highlighted growing compliance and traceability considerations for Indian manufacturers and exporters.
The American Gem Trade Association also discussed its efforts to secure tariff exemptions for coloured gemstones cut in Thailand, India and Brazil.
The most consequential development came on September 6, when CIBJO’s Diamond Commission, chaired by Udi Sheintal with vice-president Jean-Pierre Chalain, proposed removing “laboratory-grown diamond” and “laboratory-created diamond” as synonyms from CIBJO nomenclature.
Under the proposal, “synthetic diamond” would become the single recommended term for diamonds that are not of natural origin. The commission argued that HPHT and CVD diamonds are produced through industrial processes rather than grown in a laboratory. The move reverses CIBJO’s 2010 position, when the three terms were accepted as equivalent.
The proposal was debated intensely. Wesley Hunt, chair of CIBJO’s Laboratory-Grown Diamond Committee, told delegates that requests had been made to defer the decision and retain “laboratory-grown” as an alternative. Producers including Tom Chatham had also sought a delay. CIBJO proceeded with the proposal.
The terminology issue also has direct implications for India. France and Russia now permit “synthetic”, while “lab-grown” remains standard terminology in India and the US. The London Diamond Bourse also announced its move towards “synthetic diamond”, following a unanimous WFDB vote in Singapore in July.
A market panel moderated by Rob Bates, Edahn Golan and Avi Krawitz examined the state of natural diamond demand.
Panelists argued that reductions in mining output are currently supporting natural diamond prices, while demand generation remains a challenge. Mehul Shah, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, highlighted India as the world’s second-largest jewellery market, with retail growing at around 10% annually.
Raluca Anghel of the Natural Diamond Council said the natural and synthetic categories should not necessarily be viewed as direct competitors, with alternative luxury spending such as travel representing a major source of competition. Raj Mehta of Spectrum pointed to a firming natural diamond market amid rough shortages, while Mahiar Borhanjoo of De Beers described polished prices as stable.
The congress also placed sustainability and technology high on the agenda. CIBJO’s Sustainable Development Commission introduced a simplified Responsible Sourcing Toolkit designed particularly for SMEs. Discussions stressed the importance of demonstrating measurable sustainability practices, rather than relying on commitments alone.
An AI-focused session explored the technology’s potential across online retail and jewellery operations, alongside concerns about over-reliance on AI. A separate discussion highlighted an AI-generated hallmarking reference that was reportedly fast and well structured but contained convincing errors.
The General Assembly and Board of Directors affirmed the nomenclature change on September 7, bringing the centenary congress to a close. CIBJO’s position now places “synthetic” at the centre of its recommended terminology for non-natural diamonds, while India and the US remain markets where “lab-grown” continues to be widely used.
The congress also announced the creation of an International Fine Jewellery Academy in Milan, developed by CIBJO, CAPAC Confcommercio and Fondazione Mani Intelligenti, with a focus on craftsmanship, luxury R&D, standards, sustainability and technology.
The CIBJO centenary congress leaves the industry with three clear messages: supply discipline is supporting natural diamond prices, demand generation needs greater investment, and terminology and traceability are becoming increasingly important across markets.
For India, the nomenclature debate carries particular significance as the country remains a major jewellery market and an important centre of diamond manufacturing. The congress also placed India at the centre of discussions around both market growth and the movement of Russian rough, reinforcing the need for manufacturers and exporters to closely track evolving international traceability and compliance requirements.