The diamond trade is focusing on how CIBJO’s recommendation on the use of “synthetic” can be implemented across diverse markets, with industry representatives calling for terminology to be translated into clear, consumer-friendly declarations.
World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) President Mehul Shah has urged governments and trade bodies to establish local-language declarations for synthetic diamonds, arguing that terminology is effective only when it is understood and accepted by consumers.
“Every region or country has its own language under which various terminologies are used,” Shah said, adding that governments could prescribe local-language declarations covering terminology related to lab-grown or synthetic diamonds.
The proposal comes after CIBJO’s Board approved a recommendation that “synthetic” be used as the sole scientific descriptor for created diamonds when communicating to an international audience. CIBJO has also acknowledged that “laboratory-grown” and “laboratory-created” remain accepted consumer terms in certain jurisdictions, with national laws taking precedence.
For the trade, the implementation question therefore extends beyond terminology itself to certificates, product disclosures and point-of-sale communication. Shah has specifically called on grading laboratories to consider using local languages on certificates to make disclosures more accessible to consumers.
The development also highlights the differing regulatory and market environments in which the global diamond trade operates. CIBJO’s earlier terminology guidance had authorised “synthetic”, “laboratory-grown” and “laboratory-created” as descriptors, while its latest recommendation places “synthetic” at the centre of international terminology.
For India and other multilingual markets, the discussion puts greater emphasis on translating international standards into practical consumer communication, while allowing national regulations and market practices to determine implementation.
