Ernie Blom praises new ISO standard for diamonds

President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), Ernie Blom, has praised the release of a new ISO standard for diamonds. 

ISO International Standard 18323: Jewellery – Consumer confidence in the diamond industry, provides a series of definitions which aim to provide clarity for traders and to maintain consumer confidence in the diamond industry as a whole.

The ISO ruling, which the WFDB helped to formulate, defines a diamond as something that was “created by nature”, and that “the denomination ‘diamond’ without further specification always implies ‘natural diamond”‘.

Blom said: “The importance of this standard lies in the fact that it sets out which nomenclature can be used and which cannot in the purchase and sale of diamonds, treated diamonds and synthetic diamonds.

“As ISO says: ‘ISO 18323:2015 will cover the nomenclature to be used by those involved in the buying and selling of diamonds, treated diamonds, synthetic diamonds, composite diamonds and imitations of diamonds.”

Blom said that the ISO notes very clearly the issues that the WFDB has been emphasising for some time. The need for “integrity and transparency” to ensure that consumers have total confidence in diamond products.

The ISO also sets out descriptions for synthetic diamonds, pointing out the growth in production in recent years, and that lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical and physical (including optical) properties as a natural, mined diamond.

The standard can be seen here.