CEN Workshop 47 - Consumer confidence and terminology in the diamond industry

Background

The development of new technologies in the jewellery and diamond market has provided consumers with greater choice over the products that they can purchase; for instance synthetic diamonds.

Synthetic diamonds are diamonds that are artificially grown in a laboratory and can be produced in as little as a few days. They have a very similar chemical composition to natural diamonds and the two products can be indistinguishable to the naked eye.

Some manufacturers of non-natural diamonds use terms that do not accurately convey the true provenance of the product and have been shown to confuse consumers over whether the product that they are buying is a natural or a man-made diamond.

The presence of these new products in the market poses new challenges for legislators who need to ensure that consumers remain protected and are able to make informed purchasing decisions.

At present there is no specific EU legislation that regulates what constitutes a misleading term when associated with a non-natural diamond. To address this shortfall, the diamond industry operates within a set of permitted descriptors that are outlined in the CIBJO Blue Book and IDC standards. CIBJO is the World Jewellery Confederation. The Blue Book lists a number of terms that are considered to be misleading.

On the basis of the CIBJO/IDC standards, the Workshop's objective is to achieve an agreement on clear terminology at point of sale for diamonds, synthetics, and simulants.

CEN Workshop Agreement

The Workshop will deliver a CEN Workshop Agreement on terminology for diamonds, synthetics and simulants.

CEN Workshop status

The kick-off meeting of this CEN Workshop took place on 10 September 2008 in Brussels.

Approved Business Plan

Should you wish to participate in this CEN Workshop, please contact the Secretariat of the Workshop.

Contact points

CEN Workshop Chair

Ms Sarah Winterton
CIBJO Europe Secretariat
19 Buckingham Gate
GB-London SW1E 6LB
Tel: + 44 (0)207 630 1411
Fax: + 44 (0)207 233 5889
E-mail

CEN Workshop Secretariat

NEN
Ms Merel Ahles
Ms Do Harsveld 
Tel: + 31 15 26 90 119
E-mail Ms Ahles
E-mail Ms Harsveld

CEN Management Centre

Ms Gaïd Le Gall
rue de Stassart 36
B-1050 Brussels
Tel: + 32 2 550 09 39
Fax: + 32 2 550 08 19
E-mail