Jewelers have to follow CIBJO.

CIBJO itself expressly states: “The application of the Blue Books’ standards is voluntary.”

A jeweler's legal obligations come from the laws and regulations applicable where it does business—not from CIBJO. CIBJO has zero legislative or regulatory authority over jewelers.

U.S. jewelers are subject to U.S. consumer-protection law. The Federal Trade Commission has accepted terminology including “laboratory-grown” and “laboratory-created,” removed “synthetic” from its examples of recommended qualifiers, and has warned that using “synthetic” to imply that a competitor's laboratory-grown diamond is not actually a diamond can be deceptive.

Jewelers should not confuse a CIBJO recommendation with a legal requirement—and should always follow the consumer-protection laws applicable in the market where they operate.

Diamond Producers Council Advises Jewelers to Not Follow CIBJO

We advise jewelers and marketers to stop using “synthetic” for lab-grown diamonds because it confuses consumers about the distinction between diamonds and simulants.

The Diamond Producers’ Council will initiate proceedings against jewelers who deceptively use “synthetic” pertaining to lab-grown diamonds.

Related news: Diamond Producers Council advises jewelers and retailers to reject CIBJO’s “synthetics” recommendation.

Notice to the Jewelers

DPC reserves all rights to pursue legal remedies against jewelers, trade organizations and other market participants that use the term “synthetic” in a manner that misleads one or more consumers into believing that lab grown diamonds are fake, imitation diamonds, or are not diamonds. This applies to representations made in the United States and in other jurisdictions.

Where misleading representations cause consumers to purchase substantially more expensive mined diamonds instead of lab grown diamonds, DPC believes that the resulting consumer price premium may constitute a substantial economic injury and should be considered in assessing available damages, restitution, and other remedies.

DPC is evaluating potential claims, including claims capable of being pursued on behalf of affected classes of consumers, against market participants whose advertising or sales practices materially misrepresent lab grown diamonds.

Compliance with a voluntary CIBJO recommendation does not, by itself, immunize conduct from applicable consumer-protection, competition or advertising law.

Industry terminology cannot be used as a license to mislead consumers.

If you know of a consumer who was misled by a natural diamond marketer describing lab grown diamonds as “synthetics,” please notify us.