(MILAN, Italy) – CIBJO has launched a new informational website, called “What is a Diamond?” Its purpose is to inform consumers and members of the jewelry and gemstone industry about the precise terminology that should be used to describe both natural diamonds and man-made diamonds.
Located on the web at www.whatisadiamond.org, the new website is an initiative of CIBJO’s Diamond Commission, and it was built with the support of the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF.
Using the CIBJO Diamond Blue Book as its primary reference, the new website definitions also comply with ISO Standard 18323 of the International Organization for Standardization. They draw a clear distinction between natural diamonds and synthetic or laboratory-grown or laboratory-created diamonds, as well qualifying what are considered natural products and what are considered products made by man.
The website also explains the distinctions used in the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System of the World Customs Organization (WCO), and supplies concise guidelines as to the terminology that should be applied by traders of both natural diamonds and man-made diamonds.
“The purpose of the website is to be an easy-to-find and simple-to-understand reference point for all those who purchase, sell or handle diamonds,” said CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri. “Our goal is not to indicate what is better or more valuable, but rather to ensure that the public is able to distinguish between the different products in the marketplace. Consumer confidence, which is the bedrock of our industry, is completely dependent on people being able to make informed purchasing decisions.”
About CIBJO
CIBJO is the international jewelry confederation of national trade organizations. CIBJO’s purpose is to encourage harmonization, promote international cooperation in the jewelry industry and to consider issues which concern the trade worldwide. CIBJO’s chief mission is to protect consumer confidence in the industry. Visit CIBJO online at www.cibjo.org.
