The fourth of the pre-congress Special Reports has been published with less than seven weeks till the commencement of the 2023 CIBJO Congress in Jaipur, India, on October 3, 2023. The research, which was created by the CIBJO Diamond Commission under the direction of Udi Sheintal, examines how evolving geopolitical conditions, technical advancements, and shifting consumer attitude are affecting changes in industry standards and terminology.
The Special Report analyzes recent allegations that technology has advanced to the point that it can now precisely pinpoint the exact place where rough diamonds have been mined. The CIBJO Diamond Commission states that it “welcomes, as a matter of principle, all efforts to advance research and development in the industry, but insists that any claim be supported by verifiable evidence and that results be repeatable,” Sheintal stated.
However, he continues, “we can only state with confidence is what is known at present,” citing a study from the Gemological Institute of America from May 2023 that stated that up until this point, no scientifically sound study had been published that would support an independent determination of the provenance of a randomly selected diamond.
The Special Report offers an update on the development of the potential International Standard 6893, which addresses quality control of diamonds weighing 0.25 carats and smaller, under the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The working group in charge of the ISO project is led by Jean-Pierre Chalain, vice president of the CIBJO Diamond Commission.
The Special Report ends with a memorial for three pioneers, Roland Naftule, Harry Levy, and Gabi Tolkowsky, who recently passed away.