CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, has recommended that “synthetic” should be the primary term for created diamonds after a heated debate over nomenclature at its Centenary Congress at Vicenzaoro, Italy, this year.
After the Centenary Congress concluded on the sidelines of Vicenzaoro on September 7, 2026, the CIBJO Board approved a recommendation by its Diamond Commission and Coloured Stone Commission that the Blue Books, the CIBJO publications setting standards across the industry, should be revised so that the word “synthetic” becomes the sole descriptor used to accurately and scientifically define a created product with the same chemical composition, physical properties and structure as that of its naturally occurring counterpart.
The CIBJO Board acknowledged that “laboratory-grown” and “laboratory-created” are consumer marketing terms accepted in certain jurisdictions, and recognised that national law or regulations take precedence in the jurisdictions where they are relevant.
However, CIBJO recommends that, when communicating to an international audience, “synthetic” be used as the most unambiguous term of description.
The ruling by CIBJO, which cannot be enforced, is a recommendation to the global trade from the world’s leading standards body in the jewellery and gemstone industry.
CIBJO is not a marketing organisation, but is tasked to set standards across the global gems and jewellery industry, which includes determining precise nomenclature for terminology.
At the Congress, CIBJO delegates said that while the term “laboratory-grown” is widely used in the industry, it was CIBJO’s role to guide the industry on nomenclature.
CIBJO’s focus in terms of the debate in the industry over terms used to describe synthetic diamonds, is on precise nomenclature, principles, rules and standards, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri told the Congress.
“CIBJO is a standards organisation, not a marketing body,” said Udi Sheintal, who heads CIBJO’s Diamond Commission.
Industry sources said the market would decide what terminology to use, and several said privately that they expected suppliers of synthetic diamond jewellery to continue to use the term “laboratory-grown diamonds.”
Many such suppliers avoid using the term synthetic in their marketing as they say the perception of the word dilutes the value of the product from the perspective of customers.
Suppliers will likely continue to use the term “laboratory-grown diamonds” in their marketing, even though such products are created in factories, not laboratories.
Engagement rings featuring synthetic diamonds are now more than half the volume sold in the United States, CIBJO’s Laboratory Grown Diamond Committee said in a presentation to the Congress.
The committee underlined that laboratory-grown diamonds continue to be part of the future consumer choice.
There is an evolving segregation in the marketplace: France and Russia are examples of countries that only allow use of the term “synthetic”, whilst in the US and India, “lab-grown” or “laboratory-grown” was used.
Identifying the most precise nomenclature for so-called synthetics diamonds is important, as they can be the entry point of consumers who lack the financial means to buy natural but can move to natural when they are able to afford it.
Consumer protection is the priority: determination of the precise nomenclature can help consumers in their purchasing decisions.
Delegates spoke of unsubstantiated sustainability and ethical claims seen in new laboratory-grown diamond brands in India.
Publication of guidance on nomenclature is a vital reference in efforts to deliver the best possible customer protection.