This article first appeared in the JNA September/October 2023 issue.

Confidence is progressively gaining importance as a value indicator in the diamond trade, on top of traditional factors that consumers consider when buying diamonds. Described as the “fifth C”, confidence is playing a more critical role in the supply chain as traders, financiers and end-consumers increasingly demand assurance in their diamond purchases.

This is where De Beers Group’s more than 130 years of expertise in the diamond industry come to the fore as the group remains committed to advancing consumer confidence at every touchpoint of a diamond’s journey through De Beers Institute of Diamonds (DBIoD).

Sachin Jain, president of DBIoD, remarked, “Designed to combine expertise with innovative technology in grading, DBIoD offers the very best in diamond verification with a range of products and services that provide confidence in product integrity, knowledge and assessment.”

The institute is guided by three diamond-grading principles: Accuracy, integrity and consistency. To ensure accurate and consistent diamond appraisals, it uses modern testing instruments and proprietary technology in its laboratories. It also implements a “black box” system where diamonds are distributed in anonymous boxes, so each diamond is fairly appraised according only to its features by highly experienced graders.

“Every diamond we grade as part of our services is natural, untreated and from a recognised diamond producer,” noted Jain. “There is more to a diamond than its weight and appearance. We work only with natural diamonds, disclosed to us in compliance with the United Nations-mandated Kimberley Process.”

Additionally, an assessment from DBIoD provides diamantaires with confidence in a report of each diamond’s 4Cs of carat, colour, clarity and cut. Diamonds are given a unique inscription number so pertinent details can be tracked and viewed on the institute’s website.

The institute prides itself on its technology leadership that assures reliable and repeatable results, which in turn allow traders to offer excellent-quality goods. “This confidence is passed to the end-consumer, providing promise and security that the diamond has been on a journey filled with our guiding principles of transparency, accuracy and consistency,” shared Jain.