Objective and third party-verified information on the performance of diamond verification instruments are now easily accessible to trade participants through the Assure Program.

A joint collaboration by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) and Signet Jewelers, the programme recently tested several lab-grown diamond detectors using stringent industry standards. Results of the independent performance tests were published in the Assure Directory on the DPA website.

Jean-Marc Lieberherr, CEO of the DPA, commented, “Trade participants have a shared responsibility to disclose the nature of the product they are selling to protect the end consumer. Through the Assure Program, we will support the diamond trade, from independent jewellery retailers to large diamond manufacturers, to make informed decisions on how to ensure that undisclosed lab-grown diamonds do not enter their natural diamond supply chain. The Assure test results should be considered along guidelines formulated by the Responsible Jewellery Council.”

The Assure Program partnered with 11 manufacturers representing 18 most widely available diamond verification instruments in the market. The instruments submitted were tested in accordance with methods and protocols in the Diamond Verification Instruments Standard. The standard was developed in collaboration with the independent third-party test agency UL and a Technical Committee consisting of leading scientists and academics from major gemmological organisations. The diamond verification instruments have been tested with a deliberately challenging sample (including natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds and if applicable, diamond simulants), designed to provide an indication of the relative performance of the instruments.

The Assure directory will regularly be updated as new instruments are submitted for testing or re-testing, and the set of stones included in the sample will evolve continuously to include new synthetic diamonds as they are identified, DPA said.