DRIVING CONSUMER PROTECTION: NATURAL DIAMOND COUNCIL LAUNCHES THE NEW EDITION OF THE ASSURE 2.0 PROGRAM ONLINE PORTAL

15th November 2022

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has announced the launch of the new ASSURE 2.0 online portal. The updated portal enables all purchasers of Diamond Verification Instruments (DVI) to browse through the Directory, understand the features and analyze the results of the new series of ASSURE testing.

Every Diamond Verification Instrument has unique benefits and choosing which device to purchase can be a daunting task. The ASSURE Program represents the ultimate regime for the testing of Diamond Verification Instruments, providing all the players of the diamond industry with objective data as they consider purchasing or using a specific DVI. Building industry capability to correctly verify natural diamonds and ensure pipeline integrity is vital to protecting consumer confidence, and the objective behind the Assure program.

The ASSURE 2.0 portal and its Directory showcase the results of DVI testing on an updated ASSURE Sample of natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants in a range of sizes. This ASSURE Sample has been carefully curated to reflect goods currently circulating in the market, as well as individual stones that anticipate future trends and pose some of the greatest challenges to Diamond Verification Instruments. The Program also includes diamond-set jewelry testing, with both open and closed-back mounted stones included in the testing regimen.

An improved filtering system of the ASSURE 2.0 Directory allow buyers of Diamond Verification Instruments to easily review instruments based on their key needs: types of diamonds used, volumes of diamonds processed, size of device, level of expertise required, etc. In terms of reading the results, the key metrics to analyse are: False Positive Rate (the optimal Diamond False Positive Rate is 0% where no synthetic diamonds – or diamond simulants – are classified as natural diamonds); Diamond referral Rate (the optimal Diamond Referral Rate is 0% where no diamonds are referred for further testing); and Diamond Accuracy (the optimal diamond accuracy is 100% where all diamonds are correctly classified as diamond).

The new portal also provides more details on the ASSURE 2.0 program as well as general information on how to protect diamond pipeline integrity. Access to previously published test results will be maintained in a separate ASSURE 1.0 directory for reference.

The Natural Diamond Council will also continue to support national and local initiatives to promote the usage of Diamond Verification Instruments and organise real-life showcases.

The latest such event took place in London and ran from June 20th until July 29th, hosted by the London Diamond Bourse. It offered members of the diamond and jewellery trade the opportunity to try many of the Diamond Verification Instruments available today. The visitors also learnt more about diamond verification instruments and how to protect their pipeline integrity from the independent gemmologist Charlotte Rose.

“At the centre of consumer protection is the ability to distinguish between natural diamonds, laboratory-grown diamonds, and diamond simulants. The success of the ASSURE Showcase in London demonstrates the shared commitment to ensuring consumer confidence across the jewellery industry. The UK has taken a strong stance on this, which is positive for the natural diamond industry. It is a positive development that will move the industry forward in a way that will benefit everyone.” David Kellie, CEO, Natural Diamond Council

“We were delighted with the turnout from the trade and independent jewellers, many travelling across county and from overseas to attend. The feedback received was positive with many commenting on the wide variety of machines available to suit any size organisation and budget. We are expecting to see an uptake in the prevalence of Diamond Verification Instruments in the British jewellery trade because of the ASSURE Showcase.” Alan Cohen, President, London Diamond Bourse

Manufacturers of Diamond Verification Instruments are invited to now submit both new instruments and existing instruments that have already been tested but whose ASSURE Tested Certification is expiring post their 2-year validity mark. We also encourage any associations interested in supporting our mission and partnering with us in organising ASSURE Program showcases to contact us.

Find the list of ASSURE Tested instruments here.

ASSURE Program contact assure@naturaldiamonds.com.

For strategic collaborations, please contact raluca@naturaldiamonds.com

About the Natural Diamond Council (NDC)

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) inspires and informs consumers about the incredible world of natural diamonds through its Only Natural Diamonds platform. The platform is the authoritative publisher on all things natural diamonds including celebrities and pop culture, epic diamonds and jewellery trends, engagements and weddings, and diamond buying guides.

The NDC supports the integrity of the natural diamond industry by providing transparency and insight on the progress of this sector and its commitments to further betterment. NDC is a global organization whose members ’operations span four continents and ten countries including Canada, South Africa, and Botswana. Their operations support the livelihood of 10 million industry employees and their families around the world.

The NDC operates in the US, China, India, UAE and Europe.

About the ASSURE Program

The ASSURE Program is a testing regimen for Diamond Verification Instruments, offering

reliable, third-party approved insights to support purchasing decisions. A Diamond

Verification Instrument is a device used to separate and/or identify diamonds from synthetic

diamonds. They are also known as synthetic diamond screening or synthetic diamond detection devices.

The ASSURE Program is designed to protect consumers, maintain their confidence and safeguard the integrity of the natural diamond supply chain.

The ASSURE Program assesses the relative performance of Diamond Verification Instruments available on the market and the results can be seen in the ASSURE Directory.

About the London Diamond Bourse

The London Diamond Bourse (a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses) is an exclusive institution, whose history, traditions and facilities make it unique in the UK. Our members subscribe and are bound by our historic code of conduct which includes integrity, moral obligation, the highest standards of trade and best business practice. The London Diamond Bourse is recognised by the Foreign and Commonwealth office as a Trade Organisation.