Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Diamonds, Says FTC

RAPAPORT The Federal Trade Commission has expanded its definition of "Diamond" to include those grown in a laboratory, as part of several changes to its jewelry guidelines The FTC's previous definition of a diamond stated: "A diamond is a natural mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system." This is no longer applicable, the commission said Tuesday "When the commission first used this definition in 1956, there was only one type of diamond product on the market - natural stones mined from the earth," the FTC said.

Technological advances have made it possible to create diamonds in a laboratory These stones have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as mined diamonds Thus, they are diamonds" The fact that diamonds exist "In the soil of [the] earth" is not a necessary attribute, lab-grown producer Diamond Foundry argued after the FTC requested input from members of the trade.

The commission suggests marketers use words such as "Man-made," "Lab-grown" or "Foundry" to qualify "Cultured," thereby avoiding confusion about a diamond's origins In January, the DPA was one of several trade organizations that collaborated on a universal standard for referring to diamonds, saying that "Diamond" on its own implied natural origin. . More