The Bureau of Indian Standards has adopted IS 19469:2025 (a modified adoption of ISO 18323:2015), establishing that the unqualified term “diamond” applies exclusively to natural diamonds and requiring explicit, full‑term disclosure for man‑made alternatives. The move, welcomed by the Natural Diamond Council, closes a longstanding terminology gap on Indian e‑commerce and in‑store listings and creates immediate compliance and merchandising implications for sellers and intermediaries.
- Standard: IS 19469:2025 (modified adoption of ISO 18323:2015) — Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- Terminology rule: the word “diamond” used alone applies only to natural diamonds
- Mandatory disclosure: man‑made products must be labeled only as “laboratory‑grown diamond” or “laboratory‑created diamond”
- Prohibited shorthand and terms: abbreviations such as “LGD” or “lab‑diamond” and descriptors like “nature’s,” “earth‑friendly,” or “cultured” are not permitted for laboratory‑grown products
- Geography and timing: applies to the Indian market under IS 19469:2025
Where this fits in 2025–26 trends
The standard is a formalisation of concerns that have circulated across global trade channels: inconsistent labeling erodes consumer confidence and complicates cross‑border listings. In markets where lab‑grown diamonds have secured visible retail share, the issue has been less about product quality than about clarity — how cut, carat and provenance are represented in product feeds and point‑of‑sale messaging.
IS 19469:2025 aligns with broader trade moves toward traceability and unambiguous origin claims. For natural diamonds, the reserve on the unqualified term tightens language around rarity and investment framing; for laboratory‑grown producers and retailers, the rule demands disciplined, full‑term disclosure instead of shorthand branding. The result is a clearer taxonomy that supports differentiated value propositions rather than blurring them.
Why this matters in the US market
US retailers, importers and online marketplaces that source from Indian manufacturers or list India‑origin inventory should expect near‑term operational workstreams. Product data feeds, SKU descriptions and search tags will require audit and remediation to avoid mislabeling; marketplaces may need to enforce updated seller guidelines to limit returns and regulatory scrutiny.
For wholesalers and brands, the standard reduces one vector of consumer confusion—an opportunity to sharpen merchandising: natural diamonds can be presented with unambiguous provenance language, while lab‑grown assortments must adopt the approved full terms. That clarity can help segment marketing messages and pricing architecture, but it also increases the compliance cost for players who relied on shortened descriptors or ambiguous claims.
Investors and category strategists should note the governance angle: formal terminology standards lower information friction between supply chain actors and consumers. In practical terms this can reduce reputational risk for retailers and marketplaces, but it also forces lab‑grown producers to recalibrate branding and disclosure practices — a modest margin and operational challenge, particularly for high‑volume, digitally native sellers.
The Natural Diamond Council has welcomed the adoption as a step toward stronger consumer protection and transparency across the Indian diamond‑jewellery market. Stakeholders worldwide will watch how enforcement and platform compliance play out; for now, the clearest immediate effect is administrative — relabel, reupload and restate product claims with precise, authorised language.
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