Development of the Laboratory Grown Materials Standard (LGMS) began in 2021 and addresses a range of standards for business practices in areas such as legal compliance, due diligence, human rights, appraisal and grading, and environmental management.
There are 28 provisions addressing five 'broad objectives'. Adhering to these standards will be voluntary for members for one year after their release. The RJC said this transitional phase will give members additional time to meet the designated standards.
“Our mission at RJC is to promote responsible business practices from laboratory or mine to retail,” chairman Dave Meleski said.
“With the LGMS, we are not just setting a standard; we are setting a vision for a future where elegance and ethics go hand in hand. We believe that every diamond, whether mined or lab-grown, can be celebrated without compromising our values.”
The RJC is a global ‘standards-setting’ organisation for the watch and jewellery industry and has more than 2,000 members in 74 countries. After two years in the position, executive director Melanie Grant recently announced her resignation.
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