The International Standard Organisation (ISO) has published a new set of diamond grading standards recently, which specifies the terminology, classification and the methods to be used for the grading and description of single unmounted polished diamonds.The new standard ISO 24016 applies to natural, unmounted, polished diamonds of more than 0.25 carats.
The 55-page document marked September 2020 of the new ISO 24016 was reconfirmed after a five-year systematic review process. However, it does not apply to fancy coloured diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, treated nor to assembled stones.
This first standard document was issued by ISO in 2015, which defined specific nomenclature for natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants.
Describing ISO 24016, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri said: “This is a historic moment for our industry, for it is the first time than a strictly defined diamond grading system has been ratified by the world’s leading standards body, formally recognizing principles and terminology that to date have not been approved by any impartial and international authority. ISO 24016 essentially parallels the CIBJO Diamond Blue Book, meaning that our widely-accepted standard is now effectively validated by ISO.”
Headquartered in Geneva, ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organisation, to which are affiliated 165 national standards bodies.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
