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DPA Launched Independent Assurance Program for Diamond Verification Instruments. The joint collaboration by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) and Signet Jewelers – the ASSURE Program – has published the results from the independent performance tests of Diamond Verification Instruments in the ASSURE Directory ondiamondproducers.com/ASSURE. Through the ASSURE Directory trade participants can access objective and third-party verified information on the relative performance of Diamond Verification Instruments and guidance on how to ensure that their business is protected from undisclosed laboratory grown diamonds. Jean-Marc Lieberherr, CEO of the Diamond Producers Association, said “Trade participants have a shared responsibility to disclose the nature of the product they are selling to protect the end consumer. Through the ASSURE Program, we will support the diamond trade, from independent jewellery retailers to large diamond manufacturers, to make informed decisions on how to ensure that undisclosed laboratory grown diamonds do not enter their natural diamond supply chain. The ASSURE test results should be considered along guidelines formulated by the Responsible Jewellery Council.” Andrew Bone, Executive Director at the Responsible Jewellery Council, said “We welcome this initiative to support the spread of effective diamond verification practices across the pipeline. We will continue to support the DPA and the ASSURE Program in their efforts to enhance consumer confidence in the jewellery industry.” Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman of the GJEPC said “GJEPC has always believed that segregation of natural diamonds and synthetic/laboratory-grown diamonds is of paramount importance. For this, it is important that the industry is made aware of the various machines and their capabilities. It is important for the industry participants to understand the ‘right’ machine for their needs as the costs are varying based on the speed and technology incorporated in such machines. We are happy that the DPA through its Project Assure has taken initiative in this regard. This information will go a long way in effective segregation of diamonds as a category from synthetic diamonds and eliminate confusion and enhance consumer confidence and trust.” The ASSURE Program partnered with the 11 manufacturers representing the 18most widely available Diamond Verification instruments in the market. The instruments submitted to Assured have been tested in accordance with the methods and protocols in the Diamond Verification Instruments Standard. The standard was developed in collaboration with the independent third-party test agency UL and a Technical Committee consisting of leading scientists and academics from major gemmological organisations, including GIA, GII, IIDGR, NGTC, SSEF, TISNCM and WTOCD.The Diamond Verification Instruments have been tested with a deliberately challenging sample (including natural diamonds, laboratory grown diamonds and if applicable, diamond simulants), designed to provide an indication of the relative performance of the instruments. The first round of testing took place at UL’s laboratories in Canton, Massachusetts, USA, and the results will continuously be made available in the ASSURE Directory in the coming weeks. Thereafter, the ASSURE directory will be regularly updated as new instruments are submitted to testing or re-testing, and the set of stones included in the sample will evolve continuously to include new synthetics diamonds as they are identified. David Bouffard, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Signet Jewelers Ltd. said “The Diamond Verification Instrument Standard is a vital initiative to provide the diamonds and jewelry trade with independent guidance about the capabilities of diamond verification instruments available in the marketplace. The ASSURE Program has already proven valuable for companies in our supply chain who operate on a global scale. We look forward to all of our suppliers implementing ASSURE Certified technology to help protect the integrity of the global jewelry supply chain.” Wayne Bilodeau, Operations Director, UL, said: “UL is proud to partner on the ASSURE Program and provides trustworthy and stringent testing, empowering trust and delivering quality in the diamond supply chain and Diamond Verification Instrument industry.”

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