Policies & IssuesNov 27, 2024
G7 Announces Botswana as Second Verification ‘Node’ for Rough DiamondsPolicies & IssuesFeb 18, 2025
New Customs Requirements for Diamond Imports: What We Know
Beginning in April, companies importing diamonds into the United States will have to list the country in which the diamonds were mined.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s recent announcement that it soon will require diamond importers to list country of mining when shipping goods into the United States seems to have taken the trade by surprise, and left many with questions.
Washington, D.C.—Beginning sometime in April, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will require companies importing diamonds into the United States to provide additional information and be more specific about the source of their stones.
Instead of just certifying that their diamonds did not come from Russia, importers will be asked to list the country in which they were mined.
The new requirement is part of the broader efforts the United States and other G-7 nations collectively began taking last spring to prevent Russian diamonds from crossing their borders.
Since March 1, 2024, companies or individuals importing loose polished natural diamonds weighing 1 carat or more into the U.S. have had to self-certify that the diamonds were not mined or manufactured in Russia.
The rules expanded to include finished jewelry and diamonds weighing 0.5 carats and above on Sept. 1.
What this requires of importers is filing a PDF on official company letterhead with the following statement, “I certify that the non-industrial diamonds in this shipment were not mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Russian Federation, notwithstanding whether such diamonds have been substantially transformed into other products outside of the Russian Federation.”
Beginning in April, there will be a new field for “country of mining” in the Automated Customs Environment (ACE) manifest that importers will have to fill out, said JVC President, CEO and General Counsel Sara Yood.
They also can upload documents to support their country-of-mining claims, though CBP is not requiring additional documentation at this time.
In a member alert circulated last week, JVC said that CBP has listed “purchase orders, certificates of mining and certificates of origin” as acceptable forms of proof of country of mining.
While CBP has not provided specifics, it is presumed this means documents such as a Kimberley Process certificate or a certificate from the G-7 verification “node” in Antwerp or the pending one in Botswana.
Yood said if such documentation is not filed at time of import, it can be presented later if a shipment is spot-checked, meaning that customs pulls it and asks for additional documentation.
JVC also noted that more than one country of mining can be declared on an entry, but each one will require a separate line and its own documentation for verification.
Related stories will be right here …
Instead of just certifying that their diamonds did not come from Russia, importers will be asked to list the country in which they were mined.
The new requirement is part of the broader efforts the United States and other G-7 nations collectively began taking last spring to prevent Russian diamonds from crossing their borders.
Since March 1, 2024, companies or individuals importing loose polished natural diamonds weighing 1 carat or more into the U.S. have had to self-certify that the diamonds were not mined or manufactured in Russia.
The rules expanded to include finished jewelry and diamonds weighing 0.5 carats and above on Sept. 1.
What this requires of importers is filing a PDF on official company letterhead with the following statement, “I certify that the non-industrial diamonds in this shipment were not mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Russian Federation, notwithstanding whether such diamonds have been substantially transformed into other products outside of the Russian Federation.”
Beginning in April, there will be a new field for “country of mining” in the Automated Customs Environment (ACE) manifest that importers will have to fill out, said JVC President, CEO and General Counsel Sara Yood.
They also can upload documents to support their country-of-mining claims, though CBP is not requiring additional documentation at this time.
In a member alert circulated last week, JVC said that CBP has listed “purchase orders, certificates of mining and certificates of origin” as acceptable forms of proof of country of mining.
While CBP has not provided specifics, it is presumed this means documents such as a Kimberley Process certificate or a certificate from the G-7 verification “node” in Antwerp or the pending one in Botswana.
Yood said if such documentation is not filed at time of import, it can be presented later if a shipment is spot-checked, meaning that customs pulls it and asks for additional documentation.
JVC also noted that more than one country of mining can be declared on an entry, but each one will require a separate line and its own documentation for verification.
CBP’s January Trade User Information Notice on the new country-of-mining requirement took many in the industry by surprise, though the organization had indicated back in the fall that requiring certification of country of mining was a possibility.
In October, CBP put a notice in the Federal Register, the daily journal where the U.S. government posts proposed rules and public notices, asking for comment on these changes, but few in the industry saw it.
Yood said her organization was made aware of the notice and drafted a comment on the proposal that CBP, “seems to have ignored.”
What We Don’t Know
While CBP has clarified some points of its new country-of-mining requirement since posting the notice in January, there are still a few outstanding questions.
It is not explicitly stated what size of goods will have to meet the new requirement.
However, since the sanctions on Russian diamonds apply only to diamonds that are 0.5 carats or larger, it is assumed this same size range will apply for certifying country of mining.
It is not expected that diamond importers will have to certify country of mining for goods that are smaller than half a carat.
CBP also has said it will begin collecting this additional information in April 2025, but did not provide an exact date.
Yood said JVC is recommending importers prepare for April 1, just to be safe.
The agency also has not addressed the issue of so-called legacy (or “grandfathered”) diamonds, meaning stones that were exported from Russia before March 1, 2024, the day the G-7’s ban on Russian diamonds went into effect.
The Office of Foreign Asset Controls announced in August that it has issued two licenses, General License 103 and General License 104, allowing diamonds that were out of Russia before that date to be imported into the U.S.
Companies importing goods under these licenses also are asked to self-certify using specific language, but it is unclear at this time if they also will be asked to provide country of mining information.
Diamond importers and others with questions about CBP’s new country-of-mining requirements can send them to JVC at info@jvclegal.com, as the organization will continue to collate questions and bring them to CBP, or can email CBP directly at kpmailbox@cbp.dhs.gov.
On Feb. 28 from 1-2 p.m. Eastern, JVC is holding a members-only virtual compliance briefing where it will be discussing country-of-mining requirements, among other issues.
JVC members interested in attending can register on the organization’s website.
On Feb. 28 from 1-2 p.m. Eastern, JVC is holding a members-only virtual compliance briefing where it will be discussing country-of-mining requirements, among other issues.
JVC members interested in attending can register on the organization’s website.
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
AuctionsNov 14, 2025
Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch Blows Away Auction Estimates A buyer paid $4.4 million for the piece, which Napoleon wore on his hat for special occasions and left behind when he fled Waterloo.
FinancialsNov 14, 2025
Richemont’s Q2 Jewelry Sales Up 12%Plus, how tariffs and the rising price of gold are affecting its watch and jewelry brands.
CollectionsNov 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Butterflies in Flight’ Jewelry BoxFurmanovich designed the box to hold Mellerio’s “Color Queen,” a high jewelry collection consisting of 10 rings.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
Events & AwardsNov 14, 2025
JCK Names New Event DirectorJennifer Hopf, who has been with JCK since 2022, will lead the execution of the long-running jewelry trade show.
Weekly QuizNov 13, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
127-Year-Old New Orleans Jeweler to CloseAdler’s Jewelry is set to close its two stores as 82-year-old owner Coleman E. Adler II retires.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
Green Lake Jewelry Works to Move to New Seattle StudioFounder Jim Tuttle shared how a dedication to craftsmanship and meaningful custom jewelry fueled the retailer’s double-digit growth.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
MajorsNov 13, 2025
Vahan Jewelry Founder Leon ‘Sacha’ Der Calousdian Dies at 85The third-generation jeweler is remembered as a passionate creative with a love of art, traveling and sailboat racing.
CrimeNov 12, 2025
Father, Son Jewelers in Chicago Victims in Double Homicide JSA and Cook County Crime Stoppers are both offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
‘Mellon Blue’ Diamond Sells for $7M Less Than It Did a Decade AgoA buyer paid $25.6 million for the diamond at Christie’s on Tuesday. In 2014, Sotheby’s sold the same stone for $32.6 million.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
Historic Rolex Oyster Fetches $1.7M at Sotheby’sMercedes Gleitze famously wore the watch in her 1927 swim across the English Channel, a pivotal credibility moment for the watchmaker.
GradingNov 12, 2025
It’s Time: GIA’s Express Holiday Service Is Back GIA is offering next-day services for natural, colorless diamonds submitted to its labs in New York and Carlsbad.
MajorsNov 10, 2025
Jewelers Focus on Love, Joy In 2025 Holiday Campaigns Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, and Pandora have launched holiday campaigns depicting their jewelry as symbols of affection and happiness.
SurveysNov 10, 2025
5 Things Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearThe National Retail Federation is bullish on the holidays, forecasting retail sales to exceed $1 trillion this year.
AuctionsNov 10, 2025
300+ Colored Diamonds Up for Auction at Christie’sLate collector Eddy Elzas assembled “The Rainbow Collection,” which is offered as a single lot and estimated to fetch up to $3 million.
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
