MajorsFeb 01, 2019
Tiffany Is Now Telling Consumers the Origin of Its DiamondsSourcingApr 21, 2021
Why Inclusivity Is Important in Diamond Traceability
As the importance of mine-to-market grows, some worry about its feasibility for all the diamond industry’s players.
Companies in the diamond industry are increasingly putting programs in place to track rough diamonds all the way through the supply chain, but some worry these mine-to-market measures might have unintended consequences. (© De Beers Group, Photo credit; Ben Perry, Armoury Films)
New York—Traceability has become a central conversation in nearly all sectors of the jewelry industry’s supply chain amid growing interest about the origin of goods.
For the diamond market, it has led to a switch.
An industry that once tried to steer the conversation away from machinery and digging, lest it detract from the product’s sex appeal, is now talking non-stop about where diamonds come from and the good they do, and it is relying on technology like blockchain to document it.
For many, the idea of increased transparency in the supply chain is inherently a good thing.
“I think all of us, certainly anybody with any kind of a social conscience, understands that we need to take great care that the diamonds don’t come from sources that are bad actors,” said Jeff Fischer.
Fischer is president of manufacturing firm Fischer Diamonds Inc. and, among other roles, is a past president of both the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA).
A system has been put into place, he said, to create a safety net around “the vast majority of goods” and ensure those goods—and only those goods—are what make it through the system.
This includes processes to ensure diamonds and diamond mining are doing no harm, and stressing the importance of due diligence.
But from the good has arisen concerns about the possible unintended consequences of traceability for the market’s smaller players.
Small-Scale Miners and the Midstream
Since many processes and systems created for traceability rely heavily on technology, questions of capacity and feasibility arise.
It’s estimated that around 20 percent of the global diamond supply comes from artisanal and small-scale miners.
On one hand, the technology could provide an opportunity for some diamond-producing countries to learn more and increase their market share as they participate in the technological revolution, said Stephane Fischler.
A lifelong diamantaire, Fischler is a partner in Fischler Diamonds, as well as a founding member and former president of the World Diamond Council (WDC) and vice president at the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI), which merged with Resolve last year.
On the other, he notes: “Artisanal miners do lack most of the capacity to deliver on the technology to assure provenance. So while it’s good and it’s something that will grow, we do need to be very, very careful and very honest as to what the motives are and what the potential impact could be.”
He also pointed out that when the market pushes origin as the “holy grail” and creates conditions upon which consumers would or would not buy a diamond, it can make consumers risk-averse and push them to decide against buying diamonds from those who may need it most.
For the diamond market, it has led to a switch.
An industry that once tried to steer the conversation away from machinery and digging, lest it detract from the product’s sex appeal, is now talking non-stop about where diamonds come from and the good they do, and it is relying on technology like blockchain to document it.
For many, the idea of increased transparency in the supply chain is inherently a good thing.
“I think all of us, certainly anybody with any kind of a social conscience, understands that we need to take great care that the diamonds don’t come from sources that are bad actors,” said Jeff Fischer.
Fischer is president of manufacturing firm Fischer Diamonds Inc. and, among other roles, is a past president of both the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA).
A system has been put into place, he said, to create a safety net around “the vast majority of goods” and ensure those goods—and only those goods—are what make it through the system.
This includes processes to ensure diamonds and diamond mining are doing no harm, and stressing the importance of due diligence.
But from the good has arisen concerns about the possible unintended consequences of traceability for the market’s smaller players.
Small-Scale Miners and the Midstream
Since many processes and systems created for traceability rely heavily on technology, questions of capacity and feasibility arise.
It’s estimated that around 20 percent of the global diamond supply comes from artisanal and small-scale miners.
On one hand, the technology could provide an opportunity for some diamond-producing countries to learn more and increase their market share as they participate in the technological revolution, said Stephane Fischler.
A lifelong diamantaire, Fischler is a partner in Fischler Diamonds, as well as a founding member and former president of the World Diamond Council (WDC) and vice president at the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI), which merged with Resolve last year.
On the other, he notes: “Artisanal miners do lack most of the capacity to deliver on the technology to assure provenance. So while it’s good and it’s something that will grow, we do need to be very, very careful and very honest as to what the motives are and what the potential impact could be.”
He also pointed out that when the market pushes origin as the “holy grail” and creates conditions upon which consumers would or would not buy a diamond, it can make consumers risk-averse and push them to decide against buying diamonds from those who may need it most.
“Artisanal miners do lack most of the capacity to deliver on the technology to assure provenance. So while it’s good and it’s something that will grow, we do need to be very, very careful and very honest as to what the motives are and what the potential impact could be.” — Stephane Fischler, Fischler Diamonds
This works against what’s being done in the industry to derisk the ASM sector—groups like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and its due diligence framework, and projects like Resolve and DDI’s Maendeleo Diamond Standards for the artisanal mining sector.
Further downstream, traceability processes and systems also could have repercussions for those in the manufacturing link of the diamond supply chain.
Fisher raised concerns about the “untold amounts of merchandise that works its way through the system in a route that makes many more stops,” as well as the vast amount of material already in the pipeline, begging the question: What about those diamonds?
Not having their specifics locked in a blockchain already doesn’t mean they didn’t follow a fully viable and trusted path to market, especially given the regulations and stringent legislation linked to diamond trading.
Another obstacle is the tracking of melee, especially given the size of the diamond melee market and how much of it is used in jewelry.
While it might be feasible to follow larger polished stones, as they follow a more straightforward path from mine to market, smaller goods from various origins are often mixed together to create the required assortments.
This means that, “for 80 percent of the goods, I would say there is no way this thing of origin is feasible,” Fischler said.
In a recent editorial in the IDMA newsletter, however, consultant Ya’akov Almor presented a different point of view—that tracing melee can and should be done, to protect prices and, ultimately, the industry.
While acknowledging tracking melee would “demand increased investments in organizational structures, demand changes in work practices, and call for effective marketing and sales methods,” he argues the benefits of such changes would outweigh the obstacles.
The benefits include, Almor wrote, the industry’s ability to make origin and provenance part of its marketing activities, and creating more added value and, thereby, higher prices throughout the entire supply chain.
The Bigger Picture
The topics of sustainability and ethical sourcing tend to be whittled down to a single aspect, traceability—the ability to track a stone from where it was extracted from the earth to the showcase were it ultimately ends up.
But in reality, the conversation is much more expansive.
Ethical sourcing is not only about origin, Fischler said, but the stone’s whole story.
It’s about not only how the diamond was processed, but whether players involved have a positive impact on their communities and the people handling the diamonds did no harm in the process, among other similar questions.
Responsible Jewellery Council Executive Director Iris Van der Veken shared a similar thought.
“We cannot see sustainability in an isolated manner,” she told National Jeweler.
“It is important to have management systems in place that cover human rights, labor rights, health and safety, environment, product integrity and disclosure. In other words, all the processes involved in mining, cutting and polishing, casting, and setting into jewelry need to be in the scope.”
Feriel Zerouki, senior vice president of international relations and ethical initiatives at the De Beers Group and WDC vice president, said this is why programs like De Beers’ Best Practice Principles are “also such an important part of the equation” and why De Beers shares information about performance, impact and goals in the areas of sustainability and social purpose.
To help aid in the traceability, mine-to-market conversation, De Beers Group launched its own blockchain platform, Tracr, in 2018.
Zerouki said the company is currently registering about 15 percent of its production on the platform.
In addition, De Beers Jewellers, the company’s chain of retail stores, recently introduced its first collection using only diamonds fully tracked and registered on Tracr, called “1888 Master Diamonds.”
The world’s other main diamond mining company, Alrosa, joined Tracr in 2018 and introduced an “electronic passport” for its diamonds at the 2019 Las Vegas trade shows.
Beyond Traceability
The industry has myriad mechanisms in place designed to provide consumers and stakeholders with assurances their goods are responsibly sourced.
“The industry has to be inclusive. It’s really important when you look at our supply chain in jewelry; there are thousands of small family businesses that depend on that. Where the role of organizations like ours also comes in is to see that we bring the right stakeholders around the table.” — Iris Van der Veken, Responsible Jewellery Council
But as their importance continues to grow, the industry needs to make sure these systems are inclusive, rather than excluding smaller players because they are too cumbersome and/or expensive—concerns both Fischer and Fischler raised.
Van der Veken feels the same way.
“The industry has to be inclusive. It’s really important when you look at our supply chain in jewelry; there are thousands of small family businesses that depend on that. Where the role of organizations like ours also comes in is to see that we bring the right stakeholders around the table.
“And if we agree on what the processes are or how the standard is implemented with support of technology, then we need to see that those systems are practical and accessible.”
With the understanding that not every company has the time or money to become an RJC member, the organization has made resources available online for free, like video training sessions and online events, as well as guidance walk-throughs. It also is slated to launch a CSR toolkit next month.
And since traceability methods and the information companies will provide is an evolving area, “ensuring industry participants are able to access and participate in the programs that best suit their needs will be important,” Zerouki said.
She said De Beers will make this a key focus as it develops programs to provide the origin and pathway of every diamond it produces and sells by 2030, one of a dozen sustainability goals announced late last year as part of “Building Forever.”
Another vital component in the conversation—the retailer. The more information and assurance the retailers can provide, the better, Zerouki said.
“Ultimately, diamonds are a consumer-facing product, which means everyone in the supply chain has an ongoing role to play in meeting continually evolving stakeholder expectations.”
For Fischler, it’s about making sure that messaging in front of consumers is well-rounded and doesn’t detract from the “magic” of the product by throwing a lot of data their way.
“I see some starting to push a lot of information toward the consumer, whether it’s about origin, whether it’s grading provided by labs, and so on, for a product that is 100 percent emotion,” he said.
“And I’m a little bit skeptical about using this origin/provenance story to start to push a product toward the consumer, risking, I would say, diluting a lot of the emotional content.”
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
FinancialsAug 06, 2026
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 6%, Driven by High-Income ShoppersThe retailer said it had its biggest Mother’s Day ever, with strong demand for higher-priced jewelry.
TrendsAug 06, 2026
New Book on Handcrafted American Objects Highlights Jewelry“Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America” features historic and contemporary works, including a Diné squash blossom necklace.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
AJA East Coast Names Ani Khachian as First Female President-ElectThe Armenian Jewelers Association’s East Coast chapter has also elected its 2026–2027 board of directors.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Atlanta Jeweler Introduces $10K MartiniSolomon Brothers Jewelers has partnered with local cocktail bar Roaring Social on a new martini garnished with a tennis necklace.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
CollectionsAug 04, 2026
Musician Carlos Santana Launches Jewelry BrandSantana Now's debut collection, “Unidad,” features symbolic motifs as well as pieces of wood from the Woodstock stage.
CrimeAug 03, 2026
Florida Man Gets 15 Years in Trio of Jewelry Store RobberiesThe 50-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing two jewelry stores and a pawn shop of more than $700,000 in merchandise.
WatchesAug 03, 2026
Citizen's New Spider-Man Watch Is a Collector’s DreamThe watch’s dial features an original design by Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.
Lab-GrownAug 03, 2026
Chatham Releases First Men’s CollectionThe new collection of lab-grown diamond and colored gemstone jewelry provides a “fresh perspective” on the category, Chatham said.
TrendsAug 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Spinel vs. Peridot While some August babies are team peridot, the month's time-honored birthstone, others are team spinel, the newer alternative.
TrendsJul 31, 2026
These Pieces of the Week Are Sweet Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.
MajorsJul 31, 2026
Macy’s Iconic Red Shopping Bag Sign Torn DownThe massive billboard has been in the same spot on the department store’s Herald Square flagship store for decades.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2026
JA Heads Back to Washington as New Wave of Tariffs Takes Effect David Bonaparte, along with Tim Haake and Ronnie VanderLinden, continue to lobby for tariff exemptions for diamonds, gemstones, and pearls.
