Retailers and color-stone dealers have been grappling with the thorny issue of enhancement disclosure for decades, but diamond dealers seem to be not so well informed on the issue. To address that perceived gap in knowledge, Harry Levy, president of CIBJO’s diamond commission, has drafted a publication called “A Compendium of Gem Treatment Terminology” (see sidebar), which aims to educate diamond dealers on the subject of enhancement disclosure.

A portion of CIBJO’s mission statement is “to protect consumer confidence in the industry.” To that end, CIBJO’s “Best Practice Principles” include being committed to “operating our businesses with a view to ensuring that consumers buying jewelry are able to rely with confidence on the professional and ethical standards and technical skills of the jewelry industry,” taking account of full disclosure of all treatments to natural gemstones. To help jewelers and diamond dealers live up to that promise, CIBJO is providing this compendium.

“The diamond trade is being bombarded with unfamiliar terminology due to the advent of treatments and synthetics,” Levy writes. “Even professionals may be confused by some of the words and concepts used.”

The publication includes definitions that are universally accepted as well as some more controversial ones.

The terms and definitions at right represent a sampling of what Levy and CIBJO have prepared for the diamond dealer. Copies are available through CIBJO’s Web site, www.cibjo.org.