The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has officially released its long-awaited Laboratory Grown Materials Standard (LGMS)—a new benchmark for ethical and sustainable practices in lab-grown diamonds and gemstones. The standard went live on Feb. 25 and will be mandatory for all RJC members in the future. 📅✅
🧪 What It Covers:
- Legal compliance & business ethics
- Human rights & labor protections
- Health, safety & working conditions
- Appraisal, grading & disclosure
- Environmental impact management 🌍
💬 RJC Chair Dave Meleski said:
“We’re setting a vision for a future where elegance and ethics go hand in hand.”
📋 Implementation Plan:
- LGMS is voluntary for the first year
- Will become mandatory after transitional phase
- RJC will offer training, education & streamlined audits
🔐 Why It Matters:
The guidelines aim to ensure transparency, traceability, and trust from lab to consumer. Strong management systems and technical documentation will be required to safeguard workers, communities, and end buyers.
🗣️ RJC Interim Director John Hall added:
“We want buyers and sellers to engage with full confidence.”
🌍 RJC currently has 2,000 members across 74 countries, spanning the jewelry and watch supply chain from mine to retail.