ASSURE Program
What is the ASSURE Program?
The ASSURE Program is a testing regimen for Diamond Verification Instruments, giving you reliable, third-party approved insights that will support your purchasing decisions.
A Diamond Verification Instrument is a device used to separate and/or identify natural diamonds from laboratory grown diamonds. They are also known as synthetic diamond screening or synthetic diamond detection devices. These devices are required throughout the diamond jewelry supply chain to ensure accurate disclosure, and ultimately to protect consumer confidence.
The ASSURE Program assesses the relative performance of Diamond Verification Instruments through rigorous testing using very challenging samples sets. The first generation of the ASSURE program was launched in 2019 and the results can be found in our archival ASSURE 1.0 Directory. In 2022 the ASSURE 2.0 program was launched, incorporating important enhancements to the sample sets and test regime. As new instruments are tested, the results will be published to the ASSURE 2.0 Directory. (Please note that only the first instruments to be tested are shown and many more will be added as the results become available.)
“The ASSURE Program has developed a standard to test Diamond Verification Instruments in a consistent manner. We partnered with leading manufacturers as part of a shared commitment to maintaining consumer confidence.”David Kellie, CEO, Natural Diamond Council
Why is Disclosure so Important?
Diamond
A mineral created by nature; the term ‘diamond’ used without a qualifier
always means a natural diamond.
Laboratory Grown Diamond
A man-made product that has essentially the same physical characteristics as a diamond.
The terms ‘laboratory-grown’, ‘laboratory-created’, and ‘synthetic’ are all synonymous.
Read the Diamond Terminology Guidelines
Distinguishing natural diamonds from laboratory grown diamonds requires specialized
equipment and can’t be done by the human eye. Accurate disclosure, supported by
third-party tested Diamond Verification Instruments, ensures customers know
what they are buying and feel confident in natural diamonds.
Testing Diamond Verification Instruments
All Diamond Verification Instruments are tested with a verified ‘ASSURE Sample’ in accordance with a standardized methodology by an independent third-party laboratory.
The ‘ASSURE Sample’ contains a mix of diamonds, synthetic diamonds and, when applicable, diamond simulants. The ASSURE Sample is designed to challenge the instruments and ensure the test results are future proof. For example, the sample contains synthetic diamonds that are not yet commercially available to the jewelry industry.
The ASSURE Program: Measuring Performance
All instruments are evaluated with the following performance metrics:
1. Diamond False Positive Rate – the ratio of synthetic diamonds
and diamond simulants mistakenly classified as diamond.
The optimal Diamond False Positive Rate is 0%.
2. Diamond Referral Rate – the ratio of diamonds categorized as ‘refer’ or ‘referral’
to the total number of diamonds. The optimal Diamond Referral Rate is 0%.
3. Diamond Accuracy – the ratio of diamonds correctly categorized as diamond
to the total number of diamonds. The optimal Diamond Accuracy is 100%.
With ASSURE 2.0, all instruments are operated by a novice in order to
simulate the results expected from a new purchaser of the device having
received the standard training provided by the manufacturer.
Find out more about performance results and how they were calculated, here.
Top Tips: Purchasing a Diamond Verification Instrument
Start by browsing the ASSURE Directory for the Diamond Verification Instruments
that have already been independently tested and the results of those tests.
Use the filter function to guide you to instruments with the attributes you seek.
Look out for the ASSURE Partners and Certification Mark –
a symbol that a manufacturer or device is an active participant in the
ASSURE Program and that the instrument has been independently tested.
It’s important to note that the mark is not an endorsement of the test results.
For further information about the ASSURE Program, please contact us.
Manufacturers who would like their instruments ASSURE Tested
can also find further details by getting in touch.
