New BIS Rules on Labelling Lab-Grown Diamonds: What IS 19469:2025 Requires

As lab-grown diamonds have taken a larger share of the Indian market, one problem has grown with them: how they are described at the point of sale. A BIS standard notified in early 2026, IS 19469:2025, sets rules for that description. It is worth being clear about what it does and, just as important, what it does not do.

What the standard requires

IS 19469:2025 is a terminology and disclosure standard, built on the international ISO framework for diamond nomenclature. Its core rules:

• The unqualified word "diamond" is reserved for natural, mined stones.
• A laboratory-grown diamond must be disclosed as such, and the growth method, CVD (chemical vapour deposition) or HPHT (high pressure, high temperature), must be stated.
• Any treatment applied to the stone must be disclosed.
• A list of misleading descriptors is not allowed, including terms such as "synthetic", "cultured", and "eco-friendly", and abbreviations that hide the origin.

The aim is that a buyer can tell, from the description and the paperwork, whether a stone was mined or grown, and how.

Why this is not hallmarking

This is the key point for anyone used to BIS gold and silver hallmarking. Hallmarking certifies the purity of the precious metal, the gold or silver, and nothing else. It says nothing about any diamond or gemstone set into the piece.

IS 19469:2025 is a separate track. It governs how a diamond is described and disclosed, not how metal is assayed, and it is a labelling standard rather than a hallmarking scheme with a HUID. A diamond ring can therefore involve two different systems at once: the gold is hallmarked, and the diamond is described under the disclosure rules.

Where the grading comes from

The origin and quality of a diamond, natural or lab-grown, are established by gemmological grading laboratories, which already state the growth method on their reports for lab-grown stones. The BIS standard aligns the language used in the trade with that grading, so the label on the counter matches the report in the drawer.

What it means for jewellers

For a jeweller selling both natural and lab-grown stones, the practical steps are to describe each stone accurately, name the growth method for lab-grown diamonds, disclose treatments, and drop the banned descriptors from tags and marketing. Keeping the metal's hallmark and the diamond's disclosure clearly separate on the invoice avoids confusing buyers about what has been certified.

What it means for buyers

When you buy a diamond piece, ask two separate questions. Is the metal hallmarked, with a HUID you can verify? And is the diamond described as natural or lab-grown, with the growth method stated? They are answered by two different systems, and a complete piece should satisfy both.