International News
CIBJO report considers listing gem labs complying with Blue Book Standards
With less than a month to go before the CIBJO Congress 2025 opens in Paris on 27th October, the seventh pre-congress Special Report has been released by the CIBJO Gemmological Commission, chaired by Hanco Zwaan.
“There have in recent years been concerns expressed about gemstone reports issued by different labs for the same stones, with different and sometime contradictory findings,” said Hanco Zwaan. “This has brought into question the qualifications of the laboratories issuing the reports, taking into consideration that, worldwide, there is very little official oversight as to what are the requirements for an organisation to claim to be a gem testing laboratory.”
Central to the proposed listing would be the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Blue Book, which outlines management and technical guidelines for gem labs, aligning with ISO Standard 17025. Other relevant Blue Books cover diamonds, coloured gemstones, pearls, and precious coral.
According to Dr. Zwaan, the system would allow the trade and consumers to clearly identify laboratories that operate with quality management systems and transparency. “The results given in reports often have a significant impact on the value of the item being reported upon,” he explained.
A key document that would have to be applied by listed labs would be the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Blue Book, a mammoth opus that is compiled by the Gemmological Commission. Providing guidelines for the management and technical operations of gem labs, it complies with and expands upon ISO Standard 17025, which is the internationally recognised accreditation management systems for testing and calibration laboratories. Also relevant are CIBJO’s Blue Books for diamonds, coloured gemstones, pearls and precious coral.
The Gemmology Special Report also reviews progress on the forthcoming CIBJO Jade Guide, highlights the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee’s work, and examines the increasing role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in gemmology.
DMCC – the leading international business district that drives the flow of global trade through Dubai – officially launched DMCC FinX today during the 13th Dubai Precious Metals Conference (DPMC) at Atlantis The Palm. Bringing together more than 1,000 senior industry figures, the conference convened global leaders from precious metals, finance, policy and technology to examine the forces reshaping the future of the sector.
Held under the theme “The Future of Precious Metals: Tariffs, Tokenisation and Trade Flows,” DPMC 2025 explored the rapid transformation of global commodities markets as geopolitical realignment, emerging technologies and reconfigured trade corridors redefine how value moves worldwide. Discussions centred on the convergence of precious metals, digital assets and finance; the rise of tokenisation; and Dubai’s accelerating role as a centre of trust, transparency and innovation for the global gold and precious metals industry.
Keynote speeches were delivered by H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ruth Crowell, Chief Executive of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and global financial commentator Grant Williams. The conference featured senior representatives from leading exchanges, refineries, bullion banks and regulatory bodies, including the World Gold Council, the Shanghai Gold Exchange, CME Group and the UAE Ministry of Economy. Panel sessions explored the realignment of global trade flows, the harmonisation of international standards, responsible sourcing in artisanal mining and the evolving role of bullion banks in a multipolar economy.
One of the headline announcements of the day was the formal launch of DMCC FinX – a strategic expansion designed to connect capital market participants, trade finance professionals and fintech innovators with DMCC’s rapidly growing community of more than 26,000 companies. Built on DMCC’s established financial and commodities infrastructure – including the Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX), its central counterparty and clearinghouse the Dubai Commodities Clearing Corporation (DCCC), DMCC Crypto Centre, DMCC Tradeflow platform, and key industry partnerships with regulatory players such as the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) – DMCC FinX will bridge real-world commerce, capital markets and digital assets, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub where finance and trade intersect
DMCC Launches ‘DMCC FinX’ To bridge institutional capital, trade and technology
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