Russia has introduced new regulations governing the sale and marketing of jewellery containing synthetic diamonds, marking one of the industry’s most stringent measures aimed at clearly distinguishing lab-grown stones from natural diamonds. The rules are set to take effect on 1 September 2026.

The new provisions were adopted under Resolution No. 657 of 30 May 2026 by the Government of the Russian Federation and amend the country’s retail sales regulations for precious metals and gemstones.

Under the revised rules, jewellery containing synthetic stones may continue to reference the corresponding natural mineral, but labels and tags must prominently include the word “synthetic” or its approved abbreviation. However, the use of the word “diamond” and its derivatives in relation to synthetic materials will be prohibited. The regulations also ban the use of colour and quality descriptors typically associated with natural diamonds.

The resolution further prohibits retailers and marketers from using terms such as “precious”, “real”, “genuine”, “natural”, “mined”, “mineral” and “eco-friendly” when describing synthetic stones. In addition, the weight of synthetic stones may only be disclosed in grams rather than carats. The restrictions apply to all forms of consumer-facing information, including product labels and marketing materials.

The measures are intended to protect consumers from misleading sales practices and ensure greater transparency in the marketplace. Russia, the world’s largest producer of natural diamonds by volume, said the rules are designed to safeguard consumers and support fair competition between natural and synthetic diamond products.