One word has gone. On September 23 the Natural Diamond Council, the marketing body of the mined-diamond industry, became The Diamond Collective, dropping “natural” from its name in a deliberate statement about how the trade wants its product to be seen.
At a glance
- New name: The Diamond Collective, announced September 23, 2026.
- Leadership: CEO Amber Pepper, in the role since February 2026.
- Strategy: three principles, Unite, Protect and Inspire.
- For buyers: a planned universal diamond trustmark and clearer separation of natural from lab-grown.
- Also this week: the World Federation of Diamond Bourses called for natural and lab-grown to be treated as distinct categories.
What is The Diamond Collective?
It is the new identity of the organization that promotes mined diamonds on behalf of producers and the wider trade. According to Rapaport, the group removed “natural” because it felt the industry should stop playing defense by letting the original be defined by a qualifier. National Jeweler reports that the new strategy followed six months of consultation led by chief executive Amber Pepper.
“What I have heard gives me enormous confidence in the opportunity ahead and a clear sense that we will only realize it by acting together,” Pepper said, as quoted by Rapaport.
What changes for people buying a diamond?
The “Protect” pillar is the one that touches buyers most directly. The Collective says it will work to strengthen consumer confidence through transparency and a clear distinction between natural and laboratory-grown stones, with a universal trustmark among its planned initiatives. It also plans a Diamond Desire Index with Basis Global, tracking consumer sentiment in the United States, India and China from the fourth quarter of 2026, according to National Jeweler. No launch date for the trustmark has been published.
The trade’s bourses are pushing in the same direction. Speaking at Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong, World Federation of Diamond Bourses president Mehul Shah proposed separate categories for natural and lab-grown diamonds, disclosure on invoices, certificates and marketing, a globally registered authenticity mark for natural stones and regulated grading frameworks, Rapaport reported. “Natural and laboratory-grown diamonds should be viewed as distinct categories rather than simply competing products,” Shah said.
The industry has decided that the original should no longer need an adjective.
A short history: three names in eleven years
This is the organization’s third identity. It was founded as the Diamond Producers Association in 2015, became the Natural Diamond Council in 2020 and now The Diamond Collective, National Jeweler notes. Each rename has tracked the rise of laboratory-grown diamonds: in 2018 the US Federal Trade Commission revised its Jewelry Guides so that a diamond is no longer defined by being natural, while requiring lab-grown stones to be clearly qualified. The council’s consumer publication, Only Natural Diamonds, ended its print edition last year, and its digital content is being folded into the new website. For the wider picture on pricing, see our guide to lab-grown versus natural diamonds in 2026.
For the Buyer
- Ask for the report: a grading report from an independent laboratory should state plainly whether a stone is natural or laboratory-grown.
- Read the invoice: the bourses are calling for origin to be written on invoices; ask your jeweler to do so now.
- Watch for the trustmark: The Collective has announced a universal trustmark but not a date; until it arrives, rely on lab reports and a reputable seller.
- Resale context: natural and lab-grown diamonds trade in very different secondary markets, so the distinction matters when you eventually sell or insure.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the Natural Diamond Council change its name?
According to Rapaport, it dropped “natural” to stop defining mined diamonds with a qualifier, as part of a new strategy under CEO Amber Pepper.
How can I tell if a diamond is natural or lab-grown?
Not by eye. Ask for a report from an independent gemological laboratory that states the stone’s origin, and make sure the invoice matches it.
When will the diamond trustmark launch?
The Diamond Collective has listed a universal trustmark among its initiatives but has not published a launch date.
Sources: Rapaport · National Jeweler · Rapaport (WFDB)
