Jewellery & Gemstone
Jewellery & Gemstone
Jewellery and gemstone exporters are facing more requests around sourcing, traceability, documentation, and certification, especially when working with international buyers.
We help businesses prepare for certification, pass audits smoothly, and maintain compliance over time.
What’s changing in the sector
For many suppliers, requirements are no longer limited to product quality, pricing, and delivery.
Buyers are asking for more visibility into:
How diamonds and gemstones are sourced
How suppliers and partners are selected and managed
How materials are handled and disclosed
What documentation exists to support this
These requests typically appear during:
supplier onboarding
RFQs and tenders
annual client reviews
ongoing commercial discussions
In many cases, they come from larger clients who are themselves under pressure to report on their supply chains.
What is driving this
Several factors are pushing these requirements into everyday commercial discussions:
Buyer due requirements
Large clients increasingly ask suppliers to align with recognised standards such as RJC
Supplier codes and audits
More companies require structured documentation and audit readiness
Regulatory pressure in export markets
Disclosure and due diligence expectations are increasing
Frequent data requests
Information on sourcing, suppliers, and practices is requested in a more structured way
Why this matters
These requirements now directly affect how companies operate commercially.
They influence:
buyer confidence
onboarding and supplier reviews
access to certain clients or markets
certification opportunities
long-term commercial relationships
Firms that cannot respond clearly when asked for more information may find themselves at a disadvantage, especially when working with international clients who are under pressure themselves.
RJC Certification in Context
For jewellery and gemstone businesses, the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is the main certification used by larger buyers and international partners.
In practice, it often becomes a requirement when working with certain clients or entering new markets.
To get become RJC-certified, companies need to:
document how suppliers are selected and verified
define internal responsibilities for compliance
formalise policies covering sourcing, labour, and operations
ensure product disclosure is consistent (e.g. natural vs lab-grown)
keep records that can be reviewed during audit
For many businesses, most of this already exists in practice.
The difficulty is structuring it in a way that is consistent, complete, and ready to be audited.
RJC Readiness Checklist
Not sure how ready your business is?
Download our RJC Readiness Checklist to identify what may need to be in place before starting.
