Specifics of National Standards Requirements Application in Expert Practice related to Diamond Classification and Certification

   Within the production framework of complex forensic mineralogical and commodity examination the task of establishing diamond classification characteristics (main and/or additional features) is among the most important ones in the study of diamonds along with identification of their nature of origin. These characteristics are the base data for the subsequent commodity examination related to the establishment of various value types of precious stones and jewelry with precious stone inlays. Current Russian Federation legal acts, in particular the Federal Law of 26. 03. 1998 41-FZ “On precious metals and precious stones”, define the legal regulatory basis in the field of geological study and exploration of precious metals and precious stones, including their mining, production, use and handling (civil transactions). However, it does not establish any mandatory single approaches in determining the classification characteristics of diamonds (polished diamonds). The classification criteria of diamonds are determined in the following two national Standards developed, approved and concurrently acting now: GOST R 52913-2008 “Diamonds. Classification. Technical requirements” and GOST R 70856-2023 “Diamonds. Classification. Requirements for sorting and certification”. These standards also define the technical requirements for diamond cutting parameters and establish a system of classification designations applied to rough diamonds. The article presents a comparative analysis of the technical requirements set out in GOST R 52913-2008 and GOST R 70856-2023. Optimal criteria and tables for comparing the key classification characteristics of diamonds (color and clarity) are proposed. The developed approaches allow for a more effective application of the above standards by both forensic mineralogists and commodity experts using the results of mineralogical examination in their work.

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