The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has updated its Code of Ethics to require members to describe man-made gemstones as “synthetic,” effectively barring the standalone use of “lab-grown” in member disclosures.
Under the policy, approved by AGTA’s board of directors in June 2026, members must use “synthetic” for any manufactured material with essentially the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and physical and optical properties as its natural counterpart. Retail jewelers may pair “synthetic” or “man-made” with the gemstone name — for example, “synthetic ruby.”
AGTA President Bruce Bridges said the standard reinforces the association’s commitment to natural-colored gemstones while giving members clear, consistent language for describing synthetics.
The terminology change accompanies AGTA’s release of the 17th edition of its Gemstone Information Manual, which adds new enhancement symbols and updated treatment and care guidance for various gemstones.
AGTA has banned lab-grown diamonds and gemstones from its trade show floors since 2024.
The move follows a similar decision by CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, which said last month it would drop “laboratory grown” and “laboratory created” from its Gemstone Blue Book beginning in September, also settling on “synthetic” as its sole approved term.
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