UK Jewellery Industry Pushes for Moissanite Certification Standards in 2025
LONDON, UK – July 2025 — As moissanite surges in popularity across the UK for its affordability, ethical appeal, and diamond-like sparkle, jewellers are increasingly calling for formal certification standards to regulate its sale and grading. Without industry-backed guidelines, consumers are left vulnerable to misrepresentation—particularly in online marketplaces, where moissanite is often mislabelled as a "lab diamond."
Unlike diamonds, which benefit from globally recognised grading systems from institutions such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), moissanite remains unregulated. This lack of oversight has opened the door to inconsistent labelling, questionable certifications, and a general lack of transparency—an issue industry professionals believe is damaging trust within the market.
Search Trends Reveal a Spike in Public Uncertainty
Data from Google Trends shows a sharp rise in UK searches for terms such as "GRA moissanite fake", "moissanite certification", and "Is moissanite a real diamond?". The increase, observed between January and June 2025, underscores growing confusion around what moissanite is—and whether it's being marketed honestly.
Reddit and Quora Users Voice Concerns
That confusion is echoed across online forums where UK buyers seek clarity about their purchases. On Reddit's r/EngagementRingsUK, questions like "I was told this was a lab diamond, but now I'm not sure—how can I check if it's moissanite?" are becoming common.
Similarly, Quora threads show UK-based shoppers are asking pointed questions such as:
- "How do I know if moissanite is real or fake?"
- "Is GRA a legitimate certificate for moissanite in the UK?"
These platforms highlight a growing issue: without standardisation, buyers lack reliable tools for verification—and often only discover discrepancies after the purchase has been made.
Jewellers Urge Regulatory Action
Jewellery professionals across the UK are now calling on trade authorities and gemological institutions to introduce a clear, enforceable grading standard for moissanite.
"Without clear moissanite standards, we're seeing a Wild West situation—some sellers market moissanite as a diamond alternative, others just label it 'lab diamond' outright," said a spokesperson from a London-based ethical jeweller.
While some UK retailers rely on documentation from Charles & Colvard, one of the original commercial producers of moissanite, or the International Gemological Institute (IGI), these certificates are not universally recognised or regulated.
More concerning is the widespread use of GRA certificates, which many Reddit and Quora users say are easily forged or unverifiable. A common sentiment across Reddit threads is that GRA documentation amounts to "just a sticker and a QR code with no database behind it."
Proposals for Moissanite Grading Standards
Industry leaders suggest that any official certification system should reflect moissanite's distinct optical properties—including its higher refractive index, double refraction, and unique colour dispersion—rather than mimic diamond grading verbatim.
Suggested features of a new standard include:
- QR-verifiable grading reports
- UV watermarking
- Public-access gemstone databases
"Moissanite deserves transparency—it's not a knockoff; it's a beautiful gem with its strengths," said one UK gemologist during a Reddit AMA.
Next Steps: White Paper in Progress
A white paper is currently being developed by a coalition of UK jewellers, aiming to promote the national-level adoption of certification standards and potential alignment with international grading laboratories.
In the meantime, consumers are advised to:
- Request verifiable documentation
- Purchase from UK-based retailers with transparent policies
- Research thoroughly via trusted platforms like Reddit and Quora
With the UK jewellery industry now actively leading the charge, 2025 could mark the beginning of a more transparent, trustworthy moissanite market—both domestically and globally.
