Last Updated: May 23, 2025
This website (the “Website”) is the exclusive property of and is operated by the AKOLIYA GROUP (“we,” “us,” “our”). This “Legal Notice, Disclaimer, and Comprehensive Industry Glossary” (the “Terms”) constitutes a legally binding agreement governing your access to and use of this Website and all information, services, and products provided herein. By accessing, browsing, or otherwise using this Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and unequivocally agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety. If you do not accept these Terms, you are not authorised to use this Website and must immediately cease all activity on it.
These Terms are specifically directed at our business-to-business (B2B) clients, who are expected to possess a professional understanding of the diamond and jewellery industry.
1. Corporate Information
This Website serves as the official digital platform for the AKOLIYA GROUP, a commercial entity specialising in the international wholesale trade of rough and polished diamonds and fine diamond jewellery.
Entity Name: Akoliya Group
Primary Contact Email: [email protected]
Sales and Inquiries: +44 7470 911557, +44 7308 860 300
Legal Correspondence: [email protected]
2. General Website Disclaimer
The content presented on this Website is for general informational purposes only, intended to provide our business clients with an overview of our corporate identity, product categories, and operational standards. While the AKOLIYA GROUP commits to making all reasonable efforts to ensure the information is current and accurate, we make no representations, warranties, or guarantees of any kind, whether express or implied, regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the Website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained herein for any particular purpose. Your reliance on any such information is strictly and solely at your own risk.
3. Intellectual Property Rights
All content, works of authorship, and materials on this Website, including but not limited to all text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio clips, video clips, digital downloads, data compilations, and software, are the exclusive property of the AKOLIYA GROUP, its affiliates, or its content suppliers and are rigorously protected by UK and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
The “AKOLIYA GROUP” name, the “AKOLIYA GROUP” logo, and all related product and service names, design marks, and slogans are the registered or unregistered trademarks and service marks of the AKOLIYA GROUP. These assets may not be used in connection with any product or service that is not ours, in any manner likely to cause confusion among customers, or in any manner that disparages or discredits the AKOLIYA GROUP. Any unauthorised use, reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of these assets is strictly prohibited and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
You are prohibited from systematically extracting, scraping, or re-utilising any part of the contents of this Website without our express prior written consent.
4. Product Information & Pricing Disclaimer
Product Specifications: All information pertaining to our diamonds and jewellery, including but not limited to carat weight, colour, clarity, and cut (the “4Cs”), is based on grading reports from internationally recognised gemological laboratories (e.g., Gemological Institute of America [GIA], International Gemological Institute [IGI]) or our own internal expert assessments. While we ensure meticulous transcription of this data, the AKOLIYA GROUP does not independently warrant or guarantee the subjective grading conclusions of third-party laboratories. These reports represent a professional opinion, not a statement of fact.
Product Imagery: The images featured on this Website are for illustrative purposes only. We have made every effort to display the colours, details, and qualities of our products as accurately as possible. However, we cannot guarantee that your device’s display of any colour or detail will be accurate. Products are not depicted to actual size, and all visual representations should be considered indicative rather than exact.
Pricing & Availability: As a wholesaler operating within a dynamic global market characterised by fluctuating commodity prices, all prices listed, quoted, or discussed are indicative and subject to change without prior notice. A price is not considered final or binding until a formal Purchase Order has been executed by the client and subsequently confirmed in writing by an authorised representative of the AKOLIYA GROUP. All products are offered subject to prior sale, and availability is not guaranteed.
5. No Professional or Investment Advice
The information provided on this Website is not intended to be, and shall not be understood or construed as, financial, investment, or professional advice. The AKOLIYA GROUP operates as a seller of commodities and finished goods, not as a financial advisor. The content herein is for informational and commercial purposes only. You should consult with a qualified and licensed financial professional, gemologist, or appraiser before making any significant purchasing or investment decisions based on the information provided on this Website.
6. Limitation of Liability
In no event will the AKOLIYA GROUP, its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents, contractors, or licensors be liable for any loss or damage, including, without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data, loss of profits, or loss of business opportunities arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of this Website. This limitation of liability extends to any alleged or actual damage to your computer hardware, data, information, or business resulting from the information presented or the absence of information on this Website.
7. External Links Disclaimer
This Website may contain hyperlinks to external, third-party websites for your convenience and to provide further information. The inclusion of any such links does not imply a recommendation, endorsement, or approval of the views, content, or practices expressed within them. The AKOLIYA GROUP has no control over the nature, content, security, and availability of those sites and expressly disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the content, practices, and privacy policies of any third-party websites.
8. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
This Legal Notice and any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to your use of the Website shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You irrevocably agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales to resolve any legal matter arising from these Terms or your relationship with the AKOLIYA GROUP.
Comprehensive B2B Diamond & Jewellery Industry Glossary
Part I: Legal, Compliance & Ethics
AML (Anti-Money Laundering): A set of laws, regulations, and procedures designed to prevent criminals from disguising illegally obtained funds as legitimate income. Within the high-value diamond trade, this mandates stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, transaction monitoring, and reporting of suspicious activities.
Conflict Diamonds (Blood Diamonds): Rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments. The trade in these diamonds is strictly prohibited by international law.
KYC (Know Your Customer): A mandatory due diligence process for businesses to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship with a client. In the diamond industry, this is a critical component of AML compliance and preventing illicit trade.
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS): A global initiative established to eradicate the trade in conflict diamonds. It imposes extensive requirements on its member countries to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are conflict-free.
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC): A leading sustainability and standards-setting organisation for the jewellery industry. RJC certification provides assurance of responsible business practices related to human rights, labour rights, environmental impact, and business ethics throughout the supply chain.
System of Warranties: A self-regulation system created by the diamond industry to complement the KPCS. It requires all buyers and sellers of rough diamonds, polished diamonds, and diamond jewellery to include a warranty statement on their invoices assuring that the diamonds are from conflict-free sources.
Part II: Trade, Finance & Logistics
Back-to-Back: A transaction model where a dealer secures a firm order from a client and then immediately purchases the corresponding stone from a supplier to fulfil that specific order. This minimises inventory risk and capital outlay.
Bourse: A secure, members-only diamond trading floor where dealers, brokers, and manufacturers buy and sell diamonds. Prominent bourses are located in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, and London.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight): An international shipping term where the seller covers the costs, insurance, and freight of a buyer’s order to a named port of destination. The risk of loss or damage transfers to the buyer once the goods are loaded onto the vessel.
Consignment / Memorandum (Memo): A business practice where a supplier provides diamonds to a retailer or dealer without immediate payment. The recipient holds the goods to show to potential buyers, paying only for what is sold and returning the unsold items.
Credit Note: A document issued by a seller to a buyer, reducing the amount owed by the buyer. It is used to manage returns, price adjustments, or other agreed-upon credits, effectively functioning as a store credit.
Mazal: A Hebrew term meaning “luck and blessing.” It is used to seal a diamond deal with a handshake, signifying a binding agreement based on the industry’s long-standing tradition of trust.
Parcel: A batch of diamonds, either rough or polished, grouped together by similar characteristics (e.g., size, quality) and sold as a single lot.
Rapaport Price List (“The List”): The primary international benchmark for polished diamond pricing. This weekly report provides standardised “asking” prices, with actual transactions typically negotiated at a percentage discount or premium to these prices.
Secure Logistics: Specialised, high-security shipping services (e.g., Malca-Amit, Brinks) used for the insured, secure transport of high-value goods like diamonds and fine jewellery.
Tender: A sales method where suppliers invite buyers to view diamond parcels and submit confidential bids. The parcel is sold to the highest bidder, provided the bid meets the seller’s reserve price.
TT Copy (Telegraphic Transfer Copy): A confirmation receipt for an electronic transfer of funds, commonly used as proof of payment in international transactions.
Part III: The 4Cs & Diamond Characteristics
Carat (ct): The unit of weight for diamonds. One carat equals 200 milligrams (0.2 grams).
Clarity: A measure of the absence of internal flaws (inclusions) and external blemishes. Graded under 10x magnification from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3).
Colour: A measure of the absence of colour in a white diamond. The GIA scale ranges from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown).
Cut: The quality of a diamond’s angles, proportions, symmetry, and polish, which collectively determine its brilliance, fire, and scintillation.
Fluorescence: The visible light some diamonds emit when exposed to long-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays.
GIA (Gemological Institute of America): The world’s foremost authority on diamond grading and gemological research. A GIA Diamond Grading Report is considered a benchmark in the industry.
IGI (International Gemological Institute): A major global laboratory for grading diamonds, gemstones, and jewellery, widely recognised in key international markets.
Sarin Report: A detailed report generated by Sarin Technologies’ equipment, providing precise measurements of a diamond’s proportions, often used by cutters for planning and by traders for detailed evaluation.
Part IV: Sourcing, Manufacturing & Treatments
Allotment: A specific parcel of rough diamonds offered by a mining company to a Sightholder or accredited buyer.
CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition): A primary method for creating lab-grown diamonds by growing diamond crystals layer by layer from a carbon-rich gas.
Diamantaire: A highly experienced professional who cuts, polishes, or deals in diamonds.
HPHT (High-Pressure/High-Temperature): Can refer to either a method for creating lab-grown diamonds that mimics natural formation or a treatment to permanently improve the colour of certain natural diamonds.
Lab-Grown Diamond (LGD): A diamond created in a laboratory rather than mined from the earth. It has the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as a natural diamond. Also known as a synthetic or cultured diamond.
Laser Drilling: A clarity enhancement treatment that uses a laser to drill a microscopic channel to an inclusion to make it less visible. This treatment is permanent and must be disclosed.
Rough Diamond: A diamond in its natural, uncut, and unpolished state.
Sightholder: A company authorised by a major diamond mining corporation (e.g., De Beers Group) to purchase rough diamonds directly in bulk at regularly scheduled sales events (“Sights”).