Russia says jewelry counterfeits have nearly vanished as it seeks EAEU traceability
Russia’s Finance Ministry says its precious metals and stones tracking system has almost eliminated counterfeit jewelry from domestic stores. Moscow now wants compatible oversight across the EAEU, building on an existing data exchange with Belarus.
Digital tracking covers the jewelry chain
Counterfeit products have almost disappeared from Russian jewelry stores, Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev told Izvestia. He attributed the result to measures introduced in recent years, particularly the state information system for monitoring precious metals and precious stones, known by its Russian abbreviation GIIS DMDK. Jewelry cannot move legally through the supply chain without being recorded in the system.
Consumers can scan an item’s code with a smartphone or enter its alphanumeric identifier on a verification website. The record is intended to show where the stone and gold came from, whether a stone is natural and whether the metal corresponds to the declared fineness. Moiseev said it is now practically impossible for an unregistered chain to operate in Russia and argued that domestic manufacturers generally comply with the rules.
Marketplaces and EAEU imports remain pressure points
The system has not removed every risk. Moiseev acknowledged reports of jewelry offered on online marketplaces with identification numbers that could not be verified. Any item containing precious metals or stones that enters Russia must be certified, but goods had previously been sold online after being brought into the country illegally, including through other members of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Marketplaces are taking action because questionable products can damage their reputations, Moiseev said, adding that the ministry currently sees no need for further measures. Consumers who have already bought an unverifiable item should contact the Federal Assay Chamber and consumer protection authorities. The Assay Chamber is also responsible for supervising jewelry sold through marketplaces.
Belarus provides a model for wider integration
The absence of customs controls between EAEU members leaves imports through parts of the bloc as a remaining grey area. Russia therefore wants to integrate its jewelry oversight systems with those of other EAEU countries. Full integration already operates with Belarus, which has its own system comparable to GIIS DMDK. A digital gateway exchanges information between the two systems, allowing buyers in either country to trace jewelry supplied from the other.
Russia intends to reproduce that arrangement with the other EAEU members, although Izvestia reported no implementation timetable. The initiative would make traceability increasingly dependent on the compatibility and quality of national records, rather than checks at internal borders. It could also raise compliance requirements for manufacturers, wholesalers, marketplaces and importers whose products cross the bloc’s national markets.
Synthetic diamonds receive separate treatment
Russia has also tightened the presentation of synthetic diamonds. Rules effective from September require sellers to distinguish clearly between natural diamonds and synthetic material. Terms that could blur the distinction, including descriptions equivalent to “half-diamond,” are prohibited, and the word “diamond” is reserved for a polished stone made from natural diamond.
Moiseev said retailers had responded by separating products in display cases and marking them more clearly. For producers and sellers, the rule turns disclosure into a direct merchandising and compliance obligation. For buyers, it is designed to prevent synthetic stones from being presented alongside natural diamonds in a way that obscures the difference in origin and product category.
