The Five-Level Traceability Standard
Traceability is about following the stone's journey from the point it was unearthed. Our Five-Level Standard documents provenance from mine to manufacture.
Meeting ESG requirements, enabling brand storytelling, and providing the certainty modern luxury houses demand.
Why now
Why traceability matters now.
Luxury houses face increasing pressure to document material provenance. Parent group ESG compliance requirements. Client questions about ethical sourcing. Regulatory frameworks emerging across Europe. The standards apply whether you are ready or not.
But traceability isn't only compliance. A documented journey from mine to manufacture gives your brand authentic stories to share with clients, backed by records rather than claims.
We've been documenting stone provenance for three generations.
We just finally wrote it down.
Three benefits
What working with the standard delivers.
ESG compliance
Meet parent group and regulatory requirements with documented provenance records. Records suitable for inclusion in audit files, disclosure reporting, and supplier due-diligence dossiers.
Brand storytelling
Share authentic origin stories with your clients, backed by documentation and not just claims. Provenance becomes part of the piece, not a marketing layer added afterwards.
Risk mitigation
Reduce supply chain risks with verified sourcing and complete chain-of-custody documentation. Issues can be traced to source quickly when documentation exists end-to-end.
Classification
The Five Levels.
Our Five-Level Standard classifies stones based on documentation depth: from direct mine partnerships at the highest level, to laboratory-certified open market purchases at the entry level. Every stone we deliver is classified into one of these five levels at the time of acquisition.
Direct mine partnership
Formal partnership with the mine itself: MOU, joint venture, or supply contract. Site access and regular oversight. Direct sourcing from the extraction point, with complete documentation from mine to market.
- 01Executed partnership agreement identifying mine and parties
- 02Mine identification (license number, GPS coordinates, extraction method, production period)
- 03Site visit and oversight records (≤12 months) with photography
- 04Production and parcel records mapping to the batch
- 05Full chain-of-custody from mine to Major Trading
High-value haute joaillerie projects where full provenance documentation is required by the client or their parent group’s ESG framework.
Verified supply chain
Traceability proven by complete documentation along the stone’s journey from mine to market. Multiple touchpoints documented, with consistent parcel and lot IDs tying rough through cut to final.
- 01Rough-phase: rough invoice, mining licence, auction licence
- 02Cut and polish phase: invoices, treatment certificates, memos
- 03Final phase: export invoice, independent lab report, client invoice
- 04Linkage: consistent parcel and lot IDs across all phases
Most watch and high jewellery projects, where chain-of-custody documentation supports the client’s compliance reporting without requiring direct mine partnership.
Mining location purchase
Purchased through an on-site contact with direct access to the mine. A long, trusted relationship with documented site location and reported practices. Sometimes visited by Major Trading or Orava directly.
- 01Supplier KYC and role confirmation as on-site agent
- 02Mine and site identification (region, district, GPS where available)
- 03Photo, video, or context description; visit notes if applicable
- 04Chain-of-custody from on-site contact to Major Trading
Standard-grade collections where origin is declared through agent verification, with confidence in the source but not at full mine-partnership level.
Established dealer network
Purchased from a long-standing dealer in our vetted network. Confidence in country of origin and dealer practices, though the exact pit may not be verified. Relationship history and supporting documentation provided.
- 01Supplier KYC and relationship history (prior invoices)
- 02Written origin declaration with rationale
- 03Supporting documentation where available (shipping documents, export permits, lab memos)
Working with established suppliers who maintain their own internal sourcing standards. Suitable for projects where dealer-verified origin meets the requirement.
Laboratory certified
Purchased on the open market with origin determined and documented by a recognised gemological laboratory. The journey from mine is not fully known, but the origin is independently established by lab analysis.
- 01Supplier invoice with any origin statement
- 02Laboratory origin report or memo (where origin is material)
- 03Lot and parcel IDs and weights mapping to the batch
Single stones and smaller projects where laboratory certification meets the traceability requirement. Most historical inventory sits at D3 or D2.
Each batch we handle is classified at the strongest level its evidence supports. Where evidence breaks or mismatches occur, we downgrade to the lowest defensible class. This isn't a marketing structure. It's how we run the business.
At a glance
All five levels compared.
Mine partnership, full custody
High-value haute joaillerie
Documented chain end-to-end
Most watch and HJ projects
Agent-verified origin
Standard collections
Dealer-verified origin
Established supplier stones
Lab-certified origin
Singles, open market
Photograph
Project documentation, P1-level pilot, 2024
Proof
Proven with a tier-1 client.
In 2024 we successfully piloted P1-level traceability with a tier-1 client. The project required complete documentation from mine partnership through final delivery: site visit records, direct purchase documentation, full chain-of-custody, and continuous parcel IDs across cutting and finishing.
The pilot demonstrated that our long-standing sourcing practices already met the highest traceability standards. We simply formalised the documentation approach.
That pilot became our Five-Level Traceability Standard.
Independently certified at company level
Independently certified at company level.
Major Trading is a Certified Member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). Our COP certification covers our entire business: ESG standards, supply chain integrity, human rights, labour standards, business ethics. Audited and verified by approved third-party auditors.
The Five-Level Standard documents the provenance of each stone. RJC certification documents how we operate as a business. Both are independent and both are auditable.
Working with the standard
How to request a traceability level.
When discussing your project, specify your traceability requirement. We'll confirm which level is achievable for your stone type, quantity, and timeline.
Most watch and high jewellery projects use P2 or P1. Single stones and smaller projects typically use D1 or D2. We'll recommend the right level for your requirements.
Ready to discuss traceability for your project?
Whether you need P1-level documentation for haute joaillerie, P2 for a watch project, or D2 for single-stone work, we'll confirm what's achievable.