F Hinds is the first jeweller in the UK to be confirmed as meeting the standards required by international diamond governing body the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.

It has awarded the family retailer with the ‘World Diamond Mark’ (WDM) and seal as an Authorised Diamond Dealer. This recognises the jeweller’s expertise and status as a high street retailer of natural diamonds.

Alongside the company’s certification by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the World Diamond Mark helps F Hinds to reinforce customer confidence in rare, natural diamonds.

This includes only using certificates from accurate, stringent laboratories, high quality training for store staff, plus the knowledge that gemologist and sixth generation family member Andrew Hinds personally hand-selects all the diamonds for the company’s certificated solitaires.

F Hinds was also the first UK sponsor of the Diamond Development Initiative which supports artisanal workers in developing countries.

Hinds is the most recent past-chairman of the UK’s National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) and, as a qualified gemologist, is responsible for individually selecting each and every certificated diamond stocked in the company’s 118 stores across the UK and on its direct sales website which celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year.

Hinds said: “This is great news. It provides huge reassurance for UK consumers that there is a jeweller they can patronise who will provide guaranteed natural diamonds and a professional service.

“The endorsement of the WDM shows that we are also trusted by the industry’s experts. It recognises that we are one of the world’s leading diamond jewellers and we are delighted and honoured to have been one of the first in the world to be accredited and the very first in the UK.”