National jewellery and gemstone association representatives from more than 40 countries converged in Salvador, Brazil from 4 May to 6 May for the 2015 Congress for the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO).
The annual conference provides an opportunity for delegates to meet and discuss updates for the organisation’s international industry standards. These standards cover diamonds, coloured gemstones, gemmological laboratories and precious metals, and are contained in manuals known as the Blue Books.
Ronnie Bauer, CIBJO representative for Australia, told Jeweller that one of the most important outcomes of the recent congress – especially for jewellery retailers – was the decision to draft a set of practical guidelines on the standards and systems that should be expected from grading laboratories.
From the same discussion, which was held as part of a special pre-conference meeting, it was decided that CIBJO would develop a program to educate retailers and the wider industry on how to assess a laboratory report, and that the organisation would also become an auditing body for grading laboratories.
Bauer said this issue was of particular importance given the recent controversy surrounding European Gemological Laboratories and related concerns of over-grading.
The topic of gemstone treatment codes was also raised, along with the need for more vigorous enforcement of coding. Bauer stated this issue was “difficult” because implementing a standardised coding system would require transparency across the entire supply chain.
“I believe we will have to rely on the integrity of the wholesaler and/or retailer to get a laboratory report to assign the treatments,” he said. “That of course adds to the cost of the product – a necessary evil.”
Australia’s say
The Australian industry had input on various other topics on the international agenda.
An interim report that was prepared by the Gemmological Association of Australia on how to define the difference between Australian opal and Ethiopian hydrophane opal was tabled to the coloured stone commission.
The CIBJO Guide for Grading Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls – which Australia was said to have had been heavily involved in developing – was discussed by the pearl commission.
In addition, an Australian agenda item relating to the creation of a nomenclature appendix for the gemstone-related Blue Book was put to the gemstone (or Sector A) commission for consideration.
Bauer also noted that a meeting on jewellery manufacturing – referred to as Sector C – discussed how advances in technology, such as CAD, lasers and 3D printing machines, were increasing the complexity of jewellery design.
Sector C executive vice president Simon Rainer said the technology could help both jewellery manufacturers and retailers and that it was vital they embrace the technology to keep up with competing businesses.
CIBJO was established in 1926 and is said to be the oldest international organisation in the jewellery sector. With members from more than 40 countries, it was formed to represent the interests of all individuals, organisations and businesses within the jewellery, gemstones and precious metals sectors, and to uphold consumer confidence across these industries.
The 2016 CIBJO Congress will be held in Yerevan, Armenia, although at the time of publication, dates had not been announced.
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