JULY 15, 2019

Properly managed pearl farms offer real opportunities to individuals and communities living on small islands in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, both from an economic perspective and in terms of protecting the marine environment, said Tiffany Stevens, President of CIBJO’s Ethics Commission during the 2019 Global Multi-Stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, which was held at the United Nations in New York on July 10. Indeed, she added, for a cultured pearl farm to become an economically sustainable asset, it is essential that it also be operated in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Ms. Stevens, who additionally is President and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, the New York-based organisation that provides legal advice, education and self-regulation services to jewellers and other members of the American jewellery industry, was speaking at the gathering on behalf of CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri.

What has been learned over the years, she added, is that when it comes to cultured pearls environmental, social and economic sustainability are inexorably linked.

“Over the course of its lifespan, the oysters of the most commonly used species are able to produce three cultured pearls,” she explained. “The quality of these pearls will be a direct result of the conditions of the water in which the oysters are kept, and the length of the gestation period, during which nacre forms around the irritant nucleus that has been placed in the animal. If the environment is pristine, and the pearl is provided adequate time to mature under water, the chances of obtaining a higher-value product will increase substantially.”

But, she noted, the cost of maintaining an optimal pearl-farming environment can be substantial, meaning that it is essential that the pearl farmers receive an adequate share of the revenues they produce, in order to encourage them to operate appropriately.

Ms. Stevens pointed to a project that Dr. Cavalieri was involved in several years ago, sponsored by the Government of French Polynesia, to reverse what had become a downward spiral in the average quality of pearls being produced by the country. What was discovered was that for farmers working under economic distress there was little incentive to invest in producing a better product. They attempted to generate more income by cutting corners in the management of the marine environment, and by reducing the gestation period of the pearls. This meant a continuing reduction in the quality of the product and the environment.

The lessons learned from the Polynesian experience were applied when CIBJO was invited to consult with the Government of Fiji and the country’s Fiji Pearl Farmers’ Association in the creation of a national plan to increase the size of the island’s pearl sector, while optimising the benefits provided to the country and its people. “The plan that was drawn up called for a community-based, pearl farming industry to enhance the effectiveness of locally-managed marine areas, integrate coastal management and land and sea management programmes, while also creating meaningful employment and income-generating opportunities for indigenous communities,” Ms. Steven said.

Speaking to the gathering, the Ambassador of Fiji also referred to CIBJO’s support of sustainable pearl farming, insisting that all partnerships matter and no small-island developing states should be left behind.

To download a copy of Ms. Steven’s full speech to the 2019 Global Multi-Stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

MAY 27, 2019

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 7th European Gemmological Symposium in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, on May 25, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri called on the world’s gemmological community to participate through CIBJO in the creation of harmonised sets of grading standards, practices and nomenclature, as part of an international effort to ensure the integrity of the jewellery market and to maintain consumer confidence.

“We are not a commercial organisation, but our mission is to promote a business environment in which commercial organisations can optimise their effectiveness and revenues,” he stated. “And to do that over the long term, we believe it is essential that our working environment is responsible, fair and ethical. If this is not the case, in a luxury product industry like ours the viability of our business will be threatened and we will run the risk of losing consumer confidence, which in this type of business is unthinkable.”

Dr. Cavalieri paid special tribute to the conference organisers, the German Gemmological Association and the German Foundation for Gemstone Research, the DSEF German Gem Lab, as well as to Dr. Thomas Lind, the association’s President and Chaiman of the Board of Directors of DSEF, and Dr. Claudio Milisenda, DSEF’s Director. The conference in Idar-Oberstein provided an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the founding of DSEF. Interestingly, when the first European Gemmological Symposium took place in 2007, it also was in Idar-Oberstein and the German Gemmological Association was celebrating the 75th anniversary of its establishment.

“Generally, when I am invited to address occasions like this, I take time to point out that the important work done by CIBJO is entirely dependent on it its members, and their readiness to contribute knowledge and expertise for the benefit our international community. I usually point out that if you want to make a difference, then you need to take part in the process. No such call is necessary today, because individuals like Thomas and Claudio, and many other German friends have made very significant contributions, not only to CIBJO but other industry bodies, in gemmology, gemstones, diamonds, precious metals, and the development of responsible business standards, he stated.

Dr. Lind currently serves as Vice President of CIBJO’s Sector A, which is the division of the organisation that oversees all activities related to gems materials, and Dr. Milisenda serves as Vice President of CIBJO’s Gemmological Commission.

“To create a proper work environment, we need to need to be fully transparent in the way we operate our businesses and about what we sell, and, when that environment is international, we need to be sure that our counterparts always understand what we are saying,” Dr. Cavalieri noted. This makes the harmonisation of standards and nomenclature a critical necessity. When a common business language is in place, and its rules and terms are publicly available, then we have the necessary elements to work together, to trust one another and to properly serve our consumers.”

To download a copy of Dr. Cavalieri’s full speech to the 7th European Gemmological Symposium, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

MAY 22, 2019

Registration for the 2019 congress of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, is now open. Delegates and other participants may register for the congress via a dedicated congress website located at: http://www.cibjo.org/congress2019.

CIBJO’s 2019 annual congress will take place in Manama, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain, from November 18 to November 20, with pre-congress meetings beginning on November 16. It is being organised by DANAT, the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones. The venue for the event is the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.

The dedicated website includes the congress programme, the various congress venues, important travel information, background information about Bahrain, news and photo galleries. An online registration form for the congress is available, and, since the CIBJO Congress 2019 will be a carbon neutral event, participants are also requested to complete a carbon foot-printing form. A registration form for the programme organised for accompanying persons will be added shortly.

Upon registering, CIBJO Congress will also be able to book hotel rooms using links provided on the dedicated website, both for the official congress hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, and the alternate hotel, the Wyndham Grand Manama, which is located within walking distance from the official venue.

CIBJO Congresses serve as the gathering place for the World Jewellery Confederation’s Assembly of Delegates, and also are the venue for the annual meetings of CIBJO’s sectoral commissions, where amendments can be introduced to the organisation’s definitive directories of international industry standards for diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, gem labs, precious metals coral and responsible sourcing, known as the Blue Books.

The CIBJO Congress is also where the programme of World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), relating to responsible and sustainable activities in the industry, and its ongoing cooperation with the United Nations is reported upon.