RAPAPORT... The first meeting of the CIBJO Precious Metals Commission took place during the CIBJO Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, on March, 14, 2007, and the basic parameters for the Commission were established. 

As part of this objective the Precious Metals Commission has been tasked with outlining standards for precious metal in the jewelry industry worldwide.

About 70 delegates attended the meeting where it was agreed that the Precious Metals Commission should produce a Blue Book of international guidelines for Precious Metal, in line with those, which already exist for diamonds, colored stones, and pearls.  An international working group was formed which will report back to the next CIBJO Congress in Dubai in 2008.

The definition of Precious Metal in relation to the jewelry, watches and silverware industries was restricted to gold, silver, platinum and palladium.

The most contentious issue was allowing for tolerance in metal finenesses and this resulted in some lively debate.  Vice president of the Commission, Michael Allchin, who is chief executive of The Birmingham Assay Office strongly advocated negative tolerance, as required by the UK Hallmarking legislation, which gives the consumer the best possible protection.

However this standard is currently only observed in a few countries worldwide and there was much discussion as to the necessity for and practicality of this requirement.  It was finally agreed that while the CIBJO Blue Book should recommend no negative tolerance, this requirement would be superseded where national law defined tolerance levels.

Allchin said after the meeting, “We made good progress today and have established the basic rules and parameters for the Precious Metals Blue Book. CIBJO are clearly committed to delivering responsible practices and consumer protection throughout the jewelry industry and the regulation and definition of good practice for Precious Metals is a crucial element of this.”

The volunteers who formed the Precious Metal Working Group:

Gianni Cacchione (president) - Italy
Michael Allchin (vice president ) – UK
Stuart Grice – USA
Carole Grouesy – France
Michael Oboler – Australia
Jack Ogden – UK
Karina Ratzlaff – Germany
Bernard Stern – South Africa
Angel Ramon-Solanilla – Peru