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RAPAPORT... Platinum Guild International (PGI-USA) and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) are testing an interactive platinum reference tool that consists of a series of focused demonstrations using video, illustrations and detailed benchmarks for quality assurance in platinum jewelry.
The demonstrations provide reference for all facets of the platinum jewelry business, such as bench jewelers working in platinum, buyers who need to understand and educate staff on platinum properties, and sales associates who are directly communicating quality and the benefits of buying platinum to the consumer. The platform, which will be available on www.platinumguild.com, and can be accessed via iPads, mobile devices and computers, serves to develop a standard of quality for the platinum bench, or quality assurance benchmarks, according to the organizations.
Reference modules touch upon platinum ring sizing, identification and characteristics of alloys and stone setting in platinum for example. The platinum reference tool will officially launch in the third quarter of 2013, but PGI-USA and GIA are looking for participants to test pilot programs now. During a test pilot series at the AGS Conclave, some participants provided feedback after walking through the program. “As a platinum manufacturer, this tool will be an amazing resource for our bench jewelers as it is user-friendly and a wonderful resource for them to consult for any platinum queries they may have," said Ann Arnold, the CEO of Lieberfarb. "It will also help our retail partners understand the need for quality control of platinum products and it will help us communicate those benchmarks to them." Laura Stanley, the vice president of Stanley Jewelers, added, “This is an incredibly valuable tool that can be used in so many ways. In sales, it is important to know your product and I believe that this will provide our staff with a superior knowledge of platinum jewelry and how to truly identify and relay quality craftsmanship to the consumer.” Bev Hori, GIA's vice president and chief learning officer, said, “GIA creates comprehensive learning experiences for all of our courses in gems and jewelry. We recognize the importance of developing and teaching consistent and reliable methods for quality assurance benchmarking and are very pleased to have worked with PGI to create this interactive tool for evaluating and making platinum jewelry.”
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