Milan: CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, has released online its latest Blue Book, delineating acceptable trade practices and nomenclature for the coral industry and trade. The document was compiled by the CIBJO Coral Commission, headed by Commission President Enzo Liverino, under the auspices of CIBJO’s Sector A, which has jurisdiction over gem materials.

The Coral Book can be downloaded in PDF format from the CIBJO website at: http://www.cibjo.org/download/15-10-01%20Official%20Coral%20Book.pdf.

The new Blue Book is comprehensive, classifying both non-treated and treated corals, and also artificial products that imitate and/or include coral elements. Normative terms that should be used to describe coral and disclose treatments are listed, as is the terminology that should be applied to define associated artificial products. Methods of maintaining the quality of coral jewellery are provided and the various types of different precious coral species are itemised.

Because of the unique nature of coral, which is an organism grown in nature without human intervention, the Coral Book includes reference to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which entered into force in 1975 to address concerns that many living species were becoming endangered because of commerce between countries. The document also outlines national and regional regulations promoting the sustainable harvesting of coral.

The Coral Book is the sixth in the Blue Book series, and joins the definitive sets of grading standards and nomenclature for diamonds, gemstones, pearls, precious metals, and gemmological laboratories. Each is compiled and updated by relevant CIBJO Commissions, whose members include representatives of trade organizations and laboratories active in the industry.

The Blue Books represent a consensus derived from the broad expertise on the subject within each commission, and also from individuals outside the commissions who had expressed an interest in participating in the development of the guidelines. In the almost complete absence of jewellery industry standards endorsed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), the CIBJO Blue Books are the most widely accepted set of globally accepted standards.

“The Coral Blue Book is an additional tool developed by CIBJO to ensure ethical business practices and transparency in the jewellery business,” said Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO President. “It focuses on a sector that operates in a very fragile eco-environment, where proper standards and methods of operation are absolutely essential. I congratulate Enzo Liverino and his colleagues in the Coral Commission not only for their vision and effort, but also for the contribution they have made to our industry.”

“Although coral has been featured in jewellery for millennia, it remains a product that is not widely understood,” said Mr. Liverino. “Our goals in producing the Coral Book of course included creating common sets of standards, practices and nomenclature, similar to those which have been created by CIBJO for other sectors of the industry, but also to address important issues of environmental responsibility and sustainability that are specific to coral. It has been a privilege working with the team on the Coral Commission. This is a milestone for all of us.”

“This is an important document that has provided a proper framework and set of references for the coral sector, corresponding to those that have been established for other sectors in our industry,” said Roland Naftule, CIBJO Vice President and President of Sector A. “It is important to note that its release represents but the end of the first stage in an on-going journey. Each Blue Book is a living document, which is reviewed constantly, and updated and amended when necessary.”

In addition to the Coral Book, CIBJO’s Sector A has recently released online the updated editions of the Diamond Book, the Gemstone Book and the Pearl Book.

The 2015 edition of Diamond Book can be downloaded in PDF format from the CIBJO website at: http://www.cibjo.org/download/15-10-03%20Official%20Diamond%20Book.pdf.

The 2015 edition of the Gemstone Book can be downloaded in PDF format from the CIBJO website at: http://www.cibjo.org/download/15-08-19%20Official%20Gemstone%20Book.pdf.

The 2015 edition of the Pearl Book can be downloaded in PDF format from the CIBJO website at: http://www.cibjo.org/download/15-08-18%20%20Oficial%20Pearl%20Book.pdf.