RAPAPORT... Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook has joined the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) in what the organization hails as a "giant milestone" for the industry.Chow Tai Fook will "provide [the] confederation with a considerably broader perspective, not only in what are several of the fastest-growing markets in the global jewelry trade, but also in the online environment, which is consuming an ever-larger share of sales," CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri said Tuesday. For its part, Chow Tai Fook, which operates a retail network of more than 4,590 stores primarily in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, believes the international collaboration CIBJO provides the industry will help bolster consumer confidence in the jewelry trade."We understand the need to innovate and stay united to make a truly positive difference," noted Chow Tai Fook managing director Kent Wong. "In order to fulfill these ideals and promises, it is important that we work collaboratively with our industry peers, bringing in innovative insights. Only when we do so can we herald a new era of growth and synergy."Image: A Chow Tai Fook store in Hong Kong. (Chow Tai Fook)