CIBJO Launches Pearl Guide Aimed at Consumers

RAPAPORT... The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) has released a consumer-targeted publication explaining how to describe and categorize pearls.The 62-page "CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls" is a reference point for the general public and the jewelry trade, the organization said Thursday. Dealing with both seawater and freshwater specimens, the free, downloadable document highlights the parameters for assessing their physical dimensions and quality.Paspaley Pearling, a supplier in Australia, wrote the original draft, focusing mainly on the section covering the classification of cultured pearls. Experts at the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) prepared the segment on the classification of akoya natural pearls. "Knowledge breeds consumer confidence, and that ultimately is our primary objective," commented CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri.Image: A pearl in a shell. (Shutterstock)