Diamond bodies clarify labeling of synthetic gems

Three major international trade organizations in the diamond and jewelry industry reached an agreement to abide by the new International Diamond Council (IDC) rules, particularly regarding terminology of synthetic diamonds, at the thirty-third World Diamond Congress in Shanghai.

The three organizations were the International Confederation of Jewelry, Silverware, Diamonds and Stones (CIBJO), the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA).

The revised IDC rules included terminology that broadens the range of descriptors that can be used for gem-quality diamonds that have been created in laboratory or factory, and to date have been referred to as synthetic.

According to the new IDC rules, gem quality diamonds created in a laboratory or factory can be described as: synthetic; laboratory-grown; laboratory-created; or man-made; and the descriptor must always be followed by the word diamond or diamonds.

It was agreed that under no circumstances could the term ‘cultured' be used to describe gem-quality synthetic diamonds. At present, the International Confederation of Jewelry, Silverware, Diamonds and Stones' (CIBJO's) Diamond Blue Book only allows the descriptor ‘synthetic' to describe gem-quality synthetic diamonds.

"Concerning diamond nomenclature, we have been aiming to get IDC in line with the CIBJO for many years. This important achievement bodes well for the development of the future of international diamond grading standard and nomenclature," said IDC Chairman Stephane Fischler, who lauded the statement from the organizations as a milestone event.

Since their publication, the IDC stated that these rules have been the essential reference point for clear diamond terminology aimed at benefiting consumer confidence in diamonds.

Many jewelry buyers duped by fake rubies

PHOENIX --People in Arizona and across the nation, for buying a ruby , are putting down big bucks for something they think is the real deal.

But in reality, they're getting ripped off.

"It's really an amazing transformation from basically junk to a gem," said Craig Lynch, president of the Arizona Jewelers Association.

Lynch is talking about a scheme where jewelry dealers convince consumers into thinking they're buying 100-percent genuine rubies, but they aren't.

"They're being duped that this is ruby," Lynch said. "It's partly ruby and mostly glass and they're paying exorbitant prices for them."

In fact, according to Lynch, many jewelry dealers are passing off the glass-filled rubies for the real thing.

"It fools the person," he said. "It looks like it's 10 times that value."

How do you know they're not the real thing? Well, Raymond Mason of the Arizona Gemological Society says simple household cleaners and heat will dull and crack the glass over time.

"In any abnormal heat, they're at risk," Mason said. "Any abnormal chemicals, household chemicals like ammonia, will also etch the stone."

Faux rubies fall apart after being heated up.

Lynch said usually consumers never know they've been taken advantage of until it's too late.

"For the consumer, even some of the basic jewelers have a hard time identifying it because it is a brand-new process," Lynch said.

The best advice is to not buy jewelry from anyone you aren't familiar with.

The experts say you should also avoid buying jewelry over the Internet, on cruise ships and overseas to keep from getting taken advantage of.

By the way, rubies are just the beginning. According to the experts, tiny pieces of diamonds and sapphires, for example, will be "morphed" into looking like the real thing when they're not.

MVI offers Web services to jewelers

MVI Marketing Ltd., a marketing-intelligence company for the gem, jewelry and watch industries, has announced that it has acquired an interest in IT firm ITECH Solutions, a move that will allow MVI to offer Web-development services to retail jewelers and manufacturers.

San Luis Obispo, Calif.-based ITECH specializes in providing Web development, computer and network services for growing businesses, and its co-founder, Forrest Hatfield, said in a media release that studies show visitors to a Web site make a decision on whether or not to stay within just a few seconds.

"The jewelry industry is faced with a tremendous opportunity to level the playing field in the battle with its competitors," Hatfield said. "Our affiliation with MVI will provide clients with innovation, creativity, cost efficiencies and hard-core sales growth from day one."

MVI and ITECH have already begun to work on several Web-development projects for jewelry manufacturers and retailers. These include inventory management and integration, search-engine optimization, customer-relationship and affiliate-relationship management, e-commerce and shopping cart solutions, newsletter development and deployment, integrated customer-satisfaction research, viral marketing, adword campaigns, and banner development and placement.

"The trend toward online research and shopping is not going away," MVI Chief Executive Officer Marty Hurwitz said in the release. "In an increasingly tougher competitive environment, the jewelry retailer, designer and manufacturer must learn to embrace the offerings of the Web and utilize them to their advantage. With MVI's insight and knowledge of the jewelry industry and ITECH's technological sophistication, we will help the jewelry industry leverage the Web opportunity to its best advantage."

MVI is offering a free, confidential Web review and recommendations to any company that is considering beginning, expanding or improving its Web presence. For more information about this service, visit MVI's Web site, Mvimarketing.com.