Seminar on practices in coral harvesting and pearl farming held at HK Show

The seminar was sponsored by CIBJO in conjunction with the Italian Trade Commission
Seminar on practices in coral harvesting and pearl farming held at HK Show

A seminar sponsored by CIBJO in conjunction with the Italian Trade Commission at the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Show, discussed the implementation of environmentally sound practices in both the coral harvesting and pearl farming. The discussion focused on not only the means to protect the fragile marine ecosystem, but also the need to present the members of the industry as responsible corporate citizens.

Greeting participants in the seminar was Paola Guida, the Italian Trade Commissioner in Hong Kong, who noted that the event underscored the Italian jewellery industry’s commitment to ethical and sustainable environmental practices.

“The long-term viability of both the pearl and coral sectors in the jewellery industry is dependent on the development and implementation of responsible practices, which both protect and facilitate the renewal of a bio-diverse marine environment, promoting higher quality and more sustainable resources,” said CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri. “Our efforts in this respect are part of a comprehensive program to promote sustainable environmental policies in the sector, which also includes the CIBJO Jewellery Industry Greenhouse Gas Measurement Initiative promoting carbon footprint and offsetting, through the purchase of carbon credits.”

In addition to Dr Cavalieri and Ms. Guida, the panel of speakers at the seminar included Enzo Liverino, President of the CIBJO Coral Commission, Laurent Cartier, Project Manager at the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF, Russell Hanigan, from the Paspaley Pearling Company, Jacques Christophe Branellec, Vice President of the CIBJO Pearl Commission and Executive Vice President of Jewelmer Joaillerie, George Lu, Vice President of the CIBJO Coral Commission, Tommaso Mazza, President of the Association for the Manufacture of Coral, Cameos and Jewellery (Assocoral) in Italy, Dr. Cristina Del Mare, ethnologist, orientalist and jewellery industry historian.

Mr Liverino highlighted the ratification in 2015 of CIBJO’s Coral Blue Book, which is the latest addition to CIBJO’s sets of industry standards and nomenclature, joining Blue Books. The ultimate aim of the Blue Book of Coral is to protect consumers’ confidence in the coral industry through careful and documented definitions, clauses and rules.


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