The Pearl Commission of CIBJO released its special report ahead of the 2010 CIBJO Congress on February 19 in Munich, Germany. In the report, the commission reviewed a number of amendments to the Pearl Blue Book.

Among the amendments that had been ratified at the 2009 Congress in Istanbul was a requirement to disclose a treatment achieved during the "Akoya" cultured pearl’s growth as "colour induced cultured pearls." The treatment consists of injecting metal fluids into the pearl’s sac to induce varying colours, depending on the metal used.

The reports also mentions a change to Clause 4.2.8 in the Blue Book, which states that when making reference to a saltwater cultured pearl the words "cultured pearl" needs to be preceded by the word "saltwater."

A complete copy of the CIBJO Diamond Commission Special Report can be downloaded at: http://download.cibjo.org/special_pearl_report_february_2010.pdf.

The Precious Metals Commission of CIBJO also released its special report. In the report, the commission noted that the past year has been marked by a growing involvement by CIBJO in international forums that examine issues related to the precious metals industries.
At the 2010 CIBJO Congress in Munich, the Precious Metals Commission will present its New Appendix on Legal Precious Metal Finenesses in Countries Worldwide.

The CIBJO Precious Metals Commission will meet at the 2010 CIBJO Congress in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, February 20, from 4:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., in Room 5 of the International Congress Centre.

A complete copy of the CIBJO Precious Metals Commission Special Report can be downloaded at: http://download.cibjo.org/CIBJO_Special_Report_PM_Commission_February_2010_.pdf.

The proposed appendix can be downloaded at: http://download.cibjo.org/CIBJO_Completed_-_Feb_2010.xls.

JCK