Several million persons are engaged in jewelry business all over the world. Many of them directly or indirectly are united in several hundred professional associations.
The World Jewellery Confederation or CIBJO (http://www.cibjo.org) comprises hardly more than 100 organizations from 39 countries. It means that the majority of associations operate only at a national level. Essentially, the CIBJO reflects the interests of West-European jewellers, mainly from Italy, France and Switzerland.
In some countries the number of associations strongly varies. For example, in Austria there are 3 associations, in Brazil - 12, in Germany - 4, in France - 3, and in Japan - 1.
The world economic crisis impels a new kind of comprehension about the place of jewelry business in the industrial activity of Russia and also about the role and functions of jewelry associations.
This review is an attempt to outline basic and typical versions of jewellers’ self-organizations in such different, but influential countries, as Great Britain, China and Switzerland. The analysis proves that other countries vary organizational forms of their jeweller associations styling them after the above countries to one extent or another.
Great Britain
In Great Britain there is a two-level system of associations uniting jewellers and similar trades. The first level operates more than 10 independent organizations. The major of them are the following:
1) The National Association of Goldsmiths which represents retail jewellers since 1894 (http://www.jewellers-online.org/). It unites 1800 members possessing approximately three thousand jewelry stores. The association publishes a bi-monthly magazine, The Jeweller.
2) The British Jewellers' Association unites jewellery suppliers (http://www.bja.org.uk/). Among its more than 900 members there are jewelry manufacturers, bullion suppliers, designer jewellers and equipment suppliers. The purpose of this association existing for 120 years is to help its members to improve productivity; increase the UK market share for BJA members; and increase the share of export markets for its members.
3) The Jewellery Distributors’ Association of the United Kingdom is specialized in import and export of precious and fashion jewellery, bijouterie, accessories and watches (http://www.jda.org.uk/).
4) The Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) is an association of gemmologists and gemmology educators. It publishes two magazines: Gems and Jewellery and The Journal of Gemmology. The association has its web-site at www.gem-a.com.
Besides large-scale associations there are also smaller ones, as for example:
5) The Association of British Designer Silversmiths; 6) The Association for Contemporary Jewellery; 7) The British Lapidary and Mineral Dealers' Association; 8) The Giftware Association; 9) The Irish Jewellers Association; 10) The Gemmological Association, which runs its own magazine, The Gem and Jewellery News.
Some part of associations form a federation, The British Jewellery, Giftware and Finishing Federation (http://www.bjgf.org.uk/). This association of six commercial organizations, which are doing business in consumer goods containing precious metals and stones, encompasses, for instance, the British Jewellers' Association, Giftware Association, and Jewellery Distributors’ Association. It is based in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter.
There is no all-national confederation of jewellers, which, probably, reflects the British character based on individualism and “close-knit gentlemen’s circle.”
China
The SIBJO has only one organization from China, an analogue of the Soviet-style Almazyuvelirexport, and this is the China National Pearl Diamond Gem and Jewellery Imp. and Exp. Corporation (http://www.sinogem.com.cn/).
The main public organization is the Gem and Jewelry Trade Association of China. It was established in 1991 and now is supervised by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The association’s purpose is to unite government authorities and businessmen. The president of the association is Sun Wensheng, Minister of Land and Resources, and its Secretary General is Sun Feng Min.
The association proclaims three basic principles: helping businessmen, introducing trade standards and developing the jewelry industry. Its activity covers the following areas:
(1) Market monitoring (analysis of supply and demand on local and foreign markets; research of administration systems, research of the jewelry industry structure, its resource base, export-import policy; monitoring prices and taxes for jewelry production; accumulating innovative inventions; informing the public about jewelry problems).
(2) Formulating proposals for government authorities concerning business policy, use of resources and management system improvements.
(3) Improving team-work between government agencies, businessmen and consumers with the purpose of harmonious development of the jewelry industry.
(4) Technical assistance in manufacturing and identifying products from precious metals and stones.
(5) Jewelry personnel training.
(6) Consolidating and analyzing scientific, technical, social and economic information related to the jewelry industry. Publishing activity.
(7) Promoting cooperation and exchange of experience with partners inside and outside of China.
Structurally the Association consists of the Secretariat, Zhongbaoxie Exhibition Co. Ltd., which is an exhibition division, and the GAC Gem Identification Center. All the provincial associations of jewellers are comprised into this all-China association. Currently, the Jewelry Trade Association of China encompasses 800 legal entities and 500 physical persons from 31 provinces of China, as well as from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
In this case we see a strict and hierarchical structure reminding of public associations which existed in the USSR.
The association sponsors two magazines: China Gems and Jewelry Fashion. It also supports an information network, Gems and Jewelry Trade Network.
The association annually holds three exhibitions: in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Examples of provincial associations are the Shanghai Gold and Jewelry Trade Association, Shenzhen Gold Jewelry Association and Shanghai Gem and Jade Association.
Switzerland
Switzerland’s distinctive feature is its powerful watch-making industry specialized in products made of precious metals and containing gems. The purely jewelry branch is of secondary importance. Switzerland’s major jewelry imports come from Italy, France and Germany. Cheap jewelry is imported from Asia, mainly from Thailand and Hong Kong. U.S.-made things do not play any visible role on the local market.
Usually Swiss jewelry wholesalers and distributors import full-scale collections. Besides getting familiar with novelties at international jewelry shows, they select goods during the spring and autumn exhibitions in Basel.
Despite the small size of the country and a rather small number of people engaged in making precious products, Switzerland has several jeweller associations operating in the country. Obviously, there are no plausible reasons for the existence of associations since traders there appear to be classical examples of outright and tough competitors. Nevertheless, Switzerland does have associations of jewellers.
The main thing is the Union of Jewellers and Watch-Makers of Switzerland - Union de la Bijouterie et de l'Orfévrerie Suisse (the French abbreviation is UBOS, German - VSGU). Their web-site is at http://www.detail.ch/htm/index.htm. The union includes four associations: 1) The Association of Suppliers of Jewelry and Watch Products - Association suisse des fournisseurs de bijouterie et d'orfèvrerie (ASFBO), 2) The Swiss Association of Gem Dealers - Association suisse des négociants en pierres précieuses (ASNPP), 3) The Gemmological Society of Switzerland - Société suisse de gemmologie (SSG), 4) The Association of Professional Setters - Association professionnelle suisse des sertisseurs (APSS).
However, what is really important is not the experience of Swiss jewellers but that of the Swiss watch-making industry.
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (http://www.fhs.ch/en/presentation.php) is the main association of watch-makers. The organization has over 500 members representing 90% of Swiss watch manufacturers (finished goods, movements, component elements and parts). It is a STRICTLY UNITARY organization. It was established in 1930 and had the only goal – to make the industry survive during the Great Depression.
The federation’s tasks are to assist in developing the watch industry of Switzerland; establish a continuous communication between its members to promote their common interests; represent the Swiss watch industry before local, foreign and international agencies, as well as before economic organizations and standardization services; protect the members’ interests in lawmaking at the national and international levels, as well as to uphold the industry interests in the course of international negotiations.
The unusual thing about the federation of watch-makers is that it has permanent offices in Hong Kong and Japan.
But what appears to be the main thing is that it is an exclusive administrator of the “Swiss made” trade mark for watches and has the right to use it while grappling with manufacturers of low-quality watches.
The federation issued a list of ‘Verordnung Swiss made’ ratings of conformity to the Swiss quality. Their illegal use is punished by huge penalties and withdrawal of production. To have the right for the “Swiss made” trade mark a watch must have a Swiss movement, be assembled in Switzerland and pass its final quality check in Switzerland.
Today just about one hundred watch-making companies may mark their products with the ‘Swiss made’ inscription as their production completely corresponds to the listed requirements.
Many watches have a ‘Swiss movement’ stamp on them. Such markings mean that the watch mechanism is made in Switzerland from Swiss components and has passed its quality check there, but the watch case and final assembly have another origin. In such cases bona fide manufacturers usually specify the country and the name of the company where such watches are made.
The ‘Swiss quartz’ marking may be stamped only on Swiss watches and it completely corresponds to the words ‘Swiss made’ and not to ‘Swiss movement’ as it would be possible to assume.
The ‘Swiss made’ inscription may be made on a wristlet as well. Then it means that it is the wristlet which is made in Switzerland and not the watch itself (of course if the watch does not bear such an inscription). The Swiss origin of a wristlet may also be confirmed by a ‘Swiss wristlet’ marking. If it is only the watch case which has been made in Switzerland then its back may have only a ‘Swiss case’ stamp. Separate parts of Swiss manufacture are marked as ‘Swiss made’ or ‘Swiss parts,’ but these inscriptions are made on the parts and never on the watch face or its back. Such inscriptions should not be visible to a buyer since they do not guarantee conformity of the watch as a whole to the Swiss canons of quality.
The marks which are present on the dial, case or wristlet of a watch may be translated in other languages, but in any case they should correspond to the information contained in the certificate which is necessarily applied to brand watches.
Finally, the existence of the Swiss Association of Magazines on Jewelry and Watch Making (ASHB) established in 2006 appears rather original. And they run everything in a grown-up way having the board of directors, secretariat and six permanent committees, as for example, the Watch Committee and Jewelry Committee.
Conclusion
In totalitarian societies like the USSR or the People’s Republic of China there is only one alternative for trade associations – going underground.
In democratic societies to which the modern Russia is also attributable there is an infinite set of displays of personal responsibility and professional self-discipline.
The example of Great Britain shows jewellers’ dissociation and estrangement of local jeweller associations. Basically, it is not forbidden by the law and, moreover, is supported by the national tradition of ‘privacy’. However, they look more as small fry: the small-scale British jeweller industry is profoundly provincial.
The example of Switzerland shows an opportunity of a super-association of watch-makers, each of which has undoubtedly a bright individuality. To swallow one pride for the sake of common interests and in this way achieving the industry’s steady success – this is a useful example for the Russian industry of precious metals and gems.
Vladimir Teslenko for Rough&Polished
