In the end of 2009, the Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers’ Association (HKJMA) in team with the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) developed and started to introduce the Global Jewelry Identity (Global J-ID) Management Label Scheme. The scheme suggests a voluntary form of participation among jewelry manufacturers, resellers, retailers and brands. As the authors of the scheme see it, by way of this system jewelry shoppers and traders will get a friendly access to comprehensive information about jewelry products. In essence, Global J-ID makes a claim for playing the role of a “trust mark” in the jewelry industry of Hong Kong with further expansion to the global jewelry space.
Global J-ID is the world’s first unified system for grading and identifying jewelry goods. As a certification system it is based on the ISO 9001 quality management system. It works as follows:
A 2D barcode measuring 3mm x 1mm is inscribed on the inner or reverse side of a jewelry piece and contains the producer’s code, materials, quality and certification data. The barcode will use the terminology based on the CIBJO’s Blue Book standards. The laser-engraved information pertaining to a jewelry piece will be brought to the general data base. The jewelry piece is then given a 10-digit code which will be displayed on invoices along with the barcode after any purchase. The consumer can then enter the 10-digit code on the official website and look up the corporate and product information.
All participating companies will be regularly reassessed since Global J-ID will see to it that its ranks are joined only by those whose reputation and quality standards are beyond any doubts. However, jewelers themselves have some doubts about the expedience of taking part in the affair.
To become a member of Global J-ID a company has to apply submitting documents, going through a corporate check, dispatching its experts for a specialized training workshop and purchasing a basic equipment kit including one laser engraving machine and one barcode reader. Besides these cost items there is another one, not so obvious. In the process of grading jewelry pieces will lose some of the gold they are made of. This will be a small loss: 0.1158 mg or 0.03 Hong Kong dollars or about 10 Russian kopecks in money terms. Though it’s a trifle, it doesn’t make you feel better.
So, what are the benefits of being part of Global J-ID? According to its founders, jewelry manufacturers usually use stickers for their markings. Global J-ID laser makings will protect the information related to a particular jewelry piece and will open access to its characteristics from any point of the world. Besides, the unique 2D barcode makes it possible to avoid errors in markings and unwarranted exchange of a jewelry piece. However, the founders make a reservation saying that if (indeed) an error will occur there will be a way out since the wrong code may be deleted and a new and right one entered instead. The only minus to be taken into account will be another 0.1158 mg of gold spent.
The project is funded by the SME Development Fund of Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department.
Mr. Sunny Chan, Chairman of HKJMA, said at the dedicated briefing, “Hong Kong is the world’s leading jewelry exporter with total value exceeding US$4 billion per year. Jewelry is among the top five export earners of Hong Kong. To increase consumer and industry confidence in Hong Kong jewelry products, HKJMA drew on the technical expertise of HKPC to develop the Global J-ID. With standardized codes on product description, Global J-ID will also facilitate the development of testing and certification services for the jewelry industry.”
At the press-conference on the occasion of inaugurating the system in Hong Kong in December 2009 Mr. Clement Chen, Chairman of HKPC, said, “Global J-ID addresses the industry’s need for solution in product traceability.”
The Scheme is overseen by the Global J-ID Management Board chaired by Mr. Aaron Shum, Consultant of HKJMA. According to the latter, setting a new standard in product value, Global J-ID will become a common language among industry players.
On the consumer front, Ms. Connie Lau, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council, said the Scheme can increase consumer confidence. She hopes that the frontline sales people will demonstrate how to retrieve the product data in the Global J-ID to the consumers.
Prior to the launch, three jewelers participated in a pilot scheme. Jewelry products certified with the Global J-ID are now available at their outlets.
However, to give the “trust mark” a chance to take root and turn into an inalienable attribute of any self-worth diamond ring or gold bracelet it first of all needs recognition and authority gained within the industry. Global J-ID enjoys a certain measure of support on the part of administration- and trade-linked community. For instance, the project presentation was attended by the Chairman of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong, President of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China, and Chief Executive of the Luk Fook Group, which was one of the pilot companies to run the project in, as well as other authoritative figures. Nevertheless, the list of companies which joined Global J-ID is currently short and hardly accounts for more than 10 participants.
The Global J-ID barcode was first introduced in the international arena on February 19 in Munich at the Congress of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO). Last March, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and HKJMA conducted a public seminar with the representatives from the World Jewellery Confederation and National Gems and Jewelry Technology Administrative Centre taking part to promote Global J-ID both in China and across the globe.
Dr Gaetano Cavalieri, President of the World Jewellery Confederation, explained how the global trustmark programme may bring benefits for businesses and consumers. He also addressed the features of standardization and transparency of the Scheme.
Mr. John Hung, Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification, stated that testing and certification is one of economic areas with good potential identified by the Task Force on Economic Challenges for support and development.
Olga Patseva, Rough&Polished, Shanghai
