April 1, 2021 - Jewellery World

CIBJO’s Pearl Commission has released the first edition of the CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls. Offered free of charge, the document is designed to serve as an educational tool for all in the trade, as well as a source of information for the general public, and was written with essential input from Australian company Paspaley Pearling.

The 62-page illustrated document provides an overarching view of natural and cultured pearls, from both seawater and freshwater sources, and highlights the important parameters by which their appearance can be described and assessed in terms of physical dimensions and quality.

Complementing the CIBJO Pearl Blue Book, which is also produced by the Pearl Commission and is considered the authoritative reference for technical standards and nomenclature in the pearl sector, the CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls is a primer about pearls tailored for jewellery consumers and pearl lovers.

Providing an overview of the various pearl categories in different parts of the world, the guide lists, describes and illustrates the primary pearl-producing molluscs, and the type of pearls that each yields. A comprehensive breakdown of the leading seawater and freshwater cultured pearl types in the market is provided, detailing the species, origin, characteristics and production of each. The richly illustrated guide details the system for classifying natural pearls from the Akoya complex and the system for classifying cultured pearls, and also supplies information about pearl treatments and other pearl types, such as keshi cultured pearls.

Ikecho

Preparing the CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls was a multi-year and multinational project, with the original draft written by a team at Paspaley Pearling in Australia, whose members focused particularly on the section covering the classification of cultured pearls. The Akoya complex natural pearl classification section was prepared by experts at the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT).

“The CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls is a tremendous resource, intended to provide consumers and the trade with accurate and easily to-comprehend information about this increasingly popular jewellery category,” said Gaetano Cavalieri. “It is a result of the hard work of a great many dedicated individuals from across the globe, but some deserve special mention. In particular, I would like to thank Nick Paspaley and Peter Bracher for taking the initiative, and putting at our disposal the wealth of knowledge of their team in Australia. Likewise, congratulations are due to Kenneth Scarratt, President of the CIBJO Pearl Commission, the editor of the guide, and for the addition he made to this outstanding document. Thanks also to all those members of the CIBJO Pearl Commission Steering Committee, who have devoted much time and effort in ensuring that the content is informative and accurately reflects the product.”

Devino

“I encourage all members of the industry, and in particular jewellery retailers, to download the CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls and to make it available to their clientele,” Dr. Cavalieri said. “Knowledge breeds consumer confidence, and that ultimately is our primary objective.”

The CIBJO Guide for Classifying Natural Pearls and Cultured Pearls can be downloaded free of charge from the CIBJO website: cibjo.org

CIBJO webinars continue to offer valuable material free for all

Ikecho Pearls

Born on July 13, 1925, Alex grew up in Poland, in a town called Czelandz near the German border, where his father owned a hardware store. As a schoolboy he took a great interest in woodwork and chemistry and was known for his cheeky sense of humour.

During the German occupation of Poland, Alex spent time in a concentration camp and in April 1945, was transferred to a British DP camp. Stricken with fever, he suffered a painful, swollen leg which was later found to be DVT, causing him to have a bad leg throughout his life.

Diagnosed with typhoid fever in the British camp, the Red Cross put him on a stretcher and carried him on board a ship bound for Sweden to recuperate. When he recovered, he took a job painting houses for eight weeks, spending his first pay on a new tailor-made suit. Alex loved to look smart and was particularly fond of wearing a navy suit and tie or a sports jacket.

After some time spent in Israel, Alex arrived in Australia in 1952 with his wife and infant daughter and settled in Melbourne.

A “jack of all trades,” Alex worked in a variety of jobs, including a bakery, knitting factory, milk bar and delicatessen. When an opportunity arose to buy a precious metal business, he took this up, drawing on the metallurgical skills he picked up working in a foundry in Sweden.

Alex purchased the business of Analytic Gold Refining in the early 1970’s. The wholesale precious metal supply business to the local manufacturing trade soon supplied the majority of the CAD manufacturing jewellers.

His increasing concern that releasing acid fumes in central Melbourne was not right saw him enter into discussions with gold refiners, PJ’S. Williams & Assoc.

“We established our first business relationship by carrying out refining for him whilst he concentrated on providing a gold alloy supply service to his growing client base,” the then CEO of P.J. Williams, Phil Williams said. Mr Williams is the current chairman of Pallion.

In 1984, Alex offered Analytic to Mr Williams in a handshake deal. “When I asked for the name of his solicitor, he asked who mine would be, then saying, ‘yes I know Ian, a good man, I will use him too.’ Alex trusted his judgement of character, but presented my solicitor with a dilemma,” he recalled.

At this time, Mr Williams became aware of the extent of Alex’s support for his clients, with those who had genuinely fallen on hard times given long credit terms or at times, forgiveness of debt.

As part of their agreement, Alex was to continue with P.J. Williams on a consultancy basis for two years. This stretched out to 10 years until his retirement in 1994. Such was his love of ongoing involvement with those he regarded.

“Alex was well known in the industry for being fair and honest and helping out people with their business and personal financial issues. He had a quirky side and a wry sense of humour,” recalled Pallion state fabrications manager, Graeme Turnbull.

“He was much loved by members of the jewellery manufacturing trade in Melbourne. I will always regard him as my second father,” Mr Turnbull said.

Alex enjoyed helping jewellery students and was involved with a number of charities including the Jewish National Fund and Vision Australia, where he did woodwork. Very much a “can do” person, Alex always carried a tool box in his car. At the age of 80 he became a driver for residents at the Montefiore Aged Care Centre in Melbourne.

Alex Grossman was very active in the Jewish faith and served on the Board of Elders in his local Jewish community. He is remembered for his loyalty, compassion and sense of humour. He leaves behind his wife of 72 years, Tamara and two daughters, Esther and Helen.

Day: April 1, 2021

Pearls Classification Guide released by CIBJO

Vale Alex Grossman