Finally! A JPEA "GOLD" tag that means something!

[jshepherd]

I saw this debut at the Hong Kong show and Jewellery News Asia just put the story out.

JNA

Japan has long been recognized as the world's premier trading and distribution hub for pearls and it is determined to maintain this status by implementing new programmes.

One of which is the Japan Quality Pearl Label, which was introduced at the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Faire. It is a voluntary programme that guarantees the quality of marine cultured pearls, Yoshihiro Shimizu, chairman of the Japan Pearl Exporters' Association (JPEA) and chairman of Kobe-based Hosei Co Ltd, explained.

Pearls for export and voluntarily submitted to the JPEA for exaluation and are subjected to a series of inspections. The JPEA defines the recommended quality standards and if the pearls will be issued a Japan Quality Pearl Label.

"This 'Gold Tag' label assures that the pearl meets the high quality standards defined by the JPEA. The pearls are evaluated based on their cultivation, lustre, necklace-making potential and degree of spots. The tags have serial numbers so each lot could be traced to its source," Mr Shimizu said.

"It is our responsibility to ensure that the Japanese pearl industry supplies only the best quality pearls," he continued, adding that 10 companies introduced the programme at the September Hong Kong Fair. The association, together with the Japan Pearl Promotion Society, will also introduce its quality pearl label programme at the China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair in November.

The marketing material that I picked up in Hong Kong explained it a bit further and also touched on the "blue" tag and how it differed.

From the JPEA

Please be noted that the existing "Blue Tag" stands for minimal acceptable quality for cultured pearls. It is not a seal of exact quality but a seal of acceptability. However, it does not necessarily mean that the pearls affixed with a Blue tag but no Gold tag is of inferior quality.

 

[SteveM]

The marketing material?also touched on the "blue" tag and how it differed.

From the JPEA

Please be noted that the existing "Blue Tag" stands for minimal acceptable quality for cultured pearls. It is not a seal of exact quality but a seal of acceptability. However, it does not necessarily mean that the pearls affixed with a Blue tag but no Gold tag is of inferior quality.

A little more detail from that brochure regarding how the Blue Tag is assigned is in order. Would it be just a question of the degree of thoroughness of the inspection, and corresponding fees? In which case, a scenario could develop in which the pearl companies simply get what they pay for.

 

[jshepherd]

The Gold tag is new. I think what they are trying to express is that strands that have already been tagged with a blue tag are not necessarily poor quality, only that they met the minimum acceptable grade. If they came out and said only those strands tagged with the gold tag, which means they are of very high grade, were high-grade pearls, they would be throwing all their blue-tag customers under the bus. I'm sure there is a lot of blue-tag material still out there on the market.

What I didn't like about the blue tag was that it really didn't mean anything. Minimum acceptable quality is a big range and in the low range it is completely unacceptable in my opinion. It wasn't a tag of quality. It was just a tag assigned to pearls that ranged "good enough not to destroy" to "highest grade produced."

With the gold tag, each strand is assigned a serial number so the strand can actually be traced back to its source. All the strands that I've seen with the gold tag are AAA to hanadama.

I've attached a picture below.

 

[GemGeek]

A good step to build confidence.

 

[pearlescence]

Hi Jeremy. How will this work in practice.....buying in stock it is our job to be able to pick decent strands, but once you make up a necklace you will have to remove the tag so it could then go on to any strand in the hands of an unscrupulous retailer.

 

[jshepherd]

That is true, it could go to a different strand in the hands of an unscrupulous retailer. But like a hanadama certificate that is also numbered, the same thing could happen as I'm sure it does. But with an honest retailer it can help differentiate a truly high quality, AAA quality strand from a lower quality strand.

I am for anything that begins to set standards. It is a small step but it is a step.

 

[pearlescence]

I'm suspecting that the different reactions are a product of the different consumer law regimes in the US and in Europe. Here there are rules on trade descriptions so that if I were to say that a strand was hanadama I might have to prove that to a judge (!)and the difference in gold selling is very clear - you can state and rely on your reputation for 9-12-14-18-24 etc (as I undertand it)- while in the UK we have to get anything we make hallmarked and it is an offence not to so do or to make incorrect claims (so that we tie ourselves in knots to ensure we don't mix them up in the stock room!)
Therefore to our regulated eyes this looks like a bit of a quango.
(and this is the second time I've posted this, the first attempt disappeared into the e-aether)

 

[jshepherd]

Hm. Well, like anything else that comes with a lab certificate or guarantee, whether a stone, a pearl, an iPod or a purse, a scammer can somehow take advantage. You can't hallmark a pearl and even if you could, that could be faked. GIA just came out with their own pearl report. Natural pearls don't exchange hands without a certificate but on the low-end trade. At a point, reputation and integrity is what really matters and when that is in place, it's rare a question should ever rise.

I've got to be honest, Wendy. I really can't tell what your argument is here. If you've got a strand that you were going to need to "prove" to a judge was hanadama, or "prove" to a judge was gold tag, wouldn't it be in your best interest to have a third part organization (the lab), or a government-sponsored organization (JPEA) already vouching for your product. Only the unscrupulous dealer who submitted a strand not matching the tag would have to worry.

Hanadama certs and GIA certs make a huge difference in selling here in the States, more so in Japan and more so in Europe (especially Germany and the UK). People want to know that it is not just your word your pearls are of fine quality.

 

[pearlescence]

It'z interesting you say that cxertificates make a difference in the UK because I have never been asked for them or heard of them being asked for of otherr sellers either. And that includes top rank world class sellers

 

[jshepherd]

I've been selling natural and cultured pearls in the UK via our US based website our our European based site for nearly 10 years. For hanadama, the UK is our strongest European market, specifically because of the certificate. For naturals, they won't sell without a GIA cert, and if they are expensive naturals, they are almost impossible to sell without the Swiss cert, and to dealers and collectors it's impossible with only a GIA or EGL cert.

I can tell you from direct experience dealing in this type of goods that it does make a big difference and doubly so when you are dealing with goods sight-unseen.

 

[pearlescence]

The forum lost my first attempt at a response again!
I would be able to prove my trade description to a judge if necessary by showing the invoices etc. I'm surprised that you say that certificates make a huge difference here - I've been asked for one once by someone who had heard of them being supplied in America but was happy to take my word plus a reminder of the law in Europe. And I've not come across any other sellers, including big name London sellers, who do cerificates...although I suppose Mikimoto does here. I don't know
By your argument I'm surprised there is no cerification for gold and other precious metals over there. Even more scope for the unscrupulous

 

[jshepherd]

Maybe you should try it. Create a certificate for any piece over some arbitrary amount like ?500. Certificates will help you sell higher-end goods immensely. If you get into akoya, especially akoya that can ?2-5000, a third-party certificate will increase sales in further.

 

[pearlescence]

Okay, I'll give it a whirl (though I don't stock akoya) and report back

 

[knotty panda]

I was under the impression the problem with the blue tag is it represented to the consumer that the pearls were of Japanese origin, when in fact, they could be Chinese as well. Is the introduction of the label at the "China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair in November" a separate label? Wendy, we pretty much take precious metals at face value inasmuch as getting a piece assayed is only as difficult as getting to the nearest jeweler. Certified gemstones come with pics as well as the detailed descriptions (as do Hanadama) and generally anyone who needs a cert for a piece is able to confirm to their own satisfaction that the piece in their hand is the piece in the pic. As far as unscrupulous vendor pearl replacement is concerned, that's why Mikimoto (Tiffany, Cartier, all the other name brands) only certify pearls attached to their clasp. That's why if you're buying the name brand, you go to them for restringing. I would think vendors selling gold tag pearls will give their clients the gold tag should they need to prove the strand. I wonder if the owners of serial numbered strands will be registered in some master database maintained by the JPEA.

 

[jshepherd]

Knotty!!! Good to hear from you!

The blue tag was not necessarily a tag or origin, just of minimum acceptable quality. The gold tag is different because it does (as I understand it) take into account the strand's origin and is only affixed to high grade strands. To what extent the provenance is traced, I'm not sure. All I have so far is the JPEA's marketing material which is a brief introduction but not a detailed overview.