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| March/April 2007 |
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Thais, Japanese Announce Deal on Beryllium Sapphire The Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA) and the Japan Jewelry Association (JJA) announced at the recent World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) congress that they had come to an agreement on disclosure of beryllium-treated corundum. The agreement was hammered out prior to the congress during meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. Relations between Thai gem dealers and Japanese gem buyers soured several years ago when large quantities of “padparadscha,” or orange-pink, sapphires began to enter the market. The color is extremely rare in nature, and very popular in Japan. When these sapphires were first sold, they were disclosed simply as “heated,” generally considered an acceptable treatment. Japanese wholesalers bought large quantities of them, only to discover later that the color was due to beryllium diffusion, a type of treatment considered unacceptable. Thailand’s sapphire exports to Japan plummeted, and the Japanese market for sapphire shrank due to low consumer confidence. A nationwide sapphire promotion – originally to be jointly sponsored by the TJGTA and the JJA – was postponed indefinitely. Under the new agreement, a memorandum of understanding, Thai companies exporting corundum to Japan must include the following disclosure on their invoices: “Non-Beryllium-Treated,” “Beryllium Treated,” and “Unconfirmed Beryllium Treatment.” The disclosure rules will apply to both loose gemstones and gems set in jewelry. Any Thai exporter found to be selling a beryllium-treated gemstone must accept the return of the stone and issue a full refund. It was agreed that enforcement of the rules would be governed by the TGJTA in Thailand and the JJA in Japan, and that the rules would also apply to JJA members in domestic transactions. The memorandum of understanding was negotiated between the JJA and the TGJTA, the Thai Department of Export Promotion, the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand, and the Chanthaburi Gem and Jewelry Traders Association. Chanthaburi is the second-largest gem trading center in Thailand, and is also the place where the beryllium-treated sapphire first originated. Posted: March 21, 2007
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