To avoid the implication that CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation, bears any legal responsibility for a particular gem lab’s grading reports, but at the same time strengthen the bonds between the organization and gem labs that follow its standards, CIBJO will introduce new resolutions in its updated Blue Book for laboratories.

“During the past year, we’ve looked very carefully at this process, and after numerous deliberations, meetings, and discussions, we’ve come to the conclusion that we need to get away from any sort of formal or legal affiliation between CIBJO and gemological laboratories,” writes Héja Garcia-Guillerminet, president of the CIBJO Laboratory Commission. “However, CIBJO places paramount importance in maintaining a meaningful relationship with the laboratories and would like to see them follow CIBJO’s rules for diamonds, colored stones, and pearls,” he adds.

Garcia-Guillerminet, who hails from Paris, noted that, until now, CIBJO has required labs that want recognition from the organization to apply to become CIBJO “registered.” Labs that underwent the registration process and fulfilled a number of additional requirements have been allowed to print the CIBJO logo on their letterheads and grading reports.

To replace this somewhat cumbersome process, the CIBJO Laboratory Commission has proposed that the organization simply publish a list of the gem labs that are in compliance with its regulations. This would suit CIBJO’s desire to let gem labs of good will/faith cooperate with the organization, requiring them to pay a fee.

The Laboratory Commission also came to the conclusion that for reasons of clarity and to reduce the organization’s legal exposure, it would be best to allow labs that are in compliance to use CIBJO’s logo on commercial documents other than grading reports.