Gaetano Cavalieri, president of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, formally invited the Turkish jewelry industry to become a member of the international organization, during a speech at the opening day of Istanbul Jewellery Show.

“It is unthinkable that a great nation like Turkey not be included in our family of nations,” Cavalieri said Friday. “I hereby extend an invitation to Turkey’s jewellery associations and professional federations and bodies to join CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation.”

Cavalieri, in his presentation, said that Turkey currently holds the number two spot as a jewelry manufacturing and sourcing base, and the country’s pro-business environment will push the industry to greater heights.

“This country has one of the most flexible tax and customs regulation systems, enabling the free trade of jewelry products,” he said.

Cavalieri described CIBJO as a vertically integration organization that represents miners, rough gemstone, and bullion traders; diamond and gemstone cutters; polished diamond and gemstone dealers; jewelry designers and manufacturers; jewellery wholesalers; jewelry retailers; and a variety of service industries.

“At CIBJO, we often refer to ourselves as the United Nations of the gemstone and jewellery industry,” he said.

JCK