All, Do you all know that the United States Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) has established new guidelines for disclosure of enhancements
to I have read bits and pieces of the guidelines and it
is interesting that they have focused on the value of the gemstone
and how the enhancement has affected that value. Check the archives
and read the discussion we had last year about value. What are
everyone’s ideas about the new guidelines? How will this affect
gemstones imported into the US? How about trade shows and traveling
salesmen?
Gerry Galarneau
Some of us have been fighting for years to get the FTC to adopt
adequate guidelines relating to the treatment of especially
the requirement for laser drilling of diamonds to be disclosed not
only at the retail level but at the wholesale level as well. Now, any
dealer selling inside the US is required to disclose any treatment
that affects the value of any stone and to indicate whether that
treatment is permanent or not. This is certainly a positive step
forward in the trade.
Wayne Emery
Jewelry Design Studio
3djeweler@home.com
Gerry, I have read the new guidelines pretty thoroughly but find they
won’t impact my own business very much since we have always disclosed
far more than their guidelines demand. If you belong to the AGTA you
are also obligated to disclose more than the guidelines ask for so
most of the importers I use (we now require their membership in the
AGTA if they want our business) so I am not sure that they will effect
them at all either.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6000
@spirersomes
www.spirersomes.com