JNA Nov/ Dec 2020

| Philippe Bouasse | Modern consumers have become more attentive to the origin of the products that they are buying and the conditions in which these are produced – pearls included. According to London-based trend consultancy Future Laboratory, today’s luxury purchasers seek to express who they are and be seen as ethical, creative, connected, philanthropic and conscientious. This in turn represents opportunities for the cultured pearl industry and pearl jewellery brands and designers. According to Justin Hunter of Fiji-based J Hunter Pearls, pearl farmers naturally become stewards of the seas to protect their investments while customers now wear quality pearl jewellery not only for aesthetic purposes but to be in harmony with and protect nature and celebrate diversity. The pearl industry however continues to face environmental challenges that can directly impact pearl production. These include fluctuations in water temperature, pollution, ocean acidification, changes in plankton profile and extreme weather conditions such as typhoons. The results are higher oyster mortality and damage to infrastructures. On the sustainability front, today’s pearl traders need to deal with changes in consumer behaviours and values and the clamour for transparency and traceability in the supply chain. Moreover, industry players are calling for a global initiative to promote the pearl as the sustainable gem. At a webinar organised by CIBJO in July, traders underscored the importance of such a movement in the pearl sector. Peter Bracher, executive director of Paspaley Pearling Company, said an independent organisation such as the Responsible Jewelry Council or RJC can introduce standards for the pearl industry to implement as opposed to individual companies having their own practices and initiatives. Jacques-Christophe Branellec, executive vice president and CEO of Jewelmer, agreed, adding that RJC is an ideal platform to set up global standards and code of practices for pearls. Diversity however is a challenge, with production methods, environment and social situations varying from one country to another. In a separate interview, SSEF’s Laurent Cartier, who co-founded the Sustainable Pearls project, said pearl farmers can be sustainability leaders in the jewellery industry, adding that there is huge potential to generate a positive impact on people and the environment through cultured pearls. According to Cartier, the pearl industry is in a unique position to pioneer sustainability initiatives as it represents a rare synergy: The healthier your environment, the better the quality of the pearl harvest. “Pearl farming (freshwater and marine) is ultimately linked to the health of our waters. Climate change, ocean acidification, pollution and rising sea levels are all issues that pearl farmers are already facing,” he noted. 創新科技 JNA Nov/Dec 2020 | 39 pearls through scientific techniques. Using latest methods such as age dating and DNA testing, SSEF is committed to providing further insights into the origin of a pearl. This fuels the industry’s mandate to satisfy consumers’ increasing demand for information and documentation about the natural and cultured pearls that they are buying, he added. GIA’s Zhou also highlighted a gem lab’s unique position to guard consumer trust particularly with e-commerce gaining traction in the jewellery and gemstone sector. “Without tangible goods in hand, an unbiased pearl identification or classification report from a gem lab will ensure trust and protect the consumer,” he added. Laurent E. Cartier, project manager at SSEF SSEF 項目經理 Laurent E. Cartier Sustainable pearls