Sponsored by Tasha R
5 Points on the Proposed Changes to the FTC Guides
The Federal Trade Commission has issued proposed revisions to its Guides for the Jewelry Industry. Here are a few key things to know about them.
New York--The Federal Trade Commission has issued proposed revisions to the FTC Guides for the jewelry industry, which dictate the terms that can, and cannot, be used to market jewelry.
A few key revisions are outlined below.
At this point, these changes are merely proposed--not final--and represent the latest development in an ongoing dialogue between the industry and the FTC, which have been working on overhauling the guides since 2012.
Members of the public who want to make comments about the latest changes have until April 4 to do so. The current draft can be found on FTC.gov, and comments can be registered here.
Comments also can be mailed to: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite CC-5610 (Annex O), Washington, D.C. 20580.
In the meantime, Jewelers Vigilance Committee CEO Cecilia Gardner said the JVC and other industry organizations will work on drafting responses to the latest revisions. In addition, the JVC plans to respond directly to a number of requests made by the FTC, including for more metallurgic testing on surface applications and for consumer perception data on surface-coated materials.
1. The use of the term “gold” in connection with alloys
Gardner said current FTC rules do not allow the use of the word gold to refer to any substance that’s less than 10 karats; Tiffany & Co., for example, cannot use the term gold in connection with its alloy Rubedo and instead refers it to simply as a metal.
Under the FTC’s proposed changes, the industry would be permitted to use the term gold to refer to alloys but must disclose the karatage of the gold and list the other metals present in the alloy as well.
“That’s a big change,” Gardner said.
2. The disclosure of rhodium plating
In its revisions, the FTC is proposing another major change to metals terminology--the disclosure of rhodium plating, which currently is not required.
3. A clarification on lead glass-filled rubies
Gardner said the proposed revisions clarify that the term “lead glass-filled ruby” can be used to refer only to material that contains some measure of red corundum. If the material is non-red corundum and colored glass is added to make it appear red (i.e., to make it look like a ruby), then it
In addition, the FTC stressed that the seller must disclose any and all information about the special care the material requires.
4. The incorporation of the term “cultured” in reference to lab-grown diamonds
Gardner said when the industry submitted its latest comments on the guides to the FTC back in 2012, it asked the FTC to prohibit the use of the word cultured in connection with lab-grown diamonds. The industry contended that the term should apply only to organic processes, such as the one used for pearls.
The FTC, however, has now proposed incorporating the word cultured into the guides but only if it is immediately accompanied by the terms lab-grown or lab-created.
5. The use of varietal names
The FTC’s proposed revisions dictate that terms such as yellow emerald and green amethyst are deceptive and misleading.
The gemstones must be described exactly as they are. In the two examples given above, it would be golden or yellow beryl and prasiolite.
The Latest
Three Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
A collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
Hampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
Senior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.
Sotheby’s sold the necklace, which potentially has ties to Marie-Antoinette, for $4.8 million to a woman bidding via phone.
Instead of its usual elaborate display, the store will illuminate its façade and frame the windows to highlight its flagship’s architecture.
The new Grand Seiko boutique is located in Honolulu’s Waikiki neighborhood.
Eleven spots are available for travelers to visit Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya from July 25 to Aug. 4.