Category: Latest News

The September release of the CJA's National Retail Bulletin is now live! Click here to read the latest from our friends at J.C. Williams group.

The August release of the CJA's National Retail Bulletin is now live! Click here to read the latest from our friends at J.C. Williams group.

The May release of the CJA's National Retail Bulletin is now live! Click here to read the latest from our friends at J.C. Williams group.

The April release of the CJA's National Retail Bulletin is now live! Click here to read the latest from our friends at J.C. Williams group.

The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) is pleased to announce the release of its updated Canadian Gemstone Guidelines for 2023. These guidelines serve as a valuable resource for all players in the Canadian jewellery industry, providing them with the latest information on gemstones and their use in jewellery with a focus on standardized nomenclature and consistent terminology. These Guidelines were developed in consideration of the Competition Act which contains prohibitions against false and misleading representations. Adherence to the Guidelines’ nomenclature will assist jewellery industry members in their obligation to ensure compliance with legislation, and to provide consistent and meaningful information to consumers. The Guidelines also incorporate industry best practices, with a focus on ethical advertising and responsible manufacturing. They also include updated information on gemstone treatments, enhancements, and synthetics, as well as guidance on disclosure requirements for retailers and manufacturers.   "We are excited to release these updated Guidelines to our members and the wider Canadian jewellery industry," says Angela Betteridge, Chair of the CJA. "As the industry evolves, it is important that we provide our members with the latest information and guidance to help them make informed decisions and meet the growing demand for ethical jewellery." The updated Guidelines were developed in collaboration with industry experts, including gemologists, manufacturers, and retailers. The CJA would like to thank, in particular, Angela Betteridge GIA GG , Warren Boyd FGA, FCGmA, BSC of Geology, Heather Davis GIA GG, FCGmA, CDG (HRD), CAP-CJA , and Duncan Parker FCGmA, FGA, CAP-CJA, for their valued expertise in reviewing these Guidelines, and Phyllis Richard for her editorial skills. The Guidelines will be available on the CJA website, as well as through industry publications and events. "We are proud to be at the forefront of promoting ethical and sustainable practices in the jewellery industry," says Betteridge. "These updated Guidelines are a reflection of our commitment to providing our members with the tools and resources they need to succeed in today's marketplace." Download your copy today! L'Association canadienne des bijoutiers annonce la nouvelle édition 2023 des Lignes directrices canadiennes sur les pierres précieuses L'Association canadienne des bijoutiers (ACB) est heureuse d'annoncer la publication de ses Lignes directrices canadiennes sur les pierres précieuses, édition 2023. Ces lignes directrices constituent une ressource précieuse pour tous les acteurs de l'industrie canadienne de la bijouterie, où ils trouveront les tout derniers renseignements sur les pierres précieuses et leur utilisation dans les bijoux, et notamment une nomenclature normalisée et une terminologie uniforme. Ces lignes directrices ont été élaborées en tenant compte de la Loi sur la concurrence, qui interdit les indications fausses et trompeuses. Le respect de la nomenclature indiquée dans les lignes directrices aidera les membres de l'industrie de la bijouterie dans leur obligation de respecter la législation et de fournir aux consommateurs des renseignements cohérents et utiles. Les lignes directrices incluent également les pratiques exemplaires de l'industrie, en particulier en matière de publicité éthique et de fabrication responsable. De plus, elles comprennent des informations mises à jour sur les traitements et les améliorations de pierres précieuses et les produits synthétiques, ainsi que des conseils sur les exigences de divulgation pour les détaillants et les fabricants.   « C’est avec grand plaisir que nous publions cette nouvelle édition des lignes directrices à l’intention de nos membres et de l'ensemble de l'industrie canadienne de la bijouterie », déclare Angela Betteridge, présidente de l'ACB. « À mesure que l'industrie évolue, il est important que nous fournissions à nos membres les informations et conseils les plus récents pour les aider à prendre des décisions éclairées et à répondre à la demande croissante de bijoux éthiques. »   Cette édition actualisée des lignes directrices a été élaborée en collaboration avec des experts de l'industrie, y compris des gemmologues, des fabricants et des détaillants. L'ACB tient à remercier tout particulièrement les personnes suivantes : Angela Betteridge, GIA GG, Warren Boyd, FGA, FCGmA, baccalauréat ès sciences en géologie, Heather Davis, GIA GG, FCGmA, CDG (HRD), CAP-CJA, et Duncan Parker, FCGmA, FGA, CAP-CJA, pour leur précieuse expertise dans la révision de ces lignes directrices, ainsi que Phyllis Richard pour ses talents de rédactrice. Les Lignes directrices sur les pierres précieuses seront accessibles sur le site Web de l'ACB ainsi que dans les publications et les événements de l'industrie.   « Nous sommes fiers d'être à l'avant-garde de la promotion de pratiques éthiques et durables dans l'industrie de la bijouterie », a déclaré Mme Betteridge. « Cette édition révisée des lignes directrices reflète notre engagement à fournir à nos membres les outils et les ressources dont ils ont besoin pour réussir sur le marché actuel. » Téléchargez votre copie aujourd'hui !

JVC’s Crime Prevention Program: What lies ahead for 2023 Looking Ahead Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC) has launched the new and improved JVC website to make the information and resources provided in the Crime Prevention Program (CPP) easier to access while updating the content. We also have added a blog that we will use to expose’ all things jewellery crime. Look for a focus on threats, crime prevention methods, and related technologies and another spotlight on health and wellness and resources available to jewellers. For 2023 we have also updated the format and delivery of the Crime Alert Bulletins. They are in the form of information bursts, more succinct, and more information packed into each alert bulletin. Focus on Health and Wellness One of the lingering effects of increasing crime, particularly violent crime, is stress and anxiety. The collective weight of press releases, social media content, and the actual increase in the number of violent crime events facing the jewellery industry has an on-going and negative impact on personal health of those working in the jewellery industry. Add in market uncertainty, sales pressures, increasing business cost to these compounds. Knowing what resources are available is among the first steps to managing this, and we are illuminating some resources through out learning shorts. We will be talking to a Victim Service Unit to talk about what they do and how they assist victims of crime and their role in crime prevention and post event assistance. We’ll be talking with a grief and loss health coach to see how grief and loss enters our lives and how industry events can cause us grief and loss even when we haven’t been directly affected and how we can help ourselves and our staff. Focus on Safety and Security The threat to jewellers has changed. The tactics of criminals have evolved, they have sophisticated techniques, and new and specialized tools to use against jewellers. As always there is an ebb and flow of criminal activity, but tactics are different, and this will continue through the ebb and flow. We will be interviewing a suite of security experts to talk about a host of in-store security measures. Our first will be discussing the most recent evolutions in- store security devices that can protect your business. We will also be talking with an innovative company that is working to help police solve crimes involving lost and stolen jewellery and the international successes that have been having. Four JVC Learning Shorts are lined up for early 2023. You will be able to view these on jewellerycrimecanada.ca. Police Victim Services Units – how they assist after an event Stress and Loss Specialist – how to identify and manage stress in the work environment and assistance for staff. Security Company – will discuss innovative crime mitigation technology. Security Company – will discuss their global effort to reduce jewellery loss.

What does the future hold for the Canadian Diamond Market? According to the most recent data from Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN), Canada was the world's third largest producer of rough diamonds by value (12.5% of world production), and the third largest producer by volume (13.5% of world production) in 2019 - producing 18.6 million carats of rough diamonds valued at $2.21 billion. Ekati, Diavik, Gahcho Kué (all NWT) and Renard (QC) are Canada’s last four producing diamond mines with no exploration projects even close to production. Arctic Canadian Diamond Company, the owners of Ekati and the CanadaMark™ hallmark program, yielded 4.5 million carats in 2021 and expected  to ramp up to 5 million carats in 2022 with a planned mine life running to 2028. Rio Tinto plans to produce 3 to 3.8 million carats of rough from Diavik in 2023. Well below last year’s total, this reflects the deposit’s end of life in 2025. De Beers Group and Mountain Province’s Gahcho Kué mine averages around 4.5 million carats annually and has an anticipated 12 year mine life,  ending in 2028 Stornoway’s Renard mine expects to produce 1.6 million carats per year over its 14 year mine life, anticipated to end in 2031 That’s an annual production of around 15 million carats, and as end of life approaches, that number will drop considerably. It’s been a long run since Ekati’s first production reached the market in 1998. Conceivably, by 2031 there will be no Canadian diamond mines left. That’s less than ten years. Think about the following questions: How do you feel about the loss of the jewel in Canada’s crown? What will happen to all of the people that work in the Canadian diamond industry both directly and indirectly? Do consumers really care if their diamond is Canadian or from an unknown origin? How will it affect retail and wholesale businesses? How will it affect brands that have built their livelihood on Canadian diamonds? What about lab grown diamonds? How will you pivot? I’d love to engage in conversation with you and hear your thoughts. Angela Betteridge Chair of the Board of Directors, CJA

At the recent 2022 Canadian Jewellers Association Annual General Meeting on October 24, Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC) awarded the Peel Regional Police Robbery Unit with the JVC-Jewelers Mutual Group Law Enforcement Award of Merit. The JVC-Jewelers Mutual Group Law Enforcement Award of Merit is awarded to a police service that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in conducting exceptional investigations and dedication to duty related to jewellery industry crime. Peel Regional Police did just that in their investigation into the 2020 robbery of a Mississauga jewellery store. This November 2020 robbery was particularly heinous and violent. A jeweller was shot with a gun by one of the robbers before the robbers made off with approximately $1.5 million in jewellery. The robbers disguised themselves as older individuals which were later determined to be rubber masks that were worn. Peel Regional Police Robbery Unit conducted an extensive and thorough criminal investigation and was able to determine the identity of one of the suspects as Olakunle Banjoko, a 30-year-old male from Toronto. Banjoko has been charged with attempted murder, robbery with a firearm, disguise with intent, and two counts of failing to comply with a weapons prohibition order. He was convicted in December 2021 of his involvement in this crime and received a 10-year prison sentence. The other suspect remains at large, and police continue to investigate. Jewellers Vigilance Canada, along with the Canadian Jewellers Association and the jewellery community thank Peel Regional Police Robbery Unit for their exceptional work in this investigation, their dedication to service, and for bringing this criminal to justice.

Our Annual General Meeting, held in October at Toronto’s downtown Hilton, was an exciting, lively event punctuated by personal connections, informative and significant discussions, shared stories and achievements, and familiar faces. The occasion also saw a new CJA Board of Directors voted and accepted by the members. The CJA is pleased to announce the appointment of Angela Betteridge as the new Chair of the Board for 2023-2025. For more about Angela and her vision for the CJA, please follow this link.  Angela Betteridge is joined on the Board by the following: Past Chair: Gail Golberg, Custom Creations by GG, Toronto, Ontario 1st Vice Chair: Chau Lui, Paris Jewellers, Edmonton, Alberta 2nd Vice Chair: Geoffrey Beattie, Barclay’s Fine Jewellers, Victoria, BC. Director & Member of Executive Committee: Marco Pasteris, Birks Group, Montreal, QC Director: Mark Devereaux , Jewelers Mutual Group, Neenah, Wisconsin Director: Kevin Vantyghem, Vantyghem Diamonds, Kitchener, Ontario Director: Shant Purutoglu, Gem Lab Appraisal Services, Toronto, Ontario Director: Heather Davis, Stellar Gem Services, Kelowna, B.C. Director: Keith Jack, Keith Jack Inc., Vancouver, B.C. Director: Tom Hart, C.J. Ltd., Dartmouth, N.S. View the full 2023-2025 board here. AGM attendees were also guided through seminars on loss prevention, social media marketing, and retail strategy before awards were handed out to this year’s deserving recipients. Carmen Rivet, of Bijouterie Rivet in Montreal, was the recipient of this year’s Chairman’s Award. Following a degree in business and marketing, Carmen earned her Graduate Gemologist Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America in 1982 and has been a Diploma Member of the Canadian Gemmological Association. Carmen has run her own jewellery store in Saint-Lambert since 1987, and is a highly sought after appraiser. Carmen joined the board of the Canadian Jewellers Association, serving as a director from 2000- 2006, and as President for the year 2004-2005, where she was instrumental in the fight to repeal the excise tax. Carmen was unable to attend the event and her good friend and Past President, Pierre Akkelian, accepted the award on her behalf. The Erol Paylan award, presented during the current year to recognize a person or company who has made a significant contribution to the Canadian Jewellery, was presented to Duncan Parker, Vice President of Dupuis Fine Jewellery Auctioneers in Toronto. Duncan is a past President of Jewellers Vigilance Canada, and the past President and a regular instructor at The Canadian Gemmological Association. Duncan has worked as a jewellery valuer and diamond and coloured gem specialist for 30 years. Members of the Peel Regional Police were on hand to receive the Crime Prevention Award for their tireless efforts in solving a string of jewellery burglaries in Ontario’s Peel Region, and bringing the suspects to justice.

It is an honour and a privilege to serve as Chair of the CJA Board for the 2023 – 2025 term. Having been a Director of the Association since 2017, I have seen several changes and it will be no surprise for you to know that more, positive change is on the way! Our wonderfully talented office team of Carla, Alanna and Nicole are working on new initiatives, new member benefits and exciting new webinar content for the upcoming year. Phyllis and Kelly remain committed to their steadfast work of Government Relations and Crime Prevention. I take this opportunity to thank Gail Golberg for her tireless work as Chair over these past two years. Her task was particularly difficult due to the pandemic. Planning and executing an office move to cut our expenses, coping with no travel and in-person meetings and mastering online collaborations. Gail handled all of this with grace and dignity. I thank Jewelers Mutual Group for their continued support of our Association. Their dedication to the industry is unparalleled and we are extremely fortunate to receive their incredibly insightful perspective on how to move forward in evolving times. Your new, diverse Board of Directors represents Canada from (almost) coast to coast, and of course we would love representation from the centre and north of the country too. If you would love to give back to your industry as we do, please consider becoming a committee member or even stand to be a Director at next year’s AGM. It’s your opportunity to have your say in what shapes our industry. Our Association succeeds because of its membership and it must be an engaged membership. My cornerstone for the CJA over the next couple of years is RELEVANCE. How can we evolve and remain relevant in this world of exponential change? By listening By exploring and acting on themes that are important to our members By providing membership benefits that impact the bottom line By continuing to be the voice of the jewellery industry By providing access to education for all members By forming strategic relationships with industry peers and learning from their best practices By being curious and trying new ideas It’s a big ask, but we have the ability to succeed if we all work together. Because we are all in this together. Angela Betteridge 7 November 2022