Bahrain Insitute of Pearls and Gemstones (Danat) held the first-ever international Pearl Symposium at the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research in Muharraq from 14 to 15 November. This is the first pearl-oriented symposium worldwide that assembled laboratory and industry experts from eight different countries including Fiji Pearls owner Justin Hunter, ICA|GemLab Bangkok managing partner Kenneth Scarratt and researcher in Marine Biology & Ocean Science Dr Mohamed Al Rumaidh, etc.
Through hosting pearl international forum, Danat aims to enhance the reputation and confidence of customers in Danat as the institute in the field of pearl trading, research and third-party verification and hence, the leading powers in the natural pearl market. “Bahrain is definitely a major contributor to the natural pearl market, however, what is happening now is that in the pearl value chain Danat is servicing the divers, the Bahraini market and the regional market as well as the manufacturing market,” said Danat’s chief executive Noora Jamsheer.
A new classification system for pearls with nacre was officially established, as the first service of its kind to standardise natural pearls during the event. Jamsheer said: “The purpose of the classification system is to standardise the grading of pearls so that it’s not subjective from one lab to the other, so that everybody is talking the same language about pearls." She added that such system helps take pearls to an international market and gave diamond 4C's grades as an example. She believed efforts of the global jewellery industry have been made to combat possible threats posed by laboratory-grown diamonds will have a positive effect on the natural pearl market.
During the two-day event, attendees discussed investigations on the pearl oyster resources of Bahraini waters, trade in Bahraini pearls, modern trade usage of the term “keshi” and challenges of seed pearl, age dating, DNA fingerprinting, and novel radiographic methods of pearl, etc.
Danat was also the host of the World Jewellery Confederation Congress (CIBJO 2019) from 18 to 20 November at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. Members of national jewellery and gemstone associations and representatives from more than 40 countries and regions gathered. The organisation’s diamond, coloured stones, pearl, coral, precious metals and gemmological Blue Books were updated. Discussion included creation of an international standard for fei cui and responsible trading standards for lab-grown diamonds.
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