Frequently Asked Questions

What is Coutts London Jewellery Week?

Coutts London Jewellery Week is the first event to showcase the city’s status as the home of world-class jewellery design. Shop till you drop or just take in the atmosphere of this unique initiative offering visitors from across the globe the chance to attend a host of events.

With a reputation for all things cutting-edge and a culture steeped in tradition, London is the ideal destination to discover everything you need to know about jewellery. From the 11th – 15th June 2008 events taking place across the city will range from open houses to catwalk shows, collection launch parties to awards – all organised by jewellers themselves. Click here [link to section listing events by type] to find out what is planned for the Week.

What is the background to Coutts London Jewellery Week?

The City Fringe Partnership has established Coutts London Jewellery Week in light of industry calls for a way to show what the capital’s jewellery trade has to offer. The Communication Group have been commissioned to handle the PR and administration of the event and Coutts have agreed to sponsor it in its first year.

Individual jewellery businesses have come together for the first time to welcome visitors and to show just what they have to offer.

Can anyone go to Coutts London Jewellery Week?

Coutts London Jewellery Week is open to the public and everyone is invited to experience the range of businesses taking part will be organising a multitude of events, every one of which will be listed in the directory. Please note that some individual events are invitation-only at the discretion of the organiser.

When is Coutts London Jewellery Week taking place?

Coutts London Jewellery Week will be open to the public from the 11th to the 15th June 2008 with events taking place in numerous locations on each day.

Where is Coutts London Jewellery Week taking place?

Coutts London Jewellery Week is taking place at a range of locations across London. The event has been designed to showcase every type of jewellery and therefore it will not take the format of a single exhibition. This way, jewellery businesses can show just what they have to offer in their own style and in a format that works best for both them and the visitor.

How do I get to Coutts London Jewellery Week?

[links to travel section of site with train, bus, air and underground information]
Links to travel websites (possibly with promotions) – information to follow

Can I buy tickets for Coutts London Jewellery Week?

This very much depends on the format chosen by each participating jewellery business. Some events will be free and open to all; others will be ticketed – please check individual events to find out more.

Is there a calendar of events?

The event section of the website will list all events associated with Coutts London Jewellery Week as well as displaying them on an interactive map. Users will be able to search by day, area, type of jeweller or type of event. Participants upload their own event information directly onto the site and it is anticipated that plans will continue to develop right up until the Week itself.

Where can I get hold of a directory for the week?

The Guide to Coutts London Jewellery Week will list every event happening over the course of the Week and will be distributed on Friday 6th June 2008 with the Evening Standard’s ES Magazine. Participating businesses will hold copies of the directory and the website will also contain a directory of events

What is the Coutts London Jewellery Week ethical policy?

All participants are required to confirm that the diamonds and/or other gemstones they sell and/or exhibit have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The seller must guarantee that the diamonds and/or other gemstones are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier(s).

What are conflict diamonds and blood diamonds?

Conflict diamonds, sometimes called blood diamonds, are diamonds that are sold to fund the unlawful and illegal operations of rebel, military and terrorist groups. Countries that have been most affected by conflict diamonds are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo - all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade.

Wars in most of those areas have ended or at least decreased in intensity, but conflict diamonds from the Ivory Coast, in West Africa, and Liberia are still reaching the trade erroneously labelled as conflict-free diamonds.

What is being done to put an end to the trade of conflict diamonds?

In 2000, South African countries with a legitimate diamond trade began a campaign to track the origins of all rough diamonds, attempting to put a stop to conflict diamond sales from known conflict areas. Their efforts eventually resulted in The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), an international effort to rid the world of conflict diamonds.

What is the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme?

The UN, governments, the diamond industry and non-governmental organizations (such as Global Witness and Amnesty International) have recognised the need for a global united front to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond supply chain and thus helping to fund conflict.
An agreement called the Kimberley Process was drawn up and ratified in 2003, requiring participating governments including the British government - to ensure that each shipment of rough diamonds be exported/imported in a secure container, accompanied by a uniquely numbered, government-validated certificate stating that the diamonds are from sources free of conflict.
Under the Kimberley Process, diamond shipments can only be exported and imported within co-participant countries in the Kimberley Process. No uncertified shipments of rough diamonds will be permitted to enter or leave a participant's country. This ring-fences conflict diamonds and as such ensures they are unable to enter the legitimate diamond supply chain and thus, cannot be used for illegitimate purposes.
Today, 71 governments, in partnership with the diamond industry and NGOs, are committed and legally bound to the UN-mandated process. Kimberley Process participants currently account for well over 99% of the global production of rough diamonds.
Kimberley Process participants undergo periodic reviews, along with peer monitoring to ensure compliance. Furthermore, all rough diamond sales are independently audited, and are also subject to separate governmental regulations. Any country that is found not to be in compliance can be sanctioned by the Kimberley Process.

What is the System of Warranties?

The Kimberley Process safeguards against the unethical mining, export and import of diamonds, whereas the System of Warranties safeguards against any potential abuse at the stages of manufacture, trading and retail.
Once a diamond has been legitimately imported it is ready to be traded, cut and polished and set into jewellery. Several companies may be involved in this process. Each time the diamond changes hands it must be accompanied by a warranty on invoices stating that the diamond is not from a conflict source. This is called the System of Warranties. Manufacturers/traders are required to audit these System of Warranties statements on their invoices as part of their annual audit process and to keep records for 5 years.
Retailers are responsible for ensuring that the diamonds they stock and sell carry a warranty that they are conflict free. Retailers are required to audit these Systems of Warranties statements on their invoices as part of their annual audit process and to keep records for 5 years. The System of Warranties does not require the warranty to appear on the consumer's receipt. But by implementing measures for greater supervision, compliance and accountability, through the System of Warranties, within the diamond trade, consumers can be assured that the diamonds they buy are from sources that are free from conflict. Consumers can ask for assurances from their retailers that their diamond is from sources free from conflict.

What is Coutts London Jewellery Week doing to prevent the sale of conflict diamonds in London?

Coutts London Jewellery Week is a fierce supporter of the initiative of the United Nations and the World Diamond Council (The Kimberley Process) to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate supply chains of the jewellery industry. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme ensures that mining of diamonds is strictly supervised at government level and that legitimately mined diamonds, in their “rough” state (before cutting and polishing) are only transferred between participating countries under strictly monitored conditions, in tamper proof containers, and accompanied by the appropriate documentation.

To ensure that only these legitimate diamonds, when cut and polished, pass into the jewellery manufacturing process, and therefore into the jewellery which our participants sell to customers, we also support the system of warranties and code of conduct issued by the World Diamond Council on 29 October 2002 and endorsed by the British Jewellers’ Association.

How effective have the Kimberley Process and System of Warranties been?

At its peak, the trade in conflict diamonds was estimated to be less than 4% of annual rough diamond production but the international diamond industry has declared that one diamond traded in this way is one too many. Since the introduction of Kimberley well over 99% of the worlds diamond supply is certified to be from sources that are free from conflict.
The Kimberley Process is also constantly being reviewed for improvements. This review is currently being undertaken by the international governments who are members of the Process, with input from NGOs, diamond industry experts and other interested parties.
In addition to the Kimberley Process and System of Warranties, the diamond industry - along with governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - is taking additional actions to eradicate conflict diamonds. For example, the Diamond Development Initiative aims to find sustainable methods of ensuring that diamonds are mined and distributed for the benefit of local communities and local governments.

What personal steps can you, as a consumer, take to ensure that the jewellery you buy is from conflict free sources

Make sure that the jeweller is willing to spend time providing the information you need. A reputable jeweller should:
Only use suppliers who can provide a guarantee that their diamonds are from sources free of conflict
Have a conflict diamond policy
Be able to answer a customer's questions about the topic

Source: The World Diamond Council

Can I exhibit at Coutts London Jewellery Week?

If you are a jewellery business based in London you can take part in Coutts London Jewellery Week. There is no one single exhibition – instead participating businesses are encouraged to stage their own celebrations during the Week.

Some of the ways in which you can get involved include:

Catwalk shows          Parties                     Exhibitions
Open houses             Workshops               Lectures and gallery talks
Cocktail receptions   Treasure hunts        Bling and buy sales
Window displays        End of year shows Educational seminars
Collection launches Promotions               Podium fashion shows
Apprenticeships         Awards                      Sponsorship of designers

If you are a small business and would like to collaborate with other like-minded individuals to take part in an exhibition please email info@londonjewelleryweek.co.uk.

How much does it cost (as a business) to get involved?

Please email info@londonjewelleryweek.co.uk to hear about how to get involved.

Is there a deadline for getting involved?

There is no deadline for entry. However, as a jewellery business the earlier you sign up the sooner you will benefit from the CLJW PR campaign. If you are interested in experiencing the events CLJW has to offer click here [link to consumer email registration box on holding/home page].

How will events be coordinated?

Events hosted by participants will be publicised via the website and the Guide to Coutts London Jewellery Week. These will allow visitors to make plans to experience the wide range of events available during the Week. Participants are encouraged to create their own events to take place within the Week and to notify the organisers in order that the information can be made available. [Coutts London Jewellery Week takes no responsibility for the content of events organised by participants.].

Who owns Coutts London Jewellery Week and how is it funded?

Coutts London Jewellery Week is organised by the City Fringe Partnership (CFP) [http://www.cityfringe.org.uk] with funding from the London Development Agency [http://www.lda.gov.uk] and sponsorship from Coutts [http://www.coutts.co.uk]. The City Fringe Partnership (CFP) is an economic development and regeneration partnership, set up to increase economic growth and social inclusion in the area to the north and east of the City of London, which includes some of the most deprived communities in the country.

Its principal aims are to encourage small and medium-sized business growth and to develop employment opportunities in specific strategic industries located within the City Fringe itself.

In 2006, the CFP commissioned a feasibility study into industry calls for a flagship consumer-facing jewellery event and, after positive results, is now proud to have signed Coutts as the title sponsor for the inaugural London Jewellery Week which will take place between 11th and 15th June 2008.

Coutts London Jewellery Week is one of a range of projects that the CFP has funded to support the jewellery industry in London via its Jewellery Sector Investment Plan (JSIP). For more information on the JSIP and the CFP’s role in supporting the London jewellery trade please visit www.cityfringe.org.uk.