Leading jewellery associations in the United States have come together to form the United States Jewelry Council (USJC), in order to work more closely together on making sure the U.S. jewelry industry is collectively represented at government and international levels, as well as dealing more effectively on key issues, such as those of social, ethical and environmental importance, that might impact the U.S. jewellery industry.
Council members are:
• American Gem Society (AGS)
• Diamond Council of America (DCA)
• Diamond Bourse of Southeast United States (DBSE)
• Diamond Dealers Club of New York (DDC)
• Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA)
• Indian Diamond and Colored Stone Association (IDCA)
• Jewelers of America (JA)
• Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA)
• Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA)
The Council has elected the following officers:
• President – Ronnie VanderLinden, President of the DMIA
• Treasurer – David J. Bonaparte, President & CEO of JA
• Secretary – Ruth Batson, CEO of AGS
James Evans Lombe, Director of Ethical Initiatives, Jewelers of America, has been appointed CEO of the Council.
The organizations – whose combined memberships represent the vast majority of the U.S. jewelry industry – believe U.S. businesses need a united voice on issues as diverse as environmental mining standards, factory working conditions, full and proper disclosure of all relevant information before sale, be it the type of stone, weight, metal quality etc. as well as any other issues that can impact consumer confidence in the diamond and jewelry industry such as the financial regulations on anti-money laundering or the international systems to prevent the re-occurrence of conflict diamonds. For example, the Council is a member of the World Diamond Council, working with the WDC to enhance the U.S. jewelry industry’s voice in the Kimberley Process.
